A girlfriend of one of our editors just summed up 2016 nicely in a text: THIS. YEAR.
We know what she meant.
So — considering you’ll be breaking bread with people you love but don’t necessarily agree with between now and next year — we don’t blame you for needing a drink. Or seven.
And thus we present the Cocktail Quarterly, Vol. XIV, stocked with seven classy cocktails engineered for holiday imbibing.
Recipes below. And remember: if you can’t identify the drunk uncle, you’re probably him.
2 oz. St-Germain
¾ oz. Galliano Ristretto
¼ oz. Fernet Branca
Stir all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with the orange twist.
“Karri Cormican’s take on a nightcap fuses the traditions of the after-dinner coffee and the digestif. The mellow coffee flavor of Galliano Ristretto balances the bright notes of herbs and mint of St-Germain and Fernet Branca to form a sipping cocktail that will keep the night sailing on.” Excerpt from the new book How to Drink French Fluently
.25 oz Fernet Branca
.25 oz Suze Gentiane
.5 oz Cocchi di Torino
1.5 oz Wolfberger Amer Fleur de Joie
1.5 oz Hibiki Harmony
Build all ingredients over ice, stir vigorously. Strain into a single rocks glass over a single large ice cube (or sphere). Squeeze a piece of lemon peel over the top of the cocktail to express the oils.
2 oz. bar spoons of pumpkin butter
2 oz. Ilegal Reposado Mezcal
.75 oz. lime juice
.5 oz. cinnamon syrup
.5 oz. Faretti Biscotti Liqueur
Shake with ice and strain into rocks glass. Top with a dust of nutmeg.
Muddle two sage leaves in 1/2 oz Maple Syrup
2 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Egg whites
3/4 oz Root Liqueur
2 dashes Cranberry Bitters
2 dashes Cardamom Bitters
Dry shake. Shake. Strain into a tall glass bottomed with 2 oz. club soda. Garnish with two cherries and a sage leaf.
2 oz mezcal
½ oz maple syrup
1/2 oz Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao
3 dash chocolate bitters
Coconut cream float
Chocolate
Add all ingredients, except for coconut cream, to stirring glass. Add ice and stir. Strain and pour into a coupe or rocks glass. Layer cream on top and garnish with dark chocolate shavings.
2 oz. Nolet’s Gin
.5 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. maple syrup
Add ingredients in a wine glass. Stir in Prosecco. Add a splash of cranberry juice. Garnish with a lemon twist.
10 oz. (Belvedere) RED
14 oz cloudy apple cider
3 oz allspice syrup
4 oz. lemon juice
4 lemon wheels
4 orange wheels
5 cinnamon sticks
Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl. Serves 6-8.
Also: For every bottle of the specially-designed Belvedere bottles purchased, 50% of the proceeds go towards the fight against AIDS via the (RED) organization. You can purchase a bottle here.
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