20 Holiday Cocktails That Will Get The Party Started

The event held by the Distilled Spirits Council at the Glasshouses in NYC on December 1st, was the dream of any liqueur fanatic. With the finest spirits and the chicest cocktails, the mixologists at DISCUS’s soirée were the stars of the show. Led by head mixologists Toby Cecchini (owner of The Long Island Bar in Brooklyn) and David Moo (owner of Quarter Bar), the night was a delicious success. 

Be sure to try these glorious cocktails and keep their creators in mind for your next holiday event!

By Mixologist Victoria Canty for Campari:Aperol Spritz
3 parts Cinzano Prosecco
2 parts Aperol
1 splash of soda

Method: Serve over ice in a stemless wine glass. Add a slice of orange, pour in the Prosecco, the Aperol and a splash of soda.
Pomander Negroni
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Cinzano 1757
.75 oz. Appleton rum
1 dash Angostura bitters
2 dashes Orange bittersFrangelico Frizzante
1 part Frangelico
2 parts Sparkling Water
Squeeze of Fresh Lime

Serve over ice in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.Averna
Enjoy neat or over ice.Cynar 70
Enjoy neat with/without ice after a meal or as a shot.

For Sidney Frank/Jägermeister:German Tailored Mai Tai by Mixologist Willy Shine and Leo DeGroff
2 parts Jägermeister
½ part Combier
¾ part Orgeat Syrup *
¾ part Fresh Lime Juice
Add ingredients into mixing tin, add ice and shake.  Strain into frozen empty glass, top with pebble ice, garnish with a large mint spring and orange half wheel.

*Orgeat Syrup: 2 parts demerara sugar to every 1 part almond milk. Heat sugar and almond milk and bring to a low simmer until all the sugar is dissolved.  Add 4 parts of aged Rum, ½ a teaspoon of Rosewater and 1 ½ teaspoons of almond extract (or to taste).

For Brown-Forman / Finlandia:

Grapefruit Crush
2oz. Finlandia Grapefruit
½ oz triple sec
½ fresh grapefruit, squeezed directly into glass
Top with lemon lime soda
Fill tall glass with crushed ice, mix and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit.

For Beam Suntory/Laphroaig:Laphroaig Smoked Maple Cakes
1 part Laphroaig® 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
1⁄2 part Jim Beam® Maple
1⁄2 part DeKuyper® Buttershots
2 parts fresh pressed apple juice

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.Laphroaig Montgomerie Smoked Cider
1 1⁄2 parts Laphroaig® 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3 parts apple cider
1 part fresh lemon sour

Build over ice in order. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

By Brand Master Juan Coronado for Bacardi-Facundo:Gentlemen’s Rum Toddy
2 parts FACUNDO EXIMO
1 part Thatchers Apple Spice Liqueur
1 part hot water
1 bar spoon St. Elizabeth Dram

Method: Add all ingredients into kettle and keep at about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, serve into a mug or large tea cup. Garnish with 2 cloves, 1 lemon wheel and nutmeg.  

For Patron:Rockwell’s Punch by Mixologist David Alan:
1 L Patrón Silver
8 oz Pyrat XO Reserve rum
6 oz lime cordial
6 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
10 dashes Angostura bitters
8 oz tawny port
12 oz unfiltered apple cider
12 oz black tea, chilled
2 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz Suze gentian liqueur 

Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Float large blocks of solid ice in the punch bowl and garnish generously with lemon wheels, apple slices, and freshly grated nutmeg.The Bright Side By Mixologist Igor Zukowiec:
1.5 oz. Roca Patrón Reposado
0.75 oz. Bianco Vermouth
1 dash of Angostura Orange
1 dash of Hella Citrus
Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with one big ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For Diageo:
Crown Royal Northern Buck
1.3 oz. Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
.75 oz. Lime Juice
3 oz. Ginger Beer
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lime Wheel
Combine Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye and Lime Juice in a shaker, add ice, shake well and strain into the highball glass over fresh ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lime wheel and two dashes of Angostura bitters. 

Crownberry Apple
1.5 oz. Crown Royal Regal Apple
4 oz. Cranberry Juice
Apple Wedge
Combine Crown Royal Regal Apple and Cranberry Juice in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with apple wedge.Bulleit Hot Toddy
1.25 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
1 tsp. Fine Grain Sugar
2 Small Cloves
1.5 oz. Boiling Water
Combine Bulleit Bourbon, fine grain sugar, and cloves in a mug. Add boiling water. Stir.

Mixologist Stilo Pimentel from Collectif 1806 prepares:Rémy Martin 1738 Sazerac
2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738
¼ oz. simple syrup
4 dashes aromatic bitters absinthe rinse
Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe. Stir the remaining ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain into the prepared glass. Squeeze lemon twist in glass to extract oil and garnish with a lemon twist. The Botanist Red Dawn
1 tablespoon of fresh pomegranate seeds
2 oz. The Botanist Gin
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
2 dashes aromatic bitters
top with ginger beer
Combine ingredients in a shaker, shake with ice, strain over fresh ice in a highball glass, add ginger beer, lightly stir with a bar spoon and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds.

For Moët Hennessy:

Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach Punch by Brand Ambassador Anne-Louise Marquis
Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach mixed with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, a dash of Moët & Chandon Imperial and Belvedere Pure, with fresh mint, strawberries, raspberries, and lemon wheels.
(For 100 servings)
2 bottles belvedere
4 bottles GMRP
6 bottles Moet
100 oz lemon
100 oz simple syrup (ideally we could make raspberry syrup)
Add lots of fresh mint, lots of fresh strawberries and raspberries and lemon wheels.Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Sazerac
Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège with simple syrup, a dash of Absinthe, and Peychaud’s Bitters.
2 1/2 oz Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège
1/8 oz Absinthe
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
5 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Glass: Rocks
Add Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège, simple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass that has been washed with absinthe. Garnish with a lemon twist.Belvedere Classic Martini
Belvedere Pure Vodka with a dash of dry vermouth.
2 oz Belvedere Vodka
.25 oz Dry Vermouth (Lillet recommended)
Shaken, not stirred. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Glenmorangie Velvet Smoke
Glenmorangie Original with Moët & Chandon Imperial, Earl Grey syrup and Lavender Tea.
90 ml Moet & Chandon Imperial
1 block ice
7 ml Glenmorangie Original
22 ml Earl Grey Syrup (alternative: white tea)
15 ml Lavender Tea
Shake all ingredients (except Moet & Chandon) in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a Champagne flute then top with Moet Imperial.

Ardbeg Smoky Sparkler
Ardbeg 10 Years Old with Cherry Heering, sweet vermouth, fresh squeezed Valencia orange juice, splashes of Pernod, topped with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label.
1 oz Ardbeg 10
1 oz Cherry Heering
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz fresh squeezed Valencia orange juice
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label
3-5 drops Pernod (80 proof pastis)
Combine first four ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice. Shake vigorously 10 seconds. Strain into chilled champagne flute (interior volume of different flutes can vary – base cocktail should fill 65-70% of flute). Top slowly with VCP Yellow label. Add 3-5 drops Pernod and stir briefly and gently (or rinse the interior of the chilled flute prior to cocktail assembly with a small amount of Pernod but be sure to discard the excess). Serve immediately.