5 Christmas Cocktails To Make This Festive Season

Winter Rose

“The Winter Rose is a super-premium and decadent tequila twist on the classic Bellini cocktail,” Filip Stribrny, head bartender at Soho’s Heritage, explains. A doddle to put together, Stribrny claims it’s the ideal festive drink to serve at a Christmas drinks party. With the inclusion of Gran Patrón Platinum, it’s sure to impress any tequila connoisseur - although other tequilas will do the trick if you’re not in the mood to splash out.
 
Recipe:
45ml of Gran Patrón tequila
22.5ml of Calvados
22.5ml of Martini Riserva Speciale
15ml of Martini Bitter
Grapefruit zest for garnish
 
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir with ice to chill.
2. Strain into a champagne flute.
3. Garnish with the grapefruit zest.

Spellbound

Chelsea’s Bluebird are celebrating Christmas with a newly transformed winter terrace and a menu of Swan Lake themed cocktails, in partnership with CIROC vodka. The biggest crowd-pleaser? The Spellbound - the perfect long drink for party season. “The cranberries reflect the spirit of Christmas, with their on-theme red colour bound to compliment any decorations,” Francesco Macera, mixologist at Bluebird, tells us.
 
Recipe:
50ml of CÎROC vodka
20ml of lime juice
20ml of cranberry juice
15ml of pine syrup
4 mint leaves
250ml of ginger ale
1 lime
Edible flowers
 
Method:

1. Shake together vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice, pine syrup and four mint leaves.
2. Strain into a highball glass and top with ginger ale.
3. Garnish with lime and edible flowers.

Snowgroni

The iconic retro aperitif - The Snowball - gets a festive makeover that’s sure to be a talking point at any Christmas party.  “A gin-based cocktail with creamy Advocaat and sweet vermouth, this fun party drink is easy to make; just shake the main ingredients and strain over ice before topping up with lemonade and topping with any festive garnish of your choice,” recommends an expert from Waitrose & Partners Drinks Magazine.
 
Recipe:
20ml of gin
20ml of Warninks Advocaat
20ml of sweet vermouth
Lemonade for topping up
Cocktail cherries to garnish
Edible gold leaf to garnish
 
Method:

1. Shake the gin, advocaat and sweet vermouth in a shaker and strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
2. Top up with lemonade.
3. Garnish with cocktail cherries and a little edible gold leaf.

The Sofa

To mark Cointreau's 170th Anniversary, the brand has teamed up with interior designer Vincent Darré to create a drink inspired by his favourite place to quaff cocktails - the sofa in his Parisian showroom.  A hint of nutty syrups and citrus makes it the ideal drink to sip this Christmas. "Vincent Darré designs sofas and armchairs, often made of velvet - a precious, smooth material. I wanted to recreate this suppleness with a cocktail as original as the man - and as soft as his armchairs," says Alfred Cointreau.
 
Recipe:
40ml of Cointreau
20ml of fresh lime juice
20ml of macadamia nut syrup
80ml of pineapple juice
 
Method:

1. Pour all ingredients directly into a shaker.
2. Shake vigorously and serve in a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with an orange peel and pineapple leaf.

Spiced Apricot Bellini

An Indian-inspired take on a Bellini makes the perfect warming aperitif for the festive season. “A customer favourite, the apricot and spices make an impressive exotic beverage,” says Raffaele Merola, bar supervisor at Indian fine dining hotspot The Cinnamon Club. Merola dubs it a “real celebration drink” thanks to the fizz and rose petals, both of which add a luxurious edge. No shaking required, simply mix the ingredients, pour and garnish.
 
Recipe:
10ml of cinnamon liquor
10ml of apricot brandy
5ml of Bitter Truth Falernum
25ml of apricot purée
75ml of prosecco
Rose petal to garnish
 
Method:

1. Mix together the cinnamon liquor, apricot brandy, Bitter Truth Falernum and apricot purée until smooth.
2. Place the puréed mixture in a chilled flute.
3. Top up with prosecco, stir, then top up again as required.
4. Garnish with the rose petal and serve.