My Favorite Holiday Cocktail
Peter Zilper
Vice President, Food & Beverage, Operational Excellence, Aramark Sports and Entertainment
“A classic in Philly – The Fish House Punch! You can make large batches for your holiday crowd. It’s a potent holiday punch that will keep the chill away during your holidays. The warm tones from the dark rum and brandy, a hint of peach and lemon with strong brewed black tea make this an annual treat at home.”
Luis Jimenex
Director, Beverage Portfolio, Delta Sky Clubs
“Cream drinks are always fashionable during the holidays.”
Crème of Apricot Martini
3 oz Baileys Irish Cream
2 oz Apricot brandy
Mix in a shaker and then pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a white and chocolate stripe edible stick.
Lawrence Kobesky
Beverage Director, Gibson’s Restaurant Group
“The Young Grasshopper is a classic that we have made a little more relevant with the use of some boutique spirits – Remy VSOP Cognac, Giffard Crème de Menthe, cacao, mint and cream. This is a rich comforting cocktail, perfect for sweater-wearing weather as there is a bit of delicious dairy fat in this beauty.”
Mustafa Suer
Corporate Manager Food & Beverage – Upscale and Life Style Brands, InterContinental Hotels Group
“Almonds, apples and cinnamon – does that sound like holiday season to you?”
Amaretto Cider
1½ oz Amaretto
1 oz Triple Sec
Top with apple cider. Garnish with slice of red apple and cinnamon stick.
Adam M. Smock
Corporate Manager, Food & Beverage – Upscale Brands, InterContinental Hotels Group
“This drink reminds me of Christmas – a drink fit for snuggling up to the fireplace.”
The Snuggler
¾ oz Peppermint schnapps
½ oz Hot cocoa
1 Tbs Whipped cream or a thicker, cake cream
1 tsp Sugar
Pour peppermint schnapps and cocoa into an Irish coffee cup and sweeten to taste. Gently float cream on top, sprinkle with grated chocolate and serve.
Kevin Bratt
Beverage Director, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
“I’m not a year-round whiskey drinker, but the cooler temperatures around the holiday season call for it. This cocktail is super easy to make and even easier to drink. As for the flavor, the cocktail is all lemon and bourbon up front, but evolves with notes of orange and holiday spice on the finish (courtesy of the amaro).”
Paper Plane
1 oz Elijah Craig 12 Year
1 oz Aperol
1 oz Lucano Amaro
¾ oz Lemon juice
Build ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake and double strain into chilled coupe.
Mike Ryan
Director of Bars, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
“Glühwein reminds me of growing up. My mom is German and a great cook, and the smell of the heated wine with the spices pulls me right back into childhood. Red wine spiced with clove, allspice, nutmeg and mace, and spiked with a dash or two of good German brandy.”
Glühwein
1 btl Red wine
3 Tbs Whole cloves
2 tsp Ground nutmeg
2 tsp Ground mace
2 3-inch strips of orange peel
1 tsp Ground allspice
¼ cup Dark brown sugar
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer – don’t boil it! Just let the sugar dissolve. Remove from heat; add 6 ounces Asbach Uralt German Brandy. Serve in a festive mug garnished with an orange slice studded with cloves. Sip while singing carols, wandering around the Christkindlmarkt, or sitting around a fire watching the snow fall.
Kylie Negron
Mon Ami Gabi-Oakbrook
“The best flavors of the holidays all combined!!! Delicious martini!”
Gabi Nog
Eggnog, amaretto, brandy and nutmeg shaken and served over vanilla ice cream in a martini glass.
Tylor Field, III
Divisional Vice President of Wine and Spirits, Landry’s Inc.
“My wife and I have a tradition on Christmas Eve where we splurge on an expensive bottle of Champagne and caviar. When I think of the holidays, I look forward to this the most. All other days would be a Hendrick’s Negroni on the rocks.”
Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Vintage Champagne with Caviar
Pour Champagne with someone you love and drink between bites of caviar.
Gary Gruver
Beverage Manager, Global Operations, Marriott International Global Operations
“I typically love a well-crafted Negroni, but in the colder months of the holidays I find myself diverging to the Negroni’s cousin, the Boulevardier – a bittersweet cocktail, typically. I like to make mine with a rye whiskey, which leads to a fantastic balance of spice, bitterness and sweet.”
The Boulevardier
1 oz Rye whiskey 100+ proof
1 oz Campari
1 oz Torino-style vermouth
Garnish with an orange swath.
Brian Jaymont
Beverage Manager, Global Operations, Marriott International
“The perfect cocktail to enjoy before a filling holiday meal.”
Negroni
Gin, Campari and Carpano Antica Vermouth in equal amounts, on the rocks.
Eric Brown
Director of Beverage, HGI-Mellow Mushroom
“This cocktail brings together my favorite holiday flavors: pumpkin spice, cinnamon and, of course, rum. It is the perfect blend of Sailor Jerry Rum and Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup with our own Mellow Meringue and house-made agave sour, served with a cinnamon sugar rim.”
Call Me Pumpkin
1 oz Agave sour
1 oz Mellow Meringue
½ oz Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1½ oz Sailor Jerry Rum
Rim half of the glass with cinnamon sugar. Combine ingredients in mixing glass with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into chilled coupe glass.
Jeff Darby
Vice President, Ted’s Montana Grill
“It just seems during the holidays there are always family and friends drinking bourbon and Old Fashioneds, sitting around a fireplace.”
Old Fashioned
Maker’s Mark, Four Roses Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve and George Dickel are my favorites!
Matt Stuhl
Vice President of Restaurants, Events & Bars, Two Roads Hospitality
“My own variation on the classic British mulled wine. This is just so warming and it fills just about any room or office with the smells of winter comfort. Warm, spiced wine has been around since Roman times. The recipe has evolved over time, but the basics are still there: wine, sugar, cloves, cinnamon and citrus. I, of course, Iike my booze so I like to spike mine with Calvados (you should, too).”
British Mulled Wine
Servings: 6
20 Whole cloves
6 Clementines
2 750-ml btls Primativo
1 cup Calvados
1 cup Fresh apple cider
2 Cinnamon sticks, plus 8 for garnish
2 Green cardamom pods
2 cups Tawny port
1 Vanilla bean
Press stem (pointed) end of 3-4 cloves into each clementine, piercing through the skin. Place clementines, wine, cider, Calvados, vanilla bean, 2 cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook gently for 20 minutes. Stir in port. Place one clementine in a heavy bucket glass. Strain wine over citrus and garnish each with a cinnamon stick. For a heavier spike, stir in Calvados after port, right before serving.
Matthew Bensch
Corporate Food & Beverage Manager, Loews Hotels
“I can never pass up a hot cup of mulled wine. It brings back such fond memories of Christmastime in Europe, walking around the markets seeing the beautiful lights with smells of fresh baked pastries, noble firs and that familiar mix of orange and spice.”
Classic Mulled Wine
Mulled wine starts with a good robust red wine. I typically go with a French Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. Using a sachet, add your favorite blend of spices. I typically go with cloves, grated nutmeg, cinnamon and a little star anise. Sweeten it up with some honey and orange slices, for a cup of joy.
Krista Joiner
Ted’s Montana Grill
“Both cocktails feature bourbon that warms your soul during the holidays, and the organic agave nectar is a healthier twist that sweetens the intensity of the bourbon for a smooth blend. The Bison Delmonico paired with the Uptown Manhattan creates a sophisticated duo, while the savory flavors of the Bison Cheeseburger and the Newly Fashioned please the palate.”
Uptown Manhattan and Newly Fashioned
Uptown Manhattan – Knob Creek Rye, chocolate bitters, organic agave nectar, orange twist.
Newly Fashioned – Woodford Reserve, organic agave nectar, Angostura bitters, black cherry.
