Winter Cocktail List
WHITE NEGRONI
1.5 oz gin
1 oz white vermouth
.5 oz Suze
Smoked rosemary garnish
Winter White Cocktail
Sparkling wine
A dash of orange bitters
Cranberries, orange peel, and rosemary for garnish
CHAI OLD FASHIONED
2 oz bourbon
A dash of orange bitters
2 oz chai syrup
Cinnamon and star anise for garnish
I wanted to quickly share three of my tried-and-true festive cocktails that I often make for parties or share with friends this time of year — an unexpected negroni, a dressed up wine spritz, and a sweet twist on the classic old fashioned.
I first tried the White Negroni at a local restaurant and was instantly hooked (when I hosted my birthday at this same restaurant the negroni definitely made the cocktail menu)! I don’t know their exact recipe since it’s a little bit of a riff, but a classic white negroni calls for 1.5 oz gin, 1 oz lillet blanc (or in this case, white vermouth), and .5 oz Suze gentian liqueur. Replace the lemon twist with a smoked rosemary garnish and it’s a seasonally appropriate, spirit-forward glass of deliciousness. Sometimes I keep things even simpler and just do a gin and tonic (with elderflower Fevertree of course) and garnish with juniper berries + rosemary. But that’s not really a recipe!
What I’m calling the “winter white” cocktail is really just sparkling wine with lots of garnishes. This one is really easy to throw together for large gatherings, and can be quickly adapted as a mocktail by just replacing the wine with any tasty soda (my go-to is the pear cardamom french soda from world market). Sometimes I add a splash of pomegranate or cranberry something to give it a little extra punch.
Finally, the chai old fashioned is by the ever amazing Half Baked Harvest — I personally leave out the lemon and soda water she calls for, since I’m a bourbon fan and typically want an extra cozy, warming drink. The chai syrup is a little more involved but it’s easy enough to make a batch over the weekend and keep it on hand for when festivities arise.
Cheers! — M