Sip & Be Merry: Crafting Unique Christmas Cocktails for the Season

Christmas is a time of many things, but drinking a lot and getting merry with family and loved ones is top of the list. Whether you see your nearest and dearest on a regular basis or only for the big occasions, there’s nothing that quite says family bonding like lots of wonderful Christmas drinks.

At Country Wine and Spirits, we are firm believers in the use of wine to keep big holiday meals flowing and fun. Not only as fuel but also utilizing some incredible North American and Global wine producers’ products to elevate Christmas food indulgences. One thing that we sometimes think gets overlooked, however, is Christmas cocktails.

Cocktails are a beautiful mixture of not being for everyone and also being a fantastically accessible drink. They have the potential to be dry, tart, sour, sweet, refreshing, light, filling, and everything in between. We feel that Xmas cocktails can serve pretty much every single function during this period.

We have conjured up some festive drink ideas that we think you’ll love! As previously referenced, we will aim to offer a range of choices for all needs, desires, and occasions. Whether these are the first drink of Christmas day, or just one of your holiday drink cocktails to whip out when needed, we hope you enjoy our concoctions!

Boujee Vodka Lime and Soda

This is one of the lighter options. The palate cleansers. The ‘third day in a row’ drinks. Vodka lime and sodas sometimes get a bad wrap and deservedly so. They are often served in bars to a poor standard. The lime is never squeezed right, the water is never fizzy enough, and it doesn’t last long.

Our solution is to put in a tiny bit more work and shake it up! First, you’ll want to squeeze some fresh lime juice. Use one or two shots of a decent vodka like this Tito’s. Then add one and a half shots of lime juice. Shake this over ice. Add it to a glass full of ice, top up with some freshly opened soda water, and enjoy this lovely, light, refreshing drink!

New York Sour

This cocktail is one of those seasonal drinks that is both delicious and potentially resourceful. The New York sour is one of the least well-known of the sour cocktails. It sounds unusual but it is absolutely divine. This recipe uses wine that can either be cracked open fresh or can be leftovers from the night before. See, resourceful!

You’ll want to add two shots of rye or bourbon such as this Wild Turkey 101 to a shaker. Add one shot of lemon juice, ¾ of a shot of simple syrup, and ice, and shake vigorously. Pour into a glass with ice. Top with red wine and watch the beautiful colors combine! This sour traditionally doesn’t use eggs so it’s also vegan-friendly

Rum Egg Nog

Now this is a slightly more traditional cocktail, with a taste. The egg nog is another divisive drink that has long been adored by its loyal fans and disapproved of by everyone else! This thick, sweet, savory cocktail is full-bodied and full of flavor. The egg nog lovers will have a ritualistic time when they enjoy drinking this the most during the Christmas cocktail season.

We’ve designed a recipe that is a little bit less heavy and a bit more flavorful in our opinion. To make a batch of four servings add in 4 shots of a lovely spiced rum such as this to a jug. Whisk together 4 egg yolks (save the whites for sours) with some sugar syrup, nutmeg, and a dash of cinnamon, and add it to the jug with 400ml of whole milk. Serve over ice and enjoy! It’s high in protein as well!

Cranberry Christmas Margarita

We all love margaritas, but have you heard of an Xmas margarita? This incredible Xmas margarita idea will be adored by all your guests we’re sure! This is our lovely, tart, sweet, light, refreshing Xmas margarita recipe that is still really easy to make. We recommend making life easier for yourselves and not doing a salt rim if you have a lot of guests!

Simply add in two shots of your favorite tequila to a shaker such as this lovely blanco. Add in a shot of lime juice, a shot of cranberry juice, and a squeeze of agave per serving. Shake vigorously over ice. Pour over a glass with ice and enjoy!

Mexican Negroni

Negronis are one of the world’s favorite drinks, and for good reason! This boozy, straight-up, delicious, complex drink is one of those beautiful drinks that never gets old. The best part is that it is quite hard to mess up. It has only three ingredients that are Campari, Sweet Vermouth, and Gin. Add in an orange peel or wedge for flair if you like.

We have designed a lovely alternative for those who prefer not to drink gin (some say it gets them emotional which isn’t always desired!) Simply combine a shot of this mezcal or an alternative, a shot of sweet vermouth, and a shot of Campari together in a tumbler with ice. Stir to combine and you’re good to go!

We hope you have gained some inspiration for your Christmas cocktails. We feel like we have offered some lovely range for you to enjoy. Remember, Christmas is for joy and revelry so be sure to have plenty of these flowing through the holiday season.