The holiday season is the perfect time to transform your favorite spirits into inventive cocktails that delight guests and keep things festive. Below are 12 cocktails you can build using standout bottles—many likely already in your bar or available via Blackwell’s Wines & Spirits. Each recipe is flexible, so adapt to taste.
1. Full Proof Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 1792 Full Proof Bourbon — 2 oz
- Sugar cube + 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Orange peel twist, optional cherry garnish
Muddle the sugar cube and bitters, add bourbon and ice, stir gently until chilled, and garnish. The high proof allows it to shine with minimal dilution.
2. Buffalo Spice Punch
Ingredients:
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon — 3 oz
- Apple cider — 6 oz
- Fresh lemon juice — 1 oz
- Ginger syrup — 0.5 oz
- Soda water top-up
Combine bourbon, cider, lemon, and ginger syrup in a pitcher. Serve over ice and top with soda water. Garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.
3. Winter Sour
Ingredients:
- Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon — 2 oz
- Fresh lemon juice — 0.75 oz
- Maple syrup — 0.5 oz
- Egg white (optional) — 0.75 oz
If using egg white, dry shake without ice first, then shake with ice. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with grated nutmeg or a cinnamon stick.
4. Islay Spice Neat Cocktail
Ingredients:
- Lagavulin 16 Year Islay Scotch — 1.5 oz
- Allspice dram — 0.25 oz
- Sugar syrup — 0.25 oz
Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist. The allspice adds a warm holiday note to the smoky base.
5. Highland Holiday Fizz
Ingredients:
- Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch — 1 oz
- Lemon juice — 0.5 oz
- Simple syrup — 0.5 oz
- Sparkling wine or soda water — 2 oz
Shake the scotch, lemon, and syrup with ice, strain into a flute or highball, top with bubbles. Garnish with a lemon twist.
6. Rum Toddy
Ingredients:
- Ron del Barrilito 3 Star Rum — 2 oz
- Hot water — 3 oz
- Honey — 0.5 oz
- Slice of lemon + cinnamon stick
Stir rum, honey, and hot water in a mug. Garnish with lemon and cinnamon. A cozy sipper for cold nights.
7. Holiday Cognac Smash
Ingredients:
- Martell VSOP Cognac — 1.5 oz
- Muddled pear or apple slice — 2 slices
- Lemon juice — 0.5 oz
- Maple syrup — 0.25 oz
- Soda water top-up
Muddle fruit and syrup in a shaker, add cognac and lemon, shake with ice, strain into a glass with ice, top with soda.
8. Peanut Butter Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey — 2 oz
- Chocolate bitters — 2 dashes
- Simple syrup — 0.25 oz (optional)
Stir all ingredients over ice, strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a toasted peanut or chocolate shaving.
9. Chambord Royale
Ingredients:
- Chambord Liqueur — 0.5 oz
- Vodka or gin (optional) — 0.5 oz
- Sparkling wine — 3 oz
Pour Chambord (and spirit, if used) into a flute, top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a raspberry or lemon twist.
10. Mezcal Apple Mule
Ingredients:
- El Silencio Espadin Mezcal — 1.5 oz
- Apple cider — 2 oz
- Ginger beer — 1 oz
- Lime juice — 0.5 oz
Build over ice in a mule mug or rocks glass, stir gently, garnish with apple slice and mint.
11. Reposado Tequila Sparkler
Ingredients:
- La Gritona Tequila Reposado — 1 oz
- Lime juice — 0.5 oz
- Agave syrup — 0.25 oz
- Soda water or sparkling wine — 2 oz
Shake tequila, lime, and agave over ice, strain into flute or tall glass, top with bubbles, garnish with lime wheel.
12. Bourbon Bubbly Flip
Ingredients:
- Choose a bourbon (e.g. 1792 Full Proof Bourbon or Buffalo Trace Bourbon) — 1 oz
- Sparkling wine — 2 oz
- Egg yolk or whole egg — 1
- Simple syrup — 0.5 oz
Dry shake all ingredients (without ice), then shake again with ice. Strain into a coupe and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Tips for Holiday Cocktail Success
- Prep ahead: Batch non-egg recipes in advance and chill. Add ice and final ingredients before serving.
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh citrus, quality sweeteners, and correct ice make all the difference.
- Garnish creatively: Use rosemary, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, apple slices, or citrus peels.
- Offer non-alcoholic versions: Use tonic, soda, or cider substitutes so all guests can enjoy.
Final Toast
These 12 festive cocktails let you turn your favorite bottles—bourbon, Scotch, cognac, rum, mezcal, tequila, or liqueurs—into holiday magic. Whether serving friends, hosting family, or enjoying a quiet evening, each cocktail adds sparkle and depth. Pour generously, savor mindfully, and let your holiday spirits shine.
