Overview
Christmas is almost upon us, and if you're not sure how best to celebrate this year, fear not. We've got you covered with a few drink recipes to add a little extra cheer to your Christmas festivities. Whether it's bubbles, whisky or fine wine, we've teamed up with our friends over at Pernod Ricard, purveyors of celebratory drinks like Mumm, Chivas, St Hugo and Jacob's Creek, to bring you five drink recipes guaranteed to make your silly season all the merrier this year. Whether you're a Champagne sipper or whisky swirler, put these tipples on your menu this festive season.
Steven Woodburn.
MUMM 75
A delicate, well-balanced drink, the Mumm 75 is sophisticated but accessible — perfect for impressing (and easily whipping up) for a casual barbecue or sunny garden party.
— 15ml Beefeater Gin
— 15ml elderflower liqueur
— 15ml lemon juice
— 80ml of Mumm Champagne
Add everything but the Champagne to your cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and double strain into a coupe glass. Top up the glass with Mumm and serve garnished with a thin slice of lemon.
ST HUGO CABERNET SAUVIGNON
This bold cab sav is an excellent red to add to your holiday dining table this year. Truly indicative of the Coonawarra region, this wine offers a rich bouquet of fruity aromas — think blackberries, dark cherries and a hint of star anise. These aromas give way to a full body, showcasing oaky, vanilla notes with a touch of roasted chestnut. The finish is rich in tannins with a faint, delicate acid line to balance it out. It's the perfect accompaniment to a roast Christmas lunch. The versatility of the wine also makes it a great gift, and with a personalised gift wrapper and calligrapher at selected Dan Murphy's stores, you can easily grab a special bottle or two for the epicure in your life while shopping for the rest of the Christmas meal.
CHIVAS REGAL 18-YEAR-OLD SOUR
This is already a fine, rich drop of expertly blended whisky, with a velvet, smooth profile featuring notes of dark chocolate, toffee and hints of dried fruit. It's also a top-notch base for a whisky sour.
— 2 parts Chivas 18-Year-Old
— 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice
— 1 part sugar syrup
— 1 egg white
First add the Chivas to your shaker, then add the lemon juice and sugar syrup, and shake. Next, add the egg white and shake to emulsify. Add ice and shake vigorously again; double strain over ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry and slice of orange. Add a dash of bitters to top it off.
LE PETIT ROSÉ FROSÉ
What's become the drink of the summer (perhaps after the spritz — more on that below), frosé is dead easy to make —and with the bright, fresh berry and mild citrus notes of Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé, you have the perfect wine to use as the base for this summer sipper.
— 90ml Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé
— 30ml Absolut vodka
— a splash of grenadine
— 3 cups of ice
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend on high to achieve a smooth consistency. Garnish with a strawberry or a scattering of edible flowers for total summer vibes.
JACOB'S CREEK PROSECCO SPRITZ
The prosecco spritz is an ideal drop for an Aussie Christmas — or really any summer's day. Light bodied, but full of flavour, this refreshing drink is sure to be a hit with wine lovers, cocktail drinkers and hosts who don't have time to mix up spritzes for the group. The fresh, bone-dry base of Jacob's Creek prosecco is blended with bitter orange notes and gives way to a clean fruity flavour. Best served over ice with a generous slice of blood orange to heighten the citrus notes and herbaceous aromas, the drink makes a great aperitif or accompaniment to any summer seafood dish.
Start planning your festive menus — Christmas will be here before you know it. Purchase any two eligible Pernod products from a Cellarbrations, The Bottle O, IGA Liquor or Big Bargain Bottleshop, and go in the draw to win a $500 travel voucher. There's one voucher to win every day till Christmas. And really, what could be better for the holiday spirit than winning an actual holiday?