Level Up Your Seasonal Soiree with These Winter Cocktails

The weather outside may be frightful, but the banter with your mates is always delightful. It's well past time to invite your favourites over for a catch-up and a tipple. Want to impress your mates with your cocktail prowess? Check out these twists on classic cocktails — an ideal way to elevate your evening in. Pick your spirit and let's get mixing.

TEQUILA — TEQUILA AND CHILL

Instead of the classic paloma or tequila mockingbird, surprise your guests with a sophisticated spin on both with the addition of Chambord to your tequila of choice.

Ingredients

- 45ml Herradura Plata Tequila
- 15ml Chambord
- Cranberry juice
- Lemonade/lemon soda
- Mint leaves
- Fresh lime

Method

Add Herradura Plata, Chambord, mint leaves and two squeezed lime wedges to a tall or highball glass. To increase the mint flavour, clap the leaves in your hands first — you might look silly, but it works.  Fill the glass with ice and top with equal parts cranberry juice and lemonade. Stir to combine and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, rosemary and lime wheel or go the extra mile with a dehydrated lime wheel. To make the dehydrated lime wheel, either use a dehydrator (obvious) or place lime wheels in a low-temperature oven for a few hours until all the juice has evaporated and you're left with a crisp garnish.

GIN — EURO SUMMER

Everyone seems to be jetting off for their European summer. Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your chilly apartment with this cocktail. The secret is using a gin that is made with botanicals that evoke tastes of the Italian coastline. Gin Mare fits the bill as it uses olives, basil and other fresh herbs for its botanicals. Pair with some bruschetta and tiramisu and rug up with your blanket and imagine you're summering in Europe with your mates.

Ingredients

- 60ml Gin Mare
- 30ml Lemon juice
- 20ml Sugar syrup
- Fresh basil and rosemary

Method

Grab your cocktail shaker and add all the ingredients. Shake and strain using a fine mesh strainer into a chilled glass filled with ice. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and enjoy.

RUM — WINTER SWIZZLE

Rum is a dark spirit that showing up more and more on drinks lists in the city. It's a sweet alternative to peaty scotch or fragrant gin and is perfect for cooler nights. You could go for a classic dark 'n stormy or Moscow Mule, but if you want to elevate your evening, try this spin on a swizzle.

Ingredients

- 60ml Diplomático Rum
- 10ml sugar syrup
- Two dashes of aromatic bitters
- 15ml cloudy apple juice

Method

Rum Swizzle recipes vary, but most have three ingredients in common: rum, fruit juice and a sweetener. To make this wintry version, add all ingredients to a chilled rocks glass, add ice and stir to combine. Top with fresh ice and a twist of orange peel or cinnamon stick.

WHISKY — SCOTCH CITRUS SODA

Sometimes the answer isn't a hot toddy, although they are always a good call when the winter chill sets in. If you have a scotch in your collection that you've been looking for a nice way to enjoy, why not opt for this citrusy take on a whisky soda? Perfect for cooler arvos on your (or your mate's balcony).

Ingredients

- 45ml Glendronach 12 yo
- Fever Tree Clementine (orange tonic water)
- Two dashes of aromatic bitters

Method

Get your highball glass and add ice. Pour in your scotch, orange tonic water and a couple of dashes of bitters. Stir to combine and garnish with a fresh orange slice. Go a step further and pair with baked brie with marmalade and walnuts.

BOURBON — CANDY CANE

Bourbon is a great cocktail base. Arguably some of the best and classic cocktails came from the States and so it isn't a surprise that their spirit is perfect for the practice with its smooth vanilla notes and slightly sweet characters. Instead of going down the savoury cocktail route, ramp up the sweetness and toast to your mates with this tasty, fruity and sweet spin on a whisky sour.

Ingredients

- 45ml Jack Daniel's Bonded
- 15ml Chambord
- 30ml lemon juice
- 20ml sugar syrup
- 15ml egg white or aquafaba (aka the juice from a can of chickpeas)
- Two dashes of chocolate bitters

Method

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously to get the egg white or aquafaba nice and foamy. Add ice and shake again. Strain through a fine strainer into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel,  or amp up the berry flavours of the Chambord with fresh raspberries.

Top Image: Gin Mare.