The bottles we’ll be opening, the drinks we’ll be mixing and when we’ll be enjoying them
Yes it’s cold, it’s dark, and there seems to be an endless drizzle which never quite turns into proper snow. But we can put on a brave face and deal with all of this adversity. Why? Because Christmas is on the way and we make no excuses, even as grown-ups, for saying we absolutely love Christmas.
Decorating the tree, wrapping the presents, unwrapping the presents, entertaining friends and family, hungering down to watch old movies, going for long walks, and a whole lot more. And along the way we love to mix a cocktail or two.
And while we believe there are no rules as to what you should drink and when you should drink, we love to play around with pairing a few drinks with some of those special festive moments. Moreover, it’s the perfect time of year to twist a few classic cocktails with a festive spin here and there. It’s also the right time of year to forgive a yuletide pun or two as to what some of those cocktails might be called. (After all, it get’s us in the mood for those Christmas cracker jokes.)
You may be the kind of person who can’t wait to get started on the Christmas traditions from 1st December (or even November). Or, you may be in the last-minute, do everything on Christmas Eve camp. Either way we’ve put together our personal selection of a few of the bottles we’ll be opening, some of the seasonal drinks we’ll be mixing up, and a few suggestions of when to serve them.
Happy festive mixing!
In partnership with Pernod Ricard UK
Altos Plata & Santa Margarita
Decorating the Christmas tree and wrapping the presents
With its enticing herbal notes, hints of lime and unmistakeable aroma of cooked agave, along with a beautifully balanced taste and a long lingering finish, Altos Plata brings a warming touch of Mexican sunshine to even the darkest and chilliest of winter evenings.
It’s perfect in a classic Margarita or a Tommy’s Margarita, but while we’re trimming the tree and struggling with wrapping odd shaped presents we’ll be adding a little touch of that sunshine to our mixing with a Santa Margarita.
Cranberry isn’t just an essential ingredient alongside Christmas dinner. As a juice it brings a lovely seasonal sour touch to a classic cocktail in the shape of a Santa Margarita.
Santa Margarita
Ingredients:
50ml Altos Plata
25ml lime juice
15ml agave syrup
25ml cranberry juice
Rock salt, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into rocks glass filled with ice cubes (rimmed with rock salt if using).
Malibu & Festive Hot Chocolate
Christmas Eve and one more sleep before the big day
Malibu is the most popular white rum-based coconut spirit in the world with good reason. With its rich coconut flavour, light, refreshing taste, and a lower ABV than many spirits, it makes for long easy drinking.
For summer sipping it has to be a Piña Colada, but it’s versatile enough for winter treats too. So, having wrapped the presents, put up the decorations, strung the mistletoe and sent all of our cards, it’s time to put our feet up and relax on Christmas Eve. When it’s chilly outside we can’t resist hot chocolate. And on this particular day we’ll be going for an indulgent Malibu Festive Hot Chocolate.
The warming notes of Malibu’s rum and coconut blend perfectly with a rich, good quality hot chocolate. And while we’re at it we’ll probably top it off with a little decadent whipped cream and some grated chocolate. Why not? It is Christmas. Well, Christmas Eve.
Malibu Festive Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
50ml Malibu Original
100ml hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Grated chocolate, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Make the hot chocolate according to its instructions and pour into a heat resistant glass or mug. Stir in the Malibu and top with a little whipped cream and grated chocolate.
Código 1530 & Rosa Champagne Paloma
A lazy Christmas Day morning
From the Código 1530 premium portfolio of tequilas and mezcal we’ll being going for the Rosa Blanco. Rested for a month in uncharred French White Oak Napa Valley Cabernet wine barrels, the result is a subtle rosy hue, a delightfully floral aroma and hint of red wine in the rich flavour.
It’s actually perfect to sip over ice or to elevate a favourite tequila cocktail, but around midday on Christmas Day we like a little fizz, so we’ll be making a Código 1530 Champagne Paloma, a classic Paloma with a very special festive twist.
With those hints of Cabernet in Código 1530 its blends beautifully with pink grapefruit soda. As for that festive twist, we’ll be topping it luxuriously with Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé.
Código 1530 Rosa Champagne Paloma
Ingredients:
25ml Código 1530 Rosa
50ml pink grapefruit soda
50ml Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé
Grapefruit slice, to garnish
Method:
Add the first two ingredients to a tall glass filled with ice. Stir, gently top with the champagne and briefly stir again. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.
Lillet Rosé & Winterberry Spritz
Refreshing pre-Christmas dinner aperitif with family and friends
Lillet Rosé is a delicious blend of French wines and fruit infusions. Fresh, fruity and refreshing, it’s absolutely perfect at the heart of a spritz.
All prep done for the day’s entertaining, we’ll be enjoying the aromas of Christmas dinner as it starts to fill our home. And if that aroma alone wasn’t enough to welcome our guests they’ll also be welcomed with a refreshing Lillet Rosé Winterberry Spritz.
The classic Lillet Rosé spritz with the winter warming addition of a rich fruit cordial. Just the thing to get our guests’ tastebuds tingling and ready for the feast ahead.
Lillet Rosé Winterberry Spritz
Ingredients:
50ml Lillet Rosé
15ml dark fruit cordial
100ml Mediterranean tonic water
Fresh rosemary, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Add all ingredients to a large wine glass filled with ice. Gently stir and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Redbreast 12 Year Old & Redbreast Flying Old Fashioned
Post dinner digestif and Christmas evening TV viewing
Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 Year Old has a spicy and fruity aroma with hints of toasted wood notes. Full-flavoured, smooth, with a suggestion of sherry in the taste and a lovely lingering finish.
The last of our dinner guests have said goodnight, we’ve tackled a mountain of washing up and we’re feeling pretty pleased with ourselves for a job well done. The sofa is calling and some essential TV Christmas evening viewing. What better way to round things off than with a Redbreast Flying Old Fashioned.
A little Crème de Peche compliments both the spice and sherry notes in Redbreast 12 and makes for an exceptionally smooth and satisfying Old Fashioned. Perfect for lounging on the sofa.
Redbreast Flying Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
50ml Redbreast 12
10ml Crème de Peche
5ml demerara syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Lemon or orange peel, to garnish.
Method:
Stir all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with a lemon or orange twist.
Bumbu Original & Bumbu Piña Sno-Lada
Boxing Day morning indulgence
All the way from Barbados, the original rum island, Bumbu is crafted from the finest sugarcane. Celebrating the heritage and craftsmanship of the West Indies rum tradition, Bumbu is exceptionally balanced and smooth, rich and complex.
And after all the planning, shopping, rushing around, decorating, cooking and wonderful hosting we always look forward to Boxing Day with it’s promise of a little more indulgence. We probably won’t have had a white Christmas so we’ll create our own with a Bumbu Piña Sno-Lada before heading out for a long walk.
The warming spice of the Bumbu works beautifully with the richness of the coconut cream. Warming and delicious. And, yes, just a little indulgent.
Bumbu Piña Sno-Lada
Ingredients:
50ml Bumbu
25ml coconut cream
75ml pineapple juice
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Pineapple wedge, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple if using.
Jameson Black Barrel & Hot Toddy
After a very long Boxing Day walk
Jameson Black Barrel is an exceptional blend of expertly aged and select batch whiskeys which deliver the richest, smoothest taste. Crafted from older, carefully selected, distinct batches of whiskey at Midleton distillery, Jameson Black Barrel showcases the artistry of its expert distillers. Robust yet delightfully smooth with notes of vanilla, toasted oak, caramel and spice.
There’s nothing to beat a long Boxing Day walk. Hoping for a bit of sunshine and a brisk winter chill, but we’ll actually head out whatever the weather. A couple of hours or so later we’ll be feeling refreshed and a little hungry. Chances are we’ll also be feeling pretty darned cold. Perfect remedy? A Jameson Black Barrel Hot Toddy.
The richness of Jameson Black Barrel is warming in itself, but at the heart of this hot toddy it’s incredible. With the addition of a little lemon and honey, plus some aromatic spices, it’s exactly what we’ll need. Even as we mix it in the glass those aromas will be filling the air. And a few sips later we’re not only warm, we’re actually glowing and ready for a little more Christmas fun.
And, one or two more celebratory drinks.
Jameson Black Barrel Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
25ml Jameson Black Barrel
12.5ml lemon juice
12.5ml honey
Boiling water
Cinnamon, star anise, fresh ginger, lemon wedge, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Add the first three ingredients to a heat-proof glass or mug and stir. Gradually add a little boiled water stirring all the time. Garnish with the cinnamon, star anise, fresh ginger and lemon wedge if using.
Please enjoy responsibly
