The holiday season is upon us and what better way to celebrate than by raising a glass. Preferably, a glass of something tasty. If you’re hosting a holiday party this season or just staying home getting cozy by the fire, these cocktails created by some of my favorite DC beverage-gurus, are must-tries.

The Daily Slipper
from Will Patton, Bar Director at Bresca
@ramseydanger @brescadc

INGREDIENTS:

• .5 oz Clear Creek Kirschwasser

• .5 oz Wild Turkey Rye 101

• .5 oz Amaro Nardini 

• .5 oz Fonseca Bin 27

• .25 oz Don Ciccio Cerasum

• .25 oz roasted quince syrup 

• Nutmeg

TO MAKE:
Stir, strain, garnish with grated nutmeg.

Tastes Like Pie
From Doug Fisher, Beverage Director at Morris American Bar
@spinningbartender @morrisamericanbar

Doug notes that this drink is easy to make (unlike an eggnog or flip) and is filled with cinnamon and apples and pear brandy. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 oz lemon juice

• 3/4 oz cinnamon syrup (we steep cinnamon in water and add an equal 1:1 portion of sugar to make a syrup)

• 1 oz pressed apple cider

• 1/2 oz St George Pear Brandy (Lairds Apple Brandy could work too)

• 1 1/2 oz blended scotch (At Morris, they use Famous Grouse)

• Club soda

TO MAKE:

Build drink in a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake briefly. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with soda. Add garnish. 

Be-GIN the Holidays
From Cocktail Curations
@cocktailcurations

This cocktail is courtesy of Thy and Nicole with Cocktail Curations, a local company that produces curated craft beverages for private events. Thy notes that they make their own juices, but you could easily use a fresh-squeezed juice from the grocery store, should you choose. She and Nicole suggest raw juices that do not contain sugar additives, as you can add the sweetener to your cocktail to taste.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Gin

• 1 oz Amontadillo Sherry

• 1 oz of your favorite fresh green /red juice (homecraft or store -bought) (see their recipes below)

• ½ oz maple syrup

• 1 egg white

• Pomegranate seeds 

• Rosemary

TO MAKE:

•  Measure gin, sherry, juice and maple syrup into a shaker tin.

• Dry shake for 15 seconds

• Add ice and shake for another 15 seconds

• Strain into a cocktail glass.

• Garnish with festive pomegranate seeds and rosemary.

*Cocktail Curations Green Juice:
Juice, strain and sieve 6 green apples, 2 cucumbers, 2 green bell peppers, 1 celery stalk, 1 peeled bitter melon and 1 lime. Store and Refrigerate for future use.

*Cocktail Curations Red Juice:
Juice, strain and sieve 4 red apples, 2 pints strawberries, 2 pints raspberries, 2 peeled beets, 1 lemon. Store and Refrigerate for future use.

Jungle Bird
From James Stokes, Reveler’s Hour
“A celebration of winter citrus and pineapple. Bright, funky, spiced pineapple flavor in tropical bitterly refreshing cocktail.  Astoria and Copycat make mighty fine ones at that.” 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz blackstrap rum (Gosling or Cruzan)

• .75oz Campari

• .5 lime

• .5 simple syrup (1:1 by weight)

• 1.5 fresh pineapple juice

TO MAKE:

Mix all ingredients in shaker tin and add a couple large ice cubes. Shake the snot out of it. Double strain onto a large cube into double/large rocks glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Dolce Natale (Sweet Christmas)
From Onofrio Raimondi, Lead Bartender, Fiola DC
@fioladc @fabiotrabocchi @onobartender88 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2oz spiced red wine (warm)

• 1oz bourbon

• topped up with vanilla and coffee foam

• garnished with red edible flowers and chocolate coffee beans

TO MAKE:
Spiced red wine:
Toast in a pan, a handful of coffee beans, then pour straight away a bottle of red wine, 3 cinnamon stick, 3 crushed star of anise , a bit of cloves, 2 whole orange peel, 1 whole lemon peel, 3 teaspoons of honey, and let it cook on a low heat, the serve of this item it’s warm.

Vanilla and coffee foam:
Gently heat half hand of coffee beans, straight away pour the 12 oz of whole milk, and let it cook gently, do not burn it, then pour 2 oz cream and 1/2 of vanilla extract, cook it for a little bit more, let it cool down, pour it into a whipper, screw one isi cream charger and shake it, for at least 2 min, let it cool in a refrigerator for 2 hours.