7 Great Bourbon Cocktails for the Holidays
Winter bourbon cocktails photo credit Christina Kernohan and the Our Whisky Foundation
A dram of bourbon by a roaring fire is a recipe for warmth on a cold winter's night. And when the holidays come around, this dark, rich liquor also makes for a festive holiday cocktail. Bourbon’s flavors of vanilla, caramel, baking spices, and toasted oak mirror the aromas and tastes of the season. It features prominently in the hot toddy, eggnog and more. At 40–60% ABV, bourbon gives that gentle, warming feeling people associate with sitting by the fire, cold weather, and festive nights. We’ve tapped some of the best bartenders in the country for creative plays on classic bourbon-based holiday cocktails.
Overnight Express
Recipe courtesy of Rob Gelley, General Manager, High Bank Distillery Co, Columbus, Ohio
Overnight Express photo credit High Bank Distillery Co
The espresso martini craze helped craft the recipe for this boozy beverage, says Gelley. “Overnight Express was born from wanting to create a dessert-style, Manhattan-esque cocktail that would still allow our bourbon’s flavor profile to come through. Cocoa and coffee-forward, sweet vermouth and wheated bourbon notes round out this late-night delight, with an extra boozy zip from our Whiskey War cold foam,” he explained.
1 1/2 oz. cocoa-infused bourbon
3/4 oz. Cantera Negra
1/2 oz. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Cold foam
Empty a bottle of HB bourbon into a large bowl/container. Add 15g of cocoa powder to the bourbon. Stir vigorously and continuously until the mixture is well combined. Strain the bourbon back into the bottle through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter. Once bourbon is complete, add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a coffee mug. Top with cold foam.
The Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Recipe courtesy of Gianmarco Renzoni, Head of Mixology, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London, England
Jumeirah Carlton Tower’s The Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Christmas is Renzoni’s favorite time of year, and this drink is an ode to his love for the holiday season. “Every sip takes me back to my childhood, standing in the kitchen with my mum, baking gingerbread and filling the house with that cozy, spiced warmth, while also bringing in the smooth, grown-up elegance of good bourbon. It’s my little taste of nostalgia in a glass,” he says.
1 ¾ oz. Bourbon Whiskey
.30 oz. King's Ginger Liqueur
1.3 oz. Monin gingerbread syrup
2 Dashes Angostura bitters
1 Dash Orange bitter
Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass packed with ice and stir slowly, allowing the flavors to blend and the drink to chill and dilute just the right amount. Once the mixture is smooth and well-balanced, strain it into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Finish by garnishing with a gingerbread crumble rim and a small piece of candied ginger for a festive touch.
Apple Ember Mule
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Williams, mixologist, Peg Leg Porker, Nashville, Tennessee
Apple Ember Mule
Williams describes this drink as crisp and inviting, with fresh apple sweetness, a touch of lemon, and a warm ginger finish that complements the bourbon’s natural depth. “The Apple Ember Mule is our take on a cozy winter sipper. It’s bright and comforting just like the holidays in Tennessee,” she says.
2 oz. Peg Leg Porker Bourbon
1 oz. fresh apple cider (or apple juice)
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
Top with ginger beer
Shake Peg Leg Porker Bourbon, fresh apple cider and lemon juice with ice until chilled. Strain into an ice-filled glass, top with ginger beer, and garnish with an apple slice anda cinnamon stick.
Cuddle Storm
Recipe courtesy of Ivy Mix, Co-Owner, Whoopsie Daisy and Fiasco! In Brooklyn, New York
Cuddle Storm photo credit Megan Rainwater
“The Cuddle Storm is what I like to drink at home for a simple nightcap,” says Mix. “I love the way the oat milk and pear go together with the bourbon. It's incredibly comforting, and in this holiday season, it's an homage to the partridge in the pear tree.”
1 ½ oz. bourbon, preferably Elijah Craig
½ oz. Poire Williams pear brandy
1 tablespoon honey
5 oz. oat milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish
Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat. Fill a mug with hot water and let it sit for a minute or two before discarding the water. When the mixture is hot but not boiling, pour into the warmed mug, garnish with nutmeg, and serve.
Addam's Apple Pie
Recipe courtesy of Adam Ocon, Bartender, Revival in Sacramento, California
Addam's Apple Pie photo credit Kimpton Sawyer
“I made this cocktail with an idea sparked by my wife,” says Ocon, “We had a fall menu coming up, and she told me I should do a butter beer. I was thinking about the crowd and locals in mind, so, I decided on an apple butter beer instead. Apple Hill is about an hour east of Sacramento, and I wanted to bring that closer for some. Thus, I came up with the Apple Pie cocktail, and the rest is history.”
1 ½ oz. High West Bourbon
¾ oz. Laird's Applejack
1 oz. House Apple "Butter"
½ oz. lemon juice
Top with Spiced Cream soft-top
Pour High West Bourbon, applejack, apple butter, and lemon juice into a tin. Shake until proper dilution is reached. Strain into a rocks glass, then add ice. Spoon the spiced cream on top of the cocktail, then add a dash of cinnamon and serve.
Apple Butter:
8 cups diced Honeycrisp apples
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 oz. cup white sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon powder
Pinch salt
Pinch ground clove & allspice
Decorate and dice apples. Caramelize apples on the stove top over medium-high heat until softened. Place in blender immediately; add spices & sugar, then blend until smooth. Store in an airtight deli container for up to two weeks.
Spiced Soft-Top:
2 oz. heavy cream
1 oz. whole milk
½ oz. simple syrup (1:1 by weight sugar to water syrup)
Pinch of allspice
Place all ingredients into a shaking tin without ice; shake until smooth and firmed, but has the consistency of stiffened cream. Store in an airtight deli container for up to 3 days. When a cocktail is prepared, simply spoon the blend over the beverage and top with spices.
Yuletide Toddy
Recipe courtesy of Josh Blumenthal, Food & Beverage Manager, and Will Caird, Bar Lead, San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito, California
Yuletide Toddy
A Hot Toddy is a classic wintertime drink. Blumenthal says, “Our bar team created the Yuletide Toddy to offer guests pure holiday comfort in a cup. The flavors of the warm bourbon with spiced pear and Calvados blend beautifully with wildflower honey and Meyer lemon. This cozy and aromatic cocktail provides the perfect moment to slow down and savor the holiday season.”
¾ oz. Jefferson’s Small Batch Bourbon
¾ oz. Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil Calvados
¼ oz. St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
½ oz. Meyer Lemon or Lemon Juice
½ oz. Honey Syrup (1:1)
Add all ingredients together in a small pot. Heat on the stove at the lowest heat until hot and sip.
Honey Syrup:
Measure equal amounts of both honey and hot water by volume. For example, 1 cup of honey to 1 cup of hot water. Add ingredients together and mix until all the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature, then store sealed and refrigerated. Keeps for 1 week.
Spiced Bourbon Cherry Old Fashioned
Recipe courtesy of Lynn House, Spirits Specialist, Elijah Craig
Spiced Bourbon Cherry Old Fashioned
Created to pair with a char-grilled charcuterie board, House says, “When I riff on an Old Fashioned, I always try to stay as true as possible to its classic structure, spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. Converting cherry jam into a syrup to stand in as the sweet component was right up my alley. This cocktail is the perfect example of how you can transform a familiar pantry staple into something spectacular.”
2 oz. Elijah Craig Small Batch
1/2 oz. Bourbon Cherry syrup
3 dashes of Hella Smoked Chili Bitters
1 orange
In a mixing glass, combine Elijah Craig Small Batch, Bourbon Cherry syrup and ice. Stir until chilled. Next, add smoked chili bitters and stir again. Strain the cocktail into an old-fashioned glass with ice. Cut a quarter-sized piece of orange peel. Hold the peel over a lit match for a few seconds to warm the oils. Next, squeeze the orange disk so that the oils pass through the flame. This will create a brief flash and coat the top of the cocktail with caramelized orange oils. Rub the rim of the glass with the orange peel and then drop in the cocktail.
Bourbon Cherry syrup:
Combine equal parts Cherry Bourbon Jam and water in a saucepan. Simmer until the jam dissolves, then reduce until a light syrup forms. Remove from the stove and allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.