Christmas cocktail recipe inspiration

TIME to dust off that cocktail dress, dry clean that tux, and dig out the heels and the patent leather brogues!

Christmas parties have become a thing again, post- pandemic.

Throw a sassy Christmas party in your own home, with your favourite people along to enjoy it, and enjoy some stylish cocktails which will definitely get the groove on for your festive celebrations.

I’m recommending some great Irish-made spirits, on sale now in our most familiar supermarkets, with some mixers to go with them if you fancy just a classic sip.

I’ve also got three great cocktail recipes to impress the guests.

GIN

You can’t have a party without gin! In recent years, this spirit has enjoyed a huge surge of popularity, and no wonder, when there are so many gins now available.

One of the first Irish craft gins to launch was Boyle’s Small Batch Irish Gin, made in the beautiful Blackwater Valley of West Waterford.

Natural botanicals like citrus zest, apples and blackcurrants are used to infuse flavour in the classic version, while the seasonal flavours of sloe berries and damsons are used in Boyle’s Sloe & Damson gin liquor. Find both in Aldi, €24.99 a bottle.

Wild Burrow Irish Gin is made for Lidl in conjunction with West Cork Distillers of Skibbereen, infused with botanicals from Rabbit Island West Cork. What a combo! A great cocktail gin and huge talking point! €24.99 from Lidl.

And don’t forget Gordon’s 00 alcohol free gin, if you’ve got a few pals that want to stay sober. €17 a bottle in Centra and SuperValu stores.

VODKA

This super classic spirit first made in Russia in the 9th century, and usually served with caviar, has transferred to Ireland very well indeed!

Craft spirit makers have put their own twist on it, with classic flavoured vodkas now available. Aldi has Woulfe’s Raspberry Vodka, pretty in pink and perfect for a cocktail! Also made by the Blackwater Distillery in West Waterford, this vodka is infused with raspberries to give a light fruity blast to the classic dry vodka style. From Aldi stores, €19.99 a bottle.

WHISKEY

Where would Ireland be without whiskey? This famous drink has been drunk to wet babies heads, toast the bride and groom, cure the flu, warm the cockles at funerals and celebrate St Patrick on his national day! So why would we miss it out of the essential cocktail party mix at Christmas?!

From West Cork Distillers comes West Cork Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey, in its elegant embossed bottle sporting the map of West Cork. This whiskey is matured in wood casks which have been used to mature Bourbon. This infuses spicy cedar aromas, deep malty notes and caramel sweetness, along with some festive spicy flavours like nutmeg and cinnamon. 

A fabulous drink on its own, on the rocks, or with a mixer, this also makes a great base for whiskey cocktails.

From SuperValu stores, this is a very reasonable €24.99 a bottle.

MIXERS

Both gin and vodka love tonic. You can go for the usual tonic water if you want a classic taste. Try the Ridge Valley tonic water range from Aldi. It includes Premium Indian Tonic Water, Premium Light Indian Tonic Water, and the elegant Premium Elderflower Tonic. I really love the elderflower as it has a delicate flowery slant. All come in 750mls bottles at €1.99 each.

If you like your whiskey with a little something added, ginger ale is definitely a great match. Try Fever Tree premium ginger ale for a zingy and warming spicy addition to your whiskey. A four pack of 250ml bottles is €4.50 in Super Valu stores.

CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL RECIPES

Now it’s time to get mixing! If you want to look like a real pro when it comes to cocktail making, you need to get yourself a ‘jigger’ - all the best mixologists have them!

It’s a double sided cup that looks like an egg timer. There’s a large measure on one side and then you flip it over for a small measure on the other. It helps you proportion your spirits and mixers correctly for each cocktail.

A cocktail shaker is also handy and you can pick these up fairly cheaply. You’ll also need some cocktail glasses - invest in Martini glasses, whiskey tumblers and highballs as a good starter set. Go real or go home!

CLASSIC GIN MARTINI

Iconic in the gin world! You can make this stirred cocktail with dry gin or ramp it up with a flavoured gin if you wish.

Makes 1

60mls gin of choice

15ml (2 tsp) dry vermouth

Ice cubes

Lemon slice twist and green olive to decorate

Method:

• Place a martini glass in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
• Pour gin and vermouth into a jug filled with ice and stir. Taste for the strength - the dissolving ice will water it down to your liking.
• Strain into a martini glass and decorate with a green olive and thinly sliced lemon twist on a cocktail stick.

THE HARVEY WALLBANGER

This famous vodka cocktail got its name from an ad campaign for Galliano - a character called Harvey Wallbanger was created and the rest is history!

Makes 1

60mls vodka

15mls Galliano

Juice of 1 large orange

Juice of half a lemon

Method:

• Place the vodka, Galliano and orange and lemon juices into a cocktail shaker over ice and shake till outside of the shaker feels very cold.
• Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and strain in the cocktail mix.
• Thread an orange slice and cocktail cherry onto a cocktail stick onto a cocktail stick and balance across the rim of the glass to serve.

OLD FASHIONED

A golden oldie whiskey cocktail with elegant and sophisticated style

Makes 1

For the sugar syrup

200g caster sugar

100mls water

For one cocktail:

2 tsp sugar syrup

2 dashes angostura bitters

Splash of water

60mls Irish whiskey

Soda water for topping up (optional)

Orange slices and cocktail cherries to garnish

Method:

• Make a batch of sugar syrup. Place sugar in water in a pan over medium heat and stir till all is dissolved.
• Pour into a jug and cool then chill till required.
• For the cocktail, pour sugar syrup, angostura bitters and water into a whiskey tumbler and stir. Add ice cubes.
• Pour over the whiskey and top up with soda water if desired.
• Add an orange slice and cocktail cherry to finish.