Step into Christmas with these festive cocktails that are guaranteed to add a delicious gin twist to your seasonal celebrations.
You’ve planned a feast that features all the trimmings, and now it’s time to create a cocktail menu that’s the perfect accompaniment. From wrapping presents and writing greetings cards to watching feel-good films, there’s a festive cocktail that’s perfect for every occasion. Sprinkle your home with a little mixology magic this holiday season with our simple festive gin cocktails.
If you’re looking to create a festive gin syrup, our Co-Founder and Master Distiller, Jared Brown, has crafted a recipe just for our sippers. For the basics on crafting homemade gin syrups at home, read our post here. If you want to make enough tea syrup for holiday drinks, try a Christmas blend. 3-4 tea bags should be enough to flavour 500ml water and an equal measure of sugar. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan over a low heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, take it off the heat. Add the tea bags and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Taste for strength and adjust if you like. Mulling spices also make a wonderful syrup for holiday cocktails. you can even add it to wine in the microwave for instant mulled wine (which is even better with 20ml gin). Happy sipping, Jared.
GO CLASSIC THIS CHRISTMAS
If you are rushed off your feet roasting potatoes, steaming sprouts and stirring gravy, then you’ll need a festive cocktail that’s satisfyingly simple to craft. Thankfully, a Classic Gin & Tonic not only tastes delicious, but it won’t distract you from Christmas dinner duties. Fill a highball glass with ice and pour in 50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin. Top with premium tonic water – we reach for Fever-Tree Indian Tonic – and garnish with a wedge of fresh lime.
To give your G&T a sweet twist, craft a Winter G&T by combining 25ml London Dry Gin and 25ml Sipsmith Sloe Gin. Pour over your tonic water and use a stirrer to gently combine the ingredients. Then prepare for a sip that’s bursting with berries.
FESTIVE COCKTAILS WITH FIZZ
Don’t let a lack of traditional cocktail-making equipment deter you from creating some truly sensational sips. Armed
For a zesty take on the brilliantly bubbly French 75, the Lemon Drizzle 75 can be mixed in seconds. Refreshing and enlivening, this sippable citrus cocktail is ideal for Christmas Eve brunches and New Year’s Day lunches.
Combine 35ml Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin, 20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice and 10ml simple syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake to combine and then strain into a flute or coupe. Top up with chilled Champagne or Prosecco and garnish with a lemon twist.
Proving that spritzes are perfect every day of the year and not just during summer, our Chilli & Lime Winter Spritz promises to deliver a burst of fiery fizz. Turn up the heat after a winter’s afternoon walk by filling a wine glass with ice and pouring over 35ml Sipsmith Chilli & Lime Gin and 35ml sweet vermouth. Then top up the glass with chilled soda water and garnish with a sliver of fresh chilli and a lime twist.
SEASONAL SHORTS
Centuries-old festive traditions are best enjoyed alongside a timeless cocktail. That’s why we enjoy sipping a Martini while decorating the tree and making mince pies. To craft yours, try Master Distiller Jared Brown’s cocktail recipe, which sees Sipsmith London Dry Gin and dry vermouth stirred over ice and strained into a chilled Martini glass. But remember, the perfect Martini should be tailored to your individual taste – so don’t be afraid to experiment.
And while we’ve all left out a glass of sherry for Santa, we think a Zesty Orange Espresso Martini is a much better way to brighten up his evening. Pour 40ml Sipsmith Zesty Orange Gin, 40ml espresso and 20ml Kahlua into cocktail shaker that’s filled with ice and shake vigorously to combine. Then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist. Made with fresh orange peel, this zesty gin is given an extra energy-boosting dimension with the addition of coffee.
Once you’ve crafted a few festive cocktails, don’t forget to tag us @sipsmith so we can see your Christmas creations on social media. Looking for more ginspiration? Click below to explore.
