Delightful Holiday Cocktails to Impress Your Guests
The holiday season is fast approaching and it’s time to plan your party cocktails. Let us help you with our guide to the most mouth-watering holiday cocktails that are guaranteed to stun your guests.
WHISKEY BARREL HOLIDAY MULLED WINE
Ingredients:
- 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine
- 1/4 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds (also peeled, if you would like a less-bitter drink)
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2 to 4 tablespoons Bourbon Smoked Sugar, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup taste (or your desired sweetener)
optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise - 10-12 dashes Jack Daniels Tennessee Bitters
Method:
• In a large pan, combine wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and 2 tablespoons sweetener.
• Cook the mulled wine on medium-high heat, occasionally stirring, until sugar is dissolved –– avoid boiling. Reduce heat to the low setting. Allow at warm temps for up to three hours.
• Serve in a mug or heat proof glass with your favorite garnishes.
Bourbon Barrel Foods Spiked Eggnog Cocktail
Batch – Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 cups milk
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 egg yolks
- 1½ cups Bourbon Smoked Sugar
- 2½ cups Kentucky Bourbon
- 4 cups light cream
- 2 teaspoons Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus extra for garnishing
Method:
Combine milk, cloves and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and smoked sugar. While whisking, slowly pour in a ladleful of hot milk and repeat. Pour milk and egg mixture into the saucepan of remaining milk. Return pan to medium or medium low heat and cook, whisking constantly for about 3 minutes, until mixture thickens slightly.
Do not allow the mixture to boil or it will curdle. Strain into a large container and allow to cool for an hour.
Stir in bourbon, cream, vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight. Serve in small cups garnished with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Cheers-Worthy Bourbon Champagne Cocktail
Makes 1 serving
- 2 tablespoons vanilla simple syrup (see recipe)
- 2 dashes Woodford Reserve® Aromatic Bitters
- 2 ounces Kentucky Bourbon
- Champagne or Prosecco
- Woodford Reserve® Bourbon Cherries, for garnish
Method:
In a chilled champagne flute, add the vanilla simple syrup and bitters. Pour in the bourbon and mix well. Top off with champagne or prosecco and garnish with a cherry.
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Makes 1 cup
- 1 cup Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Aged Madagascar Vanilla Extract
Method:
In a small saucepan, combine the vanilla sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Syrup keeps for 1 month.
JACK DANIELS MANHATTAN
- 2 oz Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7®
- 3/4 oz Sweet vermouth
- 2 Dashes Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cocktail Bitters
- Orange peel
Maple Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 0.5 oz Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
- 3-drops Woodford Reserve® Orange Bitters
- Orange peel for garnish
- Bacon for garnish
Method:
Combine ingredients in mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain over large ice cube in a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with orange peel and Bourbon Smoked Pepper Bacon.
Woodford Reserve® Old Fashioned
Pour 2 oz of Woodford Reserve® Bourbon into your favorite glass.
Add .5 oz of Woodford Reserve® Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup.
Add Ice, Stir for 10 seconds and garnish with an orange peel.
Batch:
Pour a 750 ml bottle of Woodford Reserve® Bourbon into a large batch-style pitcher
Add 1 – 16 oz Woodford Reserve® Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup
Pour 2 oz servings over ice, in rocks glasses
Aromatic Red Bourbon Sangria
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce Woodford Reserve® Distiller’s Select Bourbon
- ½ ounce Pimm’s Original #1®
- 4 ounces merlot wine
- 4 drops Woodford Reserve® Aromatic Bitters
- 1 ounce lemon-lime soda
- Bourbon Smoked Simple Syrup, to taste
- fresh berries, to garnish
Method:
In a red wine glass, add ice and all ingredients. Stir well. Garnish with berries.
OLD FORESTER® HOT TODDY
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Old Forester Signature 100 Proof
- 0.75 oz Old Forester Perfect Old Fashioned Syrup
- 2 droppers Old Forester Smoked Cinnamon Bitters
- 6 oz Hot Water
- Lemon Wheel
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a mug. Stir to combine. Serve warm.
Kentucky-ish Bourbon Coffee
- 1.5 oz Old Forester 86 Proof
- 4 drops Old Forester Smoked Cinnamon Bitters
- .5 oz Bourbon Smoked Simple Syrup –– sweeten to taste
- 4 oz Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee
- Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream for topping
Combine the top 4 ingredients in a mug and stir. Top with Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream. Bourbon Simple Syrup
1 cup water
Woodford Reserve® Manhattan
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Woodford Reserve® Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
- ½ ounce Punt e Mes Sweet Vermouth
- ½ ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 4 drops Woodford Reserve® Orange Bitters
- Woodford Reserve® Bourbon Cherries, to garnish
ice
Method:
In a mixing glass, combine ingredients, add ice and stir. Strain into a cocktail or coupe glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Holiday Favorite | Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Old Forester Classic 86 Proof
- 0.5 oz Old Forester Oleo-Saccharum Syrup
- 2 droppers Old Forester Hummingbird Bitters
- 4.5 oz Korbel Brut (top)
Batched – Warm, Spiced and Buttered Boozy Cider
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1 cup water
- 6 tbsp Bourbon Smoked Sugar
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter chilled
- 1 1/2 cups Bourbon or Whiskey
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon
- 10 dashes of Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Cocktail Bitters
ground nutmeg for garnish
Bring to a boil.
Cover with a lid and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Add 4 tbsp of the butter to the pan and bring back to a boil.
Remove from heat and add bourbon and lemon juice.
Strain cider into a large pitcher or measuring cup.
Cut remaining tsp. of butter into four pieces
Divide between four mugs or cups and add a piece of butter to each mug.
Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg and serve.
Add a little Sparkle – Dress Up a glass of Champs with a Woodford Reserve Cherry
THE AVENUE
Ingredients:
Dehydrated persimmons:
1-2 persimmons, thinly sliced
Cocktail:
- 2 oz Old Forester® 100 Proof Signature Bourbon
- .5 oz Carpano Classico
- .5 oz Cointreau
- 3 dashes Old Forester® Hummingbird Bitters
- 3 dashes Old Forester® Bohemian Bitters
Metod:
For the Persimmon Garnish:
Dehydrated Persimmons,
Air Fryer:
• Preheat Air Fryer to 180-degrees F.
• Align persimmons in a single layer.
• Air Fry on 180-degrees F. for 2-hours
Oven:
• Preheat oven to 200-degrees F.
• On a parchment-lined sheet tray, align persimmons in a single layer.
• Place in 200-degrees F. oven for 4-6-hours.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Discard after 2-weeks.
• Combine all ingredients in mixing crystal.
• Add ice and stir, strain into Coupe.
• Garnish with dehydrated persimmon and expressed orange oil.
*soak persimmon in your cocktail and it will rehydrate!
WOODFORD RESERVE® RYE TAI
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Woodford Reserve® Rye Bourbon
- 2.5 oz fresh pineapple juice
- 1 slice of fresh jalapeño
- 4 dashes Woodford Reserve® Peach Bitters
Method:
• Combine whiskey, bitters, and jalapeño in mixing glass and muddle.
• Add pineapple juice and ice, and shake.
• In a Collins glass, strain over fresh ice.
• Garnish with a skewer of jalapeño, and Woodford Reserve® Bourbon Cherries.
OLD FASHIONED WITH SPICED PECAN BOURBON
Ingredients:
Spiced Pecan Bourbon:
1 cup Old Forester® 100 Proof Signature Bourbon
1 package Bourbon Smoked Spiced Pecans
Apple Simple Syrup:
4 oz Apple Butter Spread
2 oz Cranberry Juice
2 oz water
Cocktail:
2 oz Spiced Pecan Bourbon
1/2 oz Apple Butter Simple Syrup
4 dashes Old Forester® Smoked Cinnamon Bitters
Method:
Spiced Pecan Bourbon:
• In an airtight container, combine 1-package of Bourbon Smoked Spiced Pecans and 1-cup of Old Forester® 100 Proof Signature Bourbon.
• Allow to sit for 10-hours at room temperature.
• Strain the mixture one time with a mesh strainer and again through a coffee filter.
• Store in a bottle with a lid for two weeks.
*Save the soaked Pecans to make Boozy Salted Caramel Candied Pecans.Apple Simple Syrup:
• In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat, add water, cranberry juice and Apple Butter Spread and heat until all dissolved.
*Avoid boiling
• Refrigerate and discard after 2-weeks.
Cocktail:
• Combine spiced pecan bourbon and apple simple syrup into mixing crystal.
• Add ice and stir and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
• Garnish with a thinly sliced apple.
