Holiday Champagne Punch

Holiday Champagne Punch. Photo: Joanne Sasvari
Holiday Champagne Punch. Photo: Joanne Sasvari

This festive elixir will happily serve a crowd. Just remember the golden rule of punch: The party isn’t over until the bowl is empty.

2 cups (500 mL) brandy
16 dashes Angostura bitters
½ to ¾ cup (125 to 180 mL) oleo saccharum (see method below)
2 bottles sparkling wine such as cava or Champagne

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Candy Cane Fizz

The Candy Cane Fizz by Justin Taylor. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
The Candy Cane Fizz by Justin Taylor. Photo: Dan Toulgoet

This festively fizzy cocktail was created by Justin Taylor of The Cascade Room.

The Giffard Menthe-Pastille, which is similar to a white crème de menthe, is available at Legacy Liquor and other select private retailers.

• 1 oz (30 mL) cachaça
• 1 oz (30 mL) Giffard Menthe-Pastille
• 2 oz (60 mL) heavy cream
• 1 egg white
• 2 oz (60 mL) soda water or as needed
• ¼ bar spoon (2 mL) crushed candy canes

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Don’t Call Me Shirley!

Wildebeest’s Don’t Call Me Shirley. Jonathan Norton photo

This cocktail is an ode to the town of Shirley on Vancouver Island, whose name was shortened from Sheringham in order to fit on a postage stamp.

INGREDIENTS:
1.3 oz Sheringham Akvavit
0.3 oz Amaro Montenegro
0.3 oz Noilly Pratt Extra Dry

METHOD:
Combine ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass rimmed with a rosemary solution (salt, water, rosemary). Garnish with a smoked olive.

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Copper Harvest

Brian Grant's Copper Harvest. Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Brian Grant’s Copper Harvest. Photo: Dan Toulgoet

An elegant, spirit-forward cocktail created by Brian Grant, distiller and co-founder of Resurrection Spirits.

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 oz (60 mL) Resurrection Spirits White Rye
• 1 oz (30 mL) Carapano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes orange bitters

METHOD:
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir well. Strain into a cocktail coupe. Finish with flamed orange peel oil and garnish with an Amarena cherry. Serves 1.

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Tequila and Cider Collins

 

Justin Taylor’s Tequila and Cider Collins. Danika Sea photo

INGREDIENTS:
1 oz blanco tequila
0.5 oz Galliano vanilla liqueur
3 dashes Angostura bitters
4 oz dry hard cider
Apple slices for garnish

METHOD:
Fill a Collins glass with ice, then add all ingredients in order (except garnish) and stir. Top with more ice and a splash of cider, and garnish with fresh apple slices.

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Bushel and a Pec

Bushel and a Pec by Justin Taylor. Danika Sea photo

INGREDIENTS:
4 oz bourbon
4 oz amaro
12 oz fresh pressed cider
2 dashes Scrappy’s Firewater bitters
Cinnamon and lemon zest (for garnish)

METHOD:
Pour ingredients (except garnish) into a small saucepan and bring to a temperature of no more than 80 degrees Celsius (use a thermometer, otherwise you could boil off all the alcohol). Remove from heat, divide evenly between four mugs and garnish with freshly grated cinnamon and lemon zest. Serves 4.

 

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The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree by Justin Taylor. Danika Sea photo

INGREDIENTS:
Juice of one whole Ginger Crisp apple (around 2oz)*
1 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
1.5 oz gin
0.5 oz ginger liqueur
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 dashes of orange bitters
Apple slices and cranberries (for garnish)

METHOD: 
Using a press or juicer, extract juice from apple. Add all ingredients (except garnish) to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard for 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with apple and cranberry skewers.

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Apple-etto Fizz

The Apple-etto Fizz by Justin Taylor. Danika Sea photo.

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole Honey Crisp apple, core removed*
Egg white separated from 1 large egg
1 oz amaretto
1 oz calvados
1 oz lemon juice
2 oz soda water
4  1-inch ice cubes
apple fan (for garnish)

METHOD:
Place first five ingredients plus ice into a blender and blend on a low setting, gradually increasing speed until the ice has dissolved. Put soda water into a tall glass, then add the blender contents slowly to mix through the soda—done right, a frothy head that rises above the rim of the glass should form. Garnish with an apple fan.

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Naked and Famous

Mica Rousseau, head bartender at Four Seasons Mexico City, serves a Naked and Famous cocktail to attendees at a mezcal master class at the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler during Cornucopia 2017. He is also hosting Mezcal y Maize, a series of “après” parties. Cornucopia continues to Nov. 19 in Whistler, www.whistlercornucopia.com. Hannes van der Merwe photo

For his mezcal master class at the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, Mexico’s Mica Rousseau demonstrated this classic cocktail created by Joaquín Símo at Death & Co. in New York.

INGREDIENTS:
1 oz (30 mL) mezcal
1 oz (30 mL) Aperol
1 oz (30 mL) yellow Chartreuse
1 oz (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

METHOD:
Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and fine-strain into a cocktail coupe. If you like, garnish with an ice cube. Serves 1.

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Blood Orange Sidecar

Serve your cocktails in old-fashioned coupe glasses. iStock photo

Blood oranges are in stores right now, but not for long. They are delicious in any of the traditional sours, especially in this juicy variation on a classic Sidecar.

INGREDIENTS: 
1.5 oz (45 mL) Cognac or brandy
1 oz (30 mL) Cointreau
0.5 oz (15 mL) lemon juice
1.5 oz (45 mL) blood orange juice

METHOD:
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Serves 1.

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