Even though some people believe that December marks the end of the holiday entertaining season, I see no reason why we shouldn’t celebrate the beginning of a new year beyond just the first day.
Whether you’re searching for something to add to your New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day cocktail line up or you’re looking for a go-to for sipping throughout the winter season, some of New York’s best and brightest bartenders have whipped up a few options for you to try next time you have your cocktail shaker out and you’re ready to experiment.
Ocho Cabras
Created by Leo Robitschek, the bar director behind some of Manhattan’s most respected cocktail programs, the Ocho Cabras has four ingredients and is delicious, seasonal and so worth the effort. Whip up a pair of cocktails for a date night, to relax on a Friday evening or make a big batch next time you entertain. You can find pumpkin syrup online year round or you can make your own.
- 1 oz Don Pancho Origenes 8 yr. old rum
- ¾ oz Spiced Pumpkin Syrup
- ¾ oz Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Sherry
- ¾ oz Lemon Juice
- Combine all ingredients, shake and strain into a coupe.
Guayabera
A variation on the Tuxedo cocktail, the Guayabera is a sherry-based cocktail. Sherry is rising in popularity, as the fortified Spanish wine is typically drunk as an aperitif, but can also pair seamlessly with winter’s umami-rich dishes such as soups (ramen), stews and anything with mushrooms
- 2 oz Don Pancho 8 Year Old rum
- 1 oz Manzanilla Sherry
- ½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- ¼ oz Absinthe
- Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice. Stir until very cold, strain, and serve up in a cocktail coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Nuevo Manhattan
A sophisticated take on a Manhattan, substituting bourbon for tequila, this drink is the antithesis of the keg party. If you want to turn up the heat on your New Year celebrations – even if they last you throughout the month of January — this is the perfect wintertime cocktail. While I’m partial to bourbon, I know a few friends that would love to pair this tequila-based delicious when paired with red meat. Winter time cocktail for the tequila lover, delicious.
- 1 ½ oz Riazul Plata Tequila
- ½ oz Dolin Blanc
- ½ oz Punt e Mes
- ½ oz Combier
- ½ oz Amaro Nonino
- 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Stir until mixture is combined and strain into a coupe glass.
El Presidenté
The El Presidente originated in Havana, Cuba and was popular from the 1920’s through the 1940’s. The cocktail was named in honor of Cuban President Gerardo Machado and quickly became the preferred drink of the Cuban upper class. Recreated by Dushan Zaric, one of the most famous mixologists in the world, I think I’ll try just about anything he tells me to try.
- 1 ¾ oz Don Pancho 8 Year Old rum
- 1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
- ¾ oz Orange Curacao
- ¼ oz Grenadine syrup
- Cocktail Coupe Glass
- 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters
- Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice. Stir until very cold, strain, and serve up in a cocktail coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
1 Comment
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella)
January 1, 2016 at 7:27 amGreat cocktails! I want to try them all … perhaps not at the same time though. 😉