Signature Drinks for the Holiday Season
The scents and sounds of the holiday season have arrived! Twinkling lights beckon us into nearby stores, and clamoring customers are shopping for gifts and ornaments that make the season a more celebratory event. But mistletoe, holly wreaths and an Elf on the Shelf aren’t the only harbingers of this festive time of year. ’Tis the season for holiday parties, and holiday signature drinks are a central theme. Looking to spruce up the libations menu at your holiday party? Check out our list of traditional signature drinks popular this holiday season.
Coquito Puerto Rico is traditional coconut liquor. Coquito, or baby coconut, is actually a nut harvested from the Chilean wine palm and is sweeter than regular coconuts. Coquito Puerto Rico is a common, seasonal party drink and a favorite at this time of year. It is more commonly known as “Puerto Rican eggnog.” Like American eggnog, Coquito Puerto Rico is rum based. Unlike American eggnog, it is sweetened with condensed milk, and coconut is a central ingredient.
Christmas Martinis are the colorful cousins of your ordinary, year-round martini. What’s the difference between a Christmas martini and any other martini? A Christmas martini is defined by its versatility and color. Red is the signature color of Christmas, and so it is of the Christmas martini. The color is achieved with the use of cranberries, cherries and/or raspberries. The alcohol component of a Christmas martini is vast: vodka, bourbon, whisky, scotch, gin and more. Peppermint schnapps is the base for a Peabody Peppermint Martini, which is also flanked with red and white peppermints — thus the designation as a Christmas martini.
The Mojito Cocktail sounds much more complicated than it actually is to make. Mint leaves, lime slices and sugar are crushed together in a tall glass, before the muddled mixture is covered in ice, club soda and white rum. This signature holiday cocktail had its beginnings in Havana — at least that’s one popular version of its derivation story. There is some evidence to suggest that the mojito is a remnant of the El Draque, a 16th Century drink that was named for Sir Francis Drake.
The late actors Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson are credited with creating the original chocolate martini. You can thank them for Orange Chocolate Dream, which is a fragrant mix of orange and chocolate. Orange liqueur is floated atop a shaken and strained mixture of chocolate liqueur and Irish cream. It is often served in martini glasses, rim-dipped in cocoa powder and sugar. Chocolate may be Valentine’s signature confection, but in cocktail form, it’s most certainly a holiday signature drink
Hot Buttered Rum is another example of how flavors and fragrances associated with the season are netted in a single drink. It’s not gold, frankincense and myrrh, but the buttery brew of hot buttered rum has a very rich blending of ingredients. Rum, of course, is the main ingredient, but aromas of cinnamon, brown sugar, cloves, nutmeg and mace meld in a refrigerated batter to transform a plain, but piping hot cup of water into an aromatic cocktail that has a deep mahogany hue. It has been a basic staple associated with holiday parties for centuries. Apparently, Bing Crosby, in addition to “dreaming of a white Christmas,” also dreamt of a hot cup of buttered rum, and referenced the drink in a scene from the iconic movie, White Christmas.
Holiday White Russians are made with Kahlua, a Mexican coffee liqueur, which in itself is ironic. Additional ingredients include heavy cream, vodka and lots of ice. A holiday party favorite, White Russians are traditionally served in the evening or as a nightcap. There’s a bit of discrepancy concerning its origin, though the drink dates back to the 1930s. However, White Russians have a popular connection with The Big Lebowski, a well-known British-American crime comedy starring Jeff Bridges. Don’t judge the drink by the movie. Its appearance is worthy of signature holiday drink status. When served with candy canes, it is much more attractive than it appears on screen.
Tropical residents dream of a different kind of Christmas, where palm trees sway in the ocean breeze and celebrants sip Citrusy Mimosas. Oranges, lemons and grapefruit ripen during the holiday season, which may explain why the colorful, fruity cocktail is a traditional drink this time of year. Introduced in France in 1925, mimosas became the well-to-do drink of well-to-do passengers in first-class sections of trains and airplanes — and now the favorite of every brunch aficionado. The champagne or wine mixture is typically chilled and served in champagne flutes.
Raspberry Cordials bring to mind the misfortunes of a loveable, red-haired, literary orphan. Anne of Green Gables, was delighted to serve tea to her best friend. Spoiler alert: things didn’t quite turn out the way she’d envisioned, when her bestie, instead imbibed red currant wine. Drinking raspberry cordials by accident could have been equally disastrous. The mixture of sugar, lemon juice and raspberries, also has vodka, brandy or rum as its base. Red raspberry cordials are as enticing at holiday parties as they were to young Anne, but serves as an acceptable holiday signature drink for adults.
Orange & Cranberry Sangria is arguably the most vibrant of traditional holiday signature drinks. Bright cranberries, vermilion oranges and red wine produce a deep red beverage, which is cheerfully reflected and poured from glass or crystal pitchers. It is also appropriately served from a punch bowl. Spain gave the world Sangria, but it was first introduced to the United States during the 1964 World’s Fair. Visitors to Spain’s exhibit were served the fruity drink, and the rest is history.
Martini-Lemon Drop even sounds like a holiday beverage. If lemons are the version of “sugar plums dancing in your head,” then perhaps this lemon-infused martini is your dream come true. It involves the rims of chilled martini glasses that are dipped in sugar and are reminiscent of a dusting of snow. It fits the definition of holiday signature drinks, since it’s a very pretty concoction; some might even call it dainty. Legend has it, that the vodka-based, martini-lemon drop was created as a lady drink, but no worries. Your manhood won’t be called into question, nor your feminist card revoked should you choose to enjoy this tasty holiday drink.
Party season is here, but it’s important to remember that drinking responsibly is always in season. Additionally, if you or your guests like to party, but don’t particularly care for liquor, then many of our traditional signature drinks can be made sans alcohol.
