Merry Drinks: Your Perfect Holiday Serve
Let’s explore the 21st-century bartender’s Christmas drinks menu. Discover the recipes and get inspired to deliver amazing experiences to guests.
Author: Gary 'Gaz' Regan, Bartender & Writer
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In this feature, we celebrate the legacy of Gary Regan—founder of The Institute of Mindful Bartending and author of The Joy of Mixology—by sharing some of his beloved recipes. From Italy to Panama and beyond, these festive cocktails offer a glimpse into the artistry of modern bartending.
So, pour yourself a glass and read on for some holiday ‘drinkspiration.’ Cheers!
New York - Gaz's Gourmet Rye Cocktail
New York - Gaz's Gourmet Rye Cocktail
First up is Gaz’s Gourmet Rye Cocktail, featuring a winter favorite: gingerbread syrup.
This popular wintertime ingredient is a staple in seasonal drinks, and it’s surprisingly simple to make at home. Prefer a shortcut? Monin’s bottled gingerbread syrup offers the perfect balance of spice and sweetness, pairing beautifully with dark rums, Scotch whiskies, and more.
Want to elevate your cocktail even more? Experiment with a splash of ruby port or a touch of cold-brewed tea. The possibilities are endless—just remember to let your creativity shine in every pour.
Seattle - Harvest Pumpkin Toddy
Seattle - Harvest Pumpkin Toddy
Seattle’s own Kathy Casey is renowned for her standout signature cocktails. One crowd-pleaser? The Harvest Pumpkin Toddy, a bold blend of Bulleit Bourbon, Frangelico, and spiced pumpkin mix.
The secret to this drink’s magic lies in the spiced pumpkin mix—a rich combination of unsalted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, kosher salt, and pumpkin purée. Make a big batch that serves up to two dozen cocktails; it keeps for a week in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer, ensuring your bar is always ready to impress the holiday crowd.
Italy - Il Poeta
Italy - Il Poeta
Cigar smoke may not be a traditional cocktail ingredient, but it’s the key to the Il Poeta, a Talisker-based creation by Joy Napolitano in Italy. With its smoky depth and warming notes, this holiday-ready drink is a modern twist on the classic Bobby Burns cocktail.
Il Poeta combines Talisker, sweet vermouth, and chocolate bitters, with cigar smoke infused into the glass before serving.
Panama - The Present
Panama - The Present
For a different kind of festive flair, Enrique Ignacio Auvert in Panama crafts The Premium, a holiday cocktail featuring Zacapa Rum, orange liqueur, egg, and cinnamon syrup muddled with fresh thyme for a herbaceous, pine-like aroma that evokes Christmas.
California - Glogg in the Mill
California - Glogg in the Mill
Meanwhile, in California, Ryan Haile’s Glogg in the Mill celebrates Scandinavian tradition with a simple yet striking mix of Lagavulin, cardamom bitters, and Glogg-inspired liqueur. Each of these inventive serves brings a unique spirit to the holiday season.
Merry Mules Are Perfect for the Holidays, too
With mixed spirit drinks being the most profitable drink in venues, it makes sense to use all the available tools to influence your customers’ choices. A cocktail menu featuring a range of Moscow Mule cocktails can help drive sales sales during the holidays.
Additionally, it gives you the opportunity to suggest new drink ideas to your customers while allowing them to make informed decisions. Look at some of our Moscow Mule serves below.
Key Takeaways
21st century bartenders are more innovative than their late 20th century counterparts.
From Italy to Panama and farther afield explore these festive drinks recipes to enhance your bar menu.
Explore seasonal flavor associations to create memorable festive cocktail serves.
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