Holiday Cocktails & Drinks You Must-Try This Season
By Halle Cook Published December 2020
2020 has been quite a year, but that doesn't mean there should be a lack of cheer. The holiday season is coming up fast, and ABC is here to make sure you still have a blast. We’ve made a list, and checked it twice, of festive drinks and cocktails that will more than suffice.
It’s 5 o’clock at the North Pole and the holidays call for a time of celebration. Not only is 2020 almost over, but it’s the most wonderful time of year! And what’s a better way to celebrate than by raising a glass of your favorite beverage and cheers-ing with your loved ones? Brace your elves because we’ve got quite a few drinks on our nice list.
Seasonal Items
If Santa lives in a world of candy canes and gum drops, then so should you. Try Smirnoff Peppermint Vodka in a peppermint martini or hot chocolate. Another great option is RumChata’s new Peppermint Bark. This drink is perfect to spike a Christmas morning coffee or just to enjoy on its own. Does eggnog bring you the holly jollies during this season? Check out Zackariah Harris Eggnog from our Sourced & Certified Collection. It features notes of caramel with hints of vanilla, oak, barley and a little kick from the sweet, honey bourbon. At just $13.99, this bottle looks extra tasty with a bow under the tree, along with other great gifts under $15.
Coquito means “little coconut” and is a traditional Christmas drink that originates from Puerto Rico. It has a similar consistency to eggnog but displays coconut flavors with a rum base. Our Sourced & Certified Palms Coquito is a bottled version of this delicious drink, ready to be poured and sipped at your leisure. It exhibits the classic coconut aromas with sweet coconut flavors and hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Do you prefer seeing a dark spirit in your stocking? Yule love the new Cooper’s Mark Apple Bourbon. A full-bodied bourbon that displays crisp apple notes with a vanilla and oaky finish. Try it out in a salted caramel apple martini for a fun seasonal cocktail.
Single-Serving Drinks
Maker's Mark Merry & Bright
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2 ounces Maker’s Mark Bourbon
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2 ounces cranberry juice
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⅓ ounce lime juice
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3 ounces ginger beer
Combine Maker’s Mark, cranberry juice and lime juice in a glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer.
The Robert Frost
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¾ ounce Warre’s White Port
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¾ ounce bourbon
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¾ ounce dry Amontillado Sherry
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½ ounce simple syrup
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1 dash orange bitters
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and strain into a glass, garnish with an orange and lemon wheel.
Holiday Thyme
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1 ½ ounces Tito’s Handmade Vodka
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1 ½ ounces cranberry juice
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2 teaspoons lime juice
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3 ounces sparkling mineral water
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2 thyme sprigs
Shake all liquid ingredients, excluding mineral water, in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a Collins glass. Top with mineral water and garnish with thyme sprigs.
The Ginger Snap
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2 ounces Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey
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2 ounces Disaronno Velvet Cream
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Cinnamon stick
Combine ingredients with ice in rocks glass. Stir until chilled. Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Need more holiday cocktails to warm your nights? Find our selection here.
Cocktails for the Whole Family
Winter Citrus Punch
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1 ½ cups Jameson Irish Whiskey
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½ cup lemon juice
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1 cup grapefruit juice
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½ cup cinnamon syrup
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1 cup club soda
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Grapefruit slices
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Peppercorn
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Star anise
Build ingredients together in a bowl and add ice. Top with club soda and garnish with grapefruit and lemon slices, peppercorn and star anise. Serves 5.
Somrus Chai Toddy
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4 ½ cups black tea
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2 cups Somrus Chai Liqueur
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1 cup bourbon
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Clove
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Star anise
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Cinnamon stick
Brew black tea. Combine tea, Somrus and bourbon in a bowl or pitcher. Serve in a heat safe glass and garnish with a clove, star anise and cinnamon stick. Serves 8.
Holiday Margarita
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1 ½ cups Hornitos Plata Tequila
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½ cup raspberry liqueur
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¾ cup pomegranate juice
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¼ cup agave nectar
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½ cup fresh lime juice
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½ cup cold water
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir until combined. Add ice and serve in salt-rimmed cocktail glasses with lime slices. Serves 5.
Find more holiday cocktails recipes for the whole bunch here.
Festive Wine & Beer
If you’re dreaming of a wine Christmas, pop a bottle of bubbly. Nothing says celebration like Haton Nobel Vintage Brut Champagne. Hosting for the whole family? Check out our collection of sparkling wines under $15 so you don’t have to worry about your gift budget. Sleigh your holiday dinner by matching it with a thoughtful wine selection. Our wine experts weighed in and selected some delicious choices to pair with your meal, as well as some festively affordable wines under $15.
We know Christmas cheer comes from a Christmas beer. Make sure you have a hoppy holiday by enjoying a case of Sam Adam’s Seasonal Winter Lager. This wheat-y beer is spiced with cinnamon, ginger and orange for a deep flavor. To feel merry and bright, try St. Bernardus Christmas Ale. It offers a spicy, mint-like profile that brings out tastes of fermented molasses, apricots, licorice and marzipan to create a festive brew. If a Belgium amber is on your holiday wish list, we noel you’ll enjoy a pack of Delirium Noël. This beer features a white, creamy and lacing foam. The nose will exhibit caramel malt, fruit, spices and the sweetness of the alcohol, while the aftertaste is sweet, spicy and slightly bitter.
There’s no need to wait on Santa, we deliver same-day from our store to your door with ABC Delivers.
Pricing, selection and vintages may vary by location.