Festive Classics
Advocaat
The rich Dutch egg liqueur, gently whisked with brandy and vanilla until thick and custardy, chilled and served in a small glass with a dusting of cocoa.
Collection
Festive Classics
21 recipes
These are the drinks that have been on the table every December for decades, in some cases for over a century. They survived fashion cycles rather than following them.
Some are unashamedly retro, and that is the appeal: a snowball is not a serious cocktail and has never pretended to be. Others, like the sidecar, are simply well-built drinks that happen to suit the season.
Most are quick, cold and made one at a time, which makes them the right answer when the pan on the stove is already occupied.
Alcohol-Free Winter Drinks
Alcohol-Free Eggnog
A proper homemade eggnog without the booze - egg yolks, sugar, milk and double cream gently cooked into a thick, vanilla-and-nutmeg custard.
Alcohol-Free Winter Drinks
Alcohol-Free Mulled Wine
All the spice and warmth of a proper mulled wine, built on red grape juice and strong hibiscus tea - fragrant, deep red and perfect for sharing.
Festive Classics
Black Russian
A short, dark sipper of vodka and coffee liqueur over ice - bold, smooth and perfect for quiet winter evenings.
Festive Classics
Boulevardier
Bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth over a large ice cube - the Negroni's warmer, whisky-based cousin from 1920s Paris.
Festive Classics
Brandy Alexander
A silky after-dinner classic of cognac, dark crème de cacao and double cream, shaken hard and finished with freshly grated nutmeg.
Festive Classics
Champagne Cocktail
A sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters, Cognac and chilled Champagne - an elegant, theatrical toast built in the glass.
Winter Punches
Christmas Punch
A warming Christmas punch of dark rum and brandy with fresh citrus juice, brown sugar, warming spices and apple slices, ladled from a heatproof bowl.
Festive Classics
French Connection
Two ingredients, one large ice cube - cognac and amaretto served over rocks for a quietly luxurious after-dinner drink.
Mulled Drinks
Glühwein
The classic German mulled wine - red wine gently warmed with orange, cinnamon and clove. The defining drink of the Christmas market.
Mulled Drinks
Mulled Wine
The English Christmas classic - red wine warmed with citrus, sugar and winter spice, often lifted with a measure of brandy or port.
Festive Classics
Rob Roy
Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, stirred and strained - the Manhattan's smokier Scottish cousin.
Festive Classics
Rusty Nail
Scotch whisky and Drambuie over ice - a two-ingredient, honeyed nightcap built for the coldest evenings.
Festive Classics
Sazerac
Rye whisky, sugar and Peychaud's bitters, stirred and strained into an absinthe-rinsed glass - New Orleans' official cocktail.
Low-Alcohol Winter Drinks
Session Mulled Wine
A lighter mulled wine built on low-alcohol or alcohol-removed red, warmed with orange, spices and a touch of sugar.
Festive Classics
Sidecar
A polished, citrus-forward classic - cognac, Cointreau and fresh lemon shaken to a frost and served in a sugar-rimmed coupe.
Festive Classics
Snowball Cocktail
A retro Christmas classic of advocaat, lime juice and sparkling lemonade, finished with a maraschino cherry for a sweet, nostalgic festive serve.
Après-Ski Drinks
Swiss Mulled Wine
A fragrant Swiss take on mulled wine with red wine, warm spices and citrus peel, finished with an optional splash of kirsch for an alpine edge.
Festive Classics
White Russian
The classic three-ingredient cocktail of vodka, coffee liqueur and double cream, built over ice in a rocks glass for a smooth, creamy serve.
Festive Classics
Winter Dark and Stormy
A wintry take on the Bermudan classic - dark rum and ginger beer with fresh lime, a dash of Angostura and a slow-steeped cinnamon stick.
Festive Classics
Winter Moscow Mule
A seasonal twist on the copper-mug classic - vodka, ginger beer and tart cranberry, warmed up with a cinnamon stick and a fresh squeeze of lime.
Read more
Guide
The Best Winter Cocktails to Make This Season
Our editorial pick of the winter cocktails worth making - warm classics, festive favourites and modern serves, with links to every recipe.
Guide
A Short History of Winter Drinking Culture
Why we drink differently in winter: a short history of warmth, ritual and togetherness, from medieval wassail to the modern warm-cocktail revival.