The Holiday Cocktail Season – Mix Up Some Festive Drinks for Your Guests

The St. Regis Venice’s “Heat Me Up” warm chocolate cocktail. Photo credit: St. Regis Venice
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The holiday season is upon us and with it comes parties and gatherings for work, friends and family. To help you wow your guests, Splash Magazines Worldwide has put together a list of some of our favorite cocktail recipes from literally everywhere and each one is sure to impress.

Dressed properly in stylish layers and scarves to fend off the chill of a Venice winter, guests of The St. Regis Venice will fondly recall their first sips of the warm chocolate-infused cocktail, “Heat Me Up”.  Best when served warm and blended with Italian chocolate brand, Domori Chocolate from Torino, near the Italian Alps. The hotel’s mixologists use Domori’s Criollo Blend 80%, which has been rewarded with the gold medal of the Academy of Chocolate Awards as the best dark chocolate. To enhance the experience, the drink will be presented to guests in a signature Ginori 1735 coffee cup.

St. Regis Venice’s “Heat Me UP” cocktail:

  • 2/3 oz – Dark rum
  • 1 ¾ oz – Almond milk
  • ½ oz – Almond liquor 
  • ¼ oz – Nardini rhubarb liquor
  • 1 oz – Home-made Criollo chocolate & ginger syrup

Master mixologist notes for the perfect Heat Me UP every time:

The best way to shake the winter cold, mixed the ingredients in a coffee pot and serve warm in a coffee or tea mug.

Victoria House Resort & Spa, Belize, an award-winning beachfront resort on the largest of the offshore Belizean islands, Ambergris Caye, will ring in the holidays and treat guests to a memorable Caribbean Christmas and New Year celebration in paradise.

Guests will find comfort and joy at the resort’s Admiral Nelson’s Bar with a curated holiday cocktail menu that offers seasonal spins on staple sippers. Holiday cocktails include a Frangelico Colada made with Frangelico, coconut cream and fresh pineapple; Golden Holidays featuring Southern Comfort and Amaretto; the Jack Frost made with Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Drambuie, Blue Curacao and coconut cream; and the Ruby Spritz featuring Campari, prosecco, vodka and fresh lime juice. Other festive curated classics include a Candy Cane Martini, Christmas Eve Greentini, Christmas Margarita and Holiday Sangria.

Christmas Margarita from Victoria House Resort & Spa, Belize

Each Guinigi Wines is grown and produced in northern Italy, Guinigi’s bold red wines offer the perfect complement with any rich and flavorful Italian dish, paired alongside hard cheeses, or as a thoughtful gift for the boss. Aged perfectly to impress with their complex secondary characters, the four Guinigi red wines include the 2016 Barolo D.O.C.G.2015 Brunello Di Montalcino D.O.C.G.2017 Toscana I.G.T. Rosso and 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva D.O.C.G.

For something a little more refreshing, Guinigi Prosecco and Guinigi Prosecco Rosé are both ideal as an aperitif or in cocktails. Glimmering with gold highlights among fine and persistent bubbles and sourced from Italy’s northeastern province of Treviso, Guinigi Prosecco is offers delicate notes of apple, white peach, citrus fruits, acacia and wisteria. Guinigi Prosecco Rosé’s soft pink hue beautifully frames its elegant sparkle against notes of blood orange citrus, wild strawberry and floral peach blossom.

As we descend into the brisk autumnal months in Barcelona, we want to take you on a rum-infused journey to curated to warm your soul, compliments of Hotel Arts Barcelona’s master mixologist, Diego Baud of the hotel’s P41 Bar & Coctelarium.

Utilizing Jameson’s Irish Whiskey Black Barrel, with its double smoked charring, and depth of complexity and richness with lightly crushed cocoa nibs and seasonal figs destined to make the brown liquid sing. A kiss of honey, a splash of sage syrup and a final sprinkling of cardamon and pink pepper, the finishing herbaceous flavours are complete. The soothing liquor body intensifies with the ever-fragrant Gardeum, a liqueur made from a bundle of botanicals, the final ingredient is the Acmella, commonly referred to as the electric flower.

It’s a comforting liquid journey of flavors and a roller coaster ride through the changing seasons. With winter’s arrival, this cocktail is best paired with dark chocolate, raspberries and chocolate smothered figs crumbed with crushed pistachios. The “Chocolate Winter Sweater” is luxurious seasonal libation perfect for your soul.

As background, Diego Baud is the winner of the Essence Century Cocktail Competition in 2015 as well as the distinctions of Top 7 Negroni and Top 5 Gin and Tonic in Spain. Baud’s unique creations stand out for their extraordinary and elaborate presentations, which make for an unforgettable experience.

Hotel Arts Barcelona’s “Chocolate Winter Sweater” cocktail. Photo credit: David Castillo

Hotel Arts Barcelona’s “Chocolate Winter Sweater” cocktail:

  • 2oz / 60ml Jameson Irish Whiskey Black Barrel infused with cocoa & figs
  • 10ml Cardamon, Pink Pepper, Sage, Honey Syrup
  • 15ml Gardeum
  • Two dashes of Chocolate bitters
  • Garnish: 70% chocolate with frozen dried raspberries and figs dipped in chocolate and dusted with crushed pistachios.

Master mixologist notes for the perfect Chocolate Winter Sweater cocktail every time:

If time allows, here is the best way to enjoy the “Chocolate Winter Sweater” cocktail with a Jameson infusion:

  • 750ml Jameson Black Barrel, 20g cocoa nibs & 10 figs sliced in half
  • Place all into a mason jar and let infuse for nine days.

Whether you’re hosting for the holidays, or just looking for a new drink to toast the season with friends and family, 1800 Tequila has the perfect spin on classic holiday cocktails! Bring your holiday entertaining to new heights of taste with 1800 Clarified Cocktails, made with 1800 Cristalino – an ultra-premium añejo with the clarity of a blanco.

1800 Café Cristalino
  • 1 ½ oz. 1800 Cristalino
  • 1 oz. clarified Espresso Coffee
  • ½ oz. demerara syrup
  • ¼ oz. clarified vanilla essence
  • 3 Coffee beans

Directions: Add all ingredients with fresh ice to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.

1800 Clarified Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz. 1800 Cristalino 
  • ¼ oz. Monin butterscotch syrup
  • 2 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters
  • Dark chocolate bark & coconut shavings, to garnish

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, and garnish with a dark chocolate square and dried coconut.  

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