It's fair to say that the last two years have been tough on everyone. As New Year's Eve approaches, you might find yourself asking questions like, "Where did the past year go?" "Where did the past two years go?" and "How is it already New Year's Eve?!?" With 2022 looming around the corner, it makes sense if you are a little panicked at how fast this past year went by. This is why we have created a list of the very best festive, tasty beverages to toast your loved ones with while ringing in the new year. After all the goings-on of the last few years, the least you can do is make yourself and your NYE guests some tasty beverages. These delicious cocktail recipes are sure to help you celebrate the wonderful (fingers crossed) upcoming new year that is sure to be your best.
Verte Chaud
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There’s a chill in the air, and we have just the thing to warm your weary bones. A steaming hot mug of Verte Chaud is just what the doctor ordered. Chocolatey goodness with a kick!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped up
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- pinch of sea salt
- 8 oz Green Chartreuse
Directions
- Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the chocolate until completely melted.
- Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat and add brown sugar and salt. Whisk to combine and froth.
- Divide the Green Chartreuse evenly between 4 mugs. (2 oz per mug) and top with the hot chocolate.
Pumpkin Spice Old-Fashioned
Looking for a twist on an old classic, or should we say old-fashioned? Look no further than this updated seasonal favorite. Adding just the right amount of spice in your life just got a whole lot easier.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz pumpkin syrup*
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- 2 oz of bourbon
- splash club soda
- orange wedge
- Cinnamon stick
Directions
- Add the pumpkin syrup, orange bitters, and orange wedge into an Old Fashioned glass and muddle.
- Add the bourbon, a large ice cube, and a splash of club soda, and stir gently with the cinnamon stick to combine.
*Pumpkin syrup: Add 1 cup water and 3/4 cup light brown sugar to a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat to low and whisk in 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and 1/3 cup pumpkin puree. Simmer on low for 8 minutes, remove from heat, and allow to cool. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and store the syrup in the refrigerator in a container with a tightly fitting lid for up to 1 month.
La Dominicana
A simple but elegant cocktail, this rum delight is the perfect pick-me-up. You’ll be enthralled with its zesty appeal. Salud!
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz aged rum
- 1.5 oz coffee liqueur
- cream mix to float*
Directions
- Combine the coffee liqueur and aged rum in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, strain into a coupe, and float the cream over the top.
*Shake 5 parts heavy cream with 1 part milk with 2 sugar cubes.
Oaxaca Mezcal & Basil Margarita
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This refreshing aperitif will tantalize your taste buds with its basil bad-assery and a hint of smoky flavor. Impress your friends while they watch the ball drop and listen to the constant sound of, “mmmmmmm,” ring out through your party.
Ingredients
- 3 lime wedges
- 5 basil leaves
- 2 oz mezcal
- 1.5 oz lime juice
- 1.5 oz agave syrup
- salt for the rim of the glass
- ice
Directions
- Add lime wedges and basil to the shaker. Muddle.
- Add mezcal, lime juice, agave, and ice. Shake well.
- Use a lime wedge to dampen the rim of the glass.
- Add ice to the glass and pour in the cocktail. Garnish with lime wedge and basil.
French Pear Martini
Chic and sophisticated, this martini will knock your socks off even if you aren’t wearing any! You may never drink another kind of martini again after this one.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
- 1.5 oz pear vodka
- chilled champagne
- granulated sugar for the rim
- 1 lemon, wedged
- 1 pear, sliced
Directions
- Prepare your garnishes by slicing a lemon into wedges and the pear into rounds.
- To prepare martini glasses, run a lemon wedge around the rim and dip into sugar.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine St. Germain and pear vodka. Shake vigorously until well chilled.
- Strain into a prepared martini glass and top with champagne.
- Garnish with a round of pear and a festive stir stick.
Twentieth Century Cocktail
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This forgotten classic is both elegant and surprising. A mix of ingredients that, at first glance, you would not think belong together, but one taste will ease that concern. Want to impress your friends on NYE? This is the cocktail to do it.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Gin
- .5 oz white crème de cacao
- .5 oz Lillet Blanc
- .25 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
The past few years have been anything but ordinary. But by treating yourself with these top-notch cocktails, you are providing yourself an elevated New Years’ Eve. Sure, 2020 and 2021 may have felt like a blur, but enough is enough. It is time to raise a glass, get back a little clarity in life, and celebrate because 2022 will be your best year yet. And if we are wrong and the year decides to be more like 2020, then at least you now know how to make some tasty beverages.