Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Eight mixologists and bartenders from Manila and Singapore share recipes for holiday cocktails that capture the spirit of the season. Take inspiration from these Christmas drinks guaranteed to bring your party some festive cheer: 1. Reena Rivera Bartender, Crackerjack (Singapore) “The cocktail that fills me up with Christmas spirit would definitely be a Sangria, the specific one I learned to make at the very first bar I worked in. It doesn’t have a name but the ingredients include fresh green apple slices and a mix of fresh berries which were covered with brown sugar and torched to caramelize. Followed by a healthy measure of cognac, splash of grenadine or creme de cassis, served in a tall wine glass over ice. Topped up with white wine! The fruity flavors as well as the use of cognac and wine remind me so much of special desserts/cakes that only come around during Christmas.” Sangria 2. Rian Asiddao Brand Ambassador – Diageo Reserve (Philippines) “GDP is my Christmas take on the classic whisky sour, with some fruits and herbs added, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve as the base to give those vanilla and honey notes of whisky, citrus from lemon juice, texture and fruit flavors from the pineapple juice, herbal sweetness from the syrup. Garnished with dill to give it a Christmas look. Christmas is all about fun and family, and this drink is easy to make at home and it will definitely give a Christmas feel. Adding a cherry is optional to complement the green color of the garnish.” GDP (Gold, Dill, Pineapple) 45 ml Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve 15 ml pineapple juice 10 ml lemon juice 10 ml dill-infused syrup Mix all ingredients in a shaker and give it a good shake. GDP (Gold, Dill, Pineapple) “Gin Smashed with some strawberries and basil leaves! Berry X-Mash is a fruity and refreshing cocktail with the colors of Christmas. Green from the leaves and red from strawberries, added with some creamy texture from the yoghurt (yes, Christmas yoghurt feels!). This cocktail is perfect during exchange gift sessions, or during family games/presentation. Cheers!” Berry X-Mash Berry X-Mash 45 ml Tanqueray London dry gin 10 ml Cointreau 15 ml lemon juice 15 ml sugar syrup 5 ml strawberry yoghurt 2 pcs. basil leaves 1 pc. strawberry Muddle strawberry in a shaker. Mix all ingredients, add ice, and give it a good shake. 3. Clayton Paul Munar Bar Manager, Buddha-Bar Manila “The cocktail that makes me feel the Christmas spirit is the Eggnog. It all started when I was a bar runner in a membership club in Baguio City (my hometown). Every Christmas Day, I was tasked to do a big batch off eggnog for our guests when they arrive at our lobby for the whole day. I start making the batch at 3 a.m. So while making the batch, I get to have my own dose as well just to wake me up. Then seeing the guests having them makes me happy because they always go for round or two.” Try some #coquito this holiday season! You will love this #coconut egg-free nog ❤️ #eggnog #eggfree #cocktail A photo posted by Analida (@ethnicspoon) on Nov 30, 2016 at 5:28am PST 4. Aaron Goodall “The Fixer” at The Cufflink Club / Marketing Manager at AANDA (Singapore) “Growing up in the UK, we used to spend Christmas time huddled up around a fire, drinking hot chocolate. I remember one year we went up to Scotland with our whole family and rented a house up there. It was super cold, with snow blanketing everything outside. But, the smells and flavors of that Christmas led me to choosing a Cufflink Club classic as my first favorite Christmas cocktail. The smokiness from the fire, the fresh pine of the Christmas tree, and the herbs in the dinners we ate—all those come rushing back to me with this cocktail.” Loch Ness Lassie Recipe Ingredients: 25 ml Monkey Shoulder 30 ml BOLS Creme de Caçao 10 ml salted caramel syrup 25 ml lemon juice 20 ml egg white Glass: chilled brandy snifter Combine ingredients in shaker, then dry shake. Add ice and shake hard. Double strain into the brandy snifter. Add Islay Spritz (Laphroaig 10 in spray bottle). Garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Nordic Hipster “Being based in Asia now, Christmases aren’t as cold as they used to be, so a lot of my favorite drinks (hot chocolate, mulled wine, etc.) aren’t as enjoyable in this climate. But another Cufflink Club classic does evoke the same feelings that I used to get living in colder climates. This cocktail really does smell like Christmas in a jar.” Ingredients: 45 ml Beefeater London Dry Gin 10 ml Cherry Syrup 10 ml Cinnamon Syrup 20 ml Lemon Juice 5 ml Orange Juice Glass: hipster jar (Mason jar) Combine ingredients in the hipster jar, add ice, gently rotate to dilute, and to avoid breaking the garnish. Top up with more ice and serve. Garnish with cinnamon stick and dehydrated orange. Porn Star Martini “Another Christmas location that I’m really fond of is going back to Sydney to visit my family down there. Same with Asian Christmas, the weather is tropical and extremely warm. So Christmas drinks and food reflect this, usually it’s a glass (or four) of champagne, along with tropical pairings (passionfruit and pineapple springs to mind)—so my other go to drink would be The Cufflink Club’s best seller, the Porn Star Martini.” Ingredients: 25 ml Wyborowa Vodka 20 ml Cariel Vanilla Vodka 25 ml pineapple juice 25 ml lemon juice 20 ml passionfruit syrup 20 ml egg white 40 ml Billecart Salmon Brut (Champagne) Glass: Schott Zwiesel Coupe Combine ingredients in shaker, shake hard. Add ice, shake until chilled. Single strain into Schott Zwiesel Coupe. Zest with lemon (discarded). Serve it with a shot of champagne—you can either alternate sips or pour the champagne into the cocktail. 5. Sam Webster Head bartender, Hooch Bar, Makati The cocktail that fills me with christmas spirit is a tequila sunrise (ingredients: tequila, orange juice, and grenadine—ed.). One year I got my family very very drunk on tequila sunrises. I was just a kid and didn’t really care about measurements, so they were pretty lethal. It was the first round of cocktails I ever made. Start ’em young, as they say. #Amsterdam #Holland #Getto 😍 #TequilaSunrise (at the back) for me serves only as the hors-d'oeuvre, and since it's already past midnight #happybirthdaytome #26 #happy #life #travel #gay #friends #light #shadow #bokeh #night #nightout #hangout #bar #gaybar #cocktail #yum #food #drinks #friends #friendship #reunion #birthday A photo posted by Min Ren (@xiaorenmin) on Nov 29, 2016 at 4:15pm PST 6. Kathryn Eckstein Cornista Bar Consultant / Mixologist for Don Papa (Philippines) “My favorite holiday drink is the Hot Toddy. Now that the weather is rainy and cooler these days, a nice hot cocktail will certainly make you want to curl up with a blanket while gazing admiringly at your Christmas tree. I love using bourbon instead of Irish whiskey. Knob Creek or Bulleit are staples in my home bar.” Kath’s Hot Toddy Ingredients: 2 oz Bourbon 4 oz hot chamomile tea 1 oz honey Lemon peel Zest the lemon peel into the mug. Add in all the ingredients and drop in a cinnamon stick. 7. Tasha Lu Hendrick’s Regional Brand Ambassador (Southeast Asia) The “Fizzy Make Me Feel Good” is the perfect cocktail for this Christmas. Champagne just makes everything feel more like a special occasion! Fizzy Make Me Feel Good Ingredients: 40 ml Hendrick’s Gin 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon Juice 30 ml spiced pear syrup* Top with sparkling wine (prosecco, or if you’re feeling extra fancy, champagne) *To make the spiced pear syrup you will need: 1 liter pear puree/juice/nectar grated nutmeg 5 cinnamon sticks 2 cloves star anise 10 cloves 1 strip of orange peel Simmer all ingredients in pot over low heat. Take off heat. Stir through 500 gm fine white sugar “This cocktail requires you to garnish your glass first. For this cocktail, best to use something festive—a Sweet Spice sugar dust. To make the Sweet Spice Dust you can simply purchase cinnamon sugar at your supermarket and just add a few grates of nutmeg. Fresh is best! Small touches can transform the drink into something truly unforgettable. Pour your Hendrick’s, lemon juice, and spiced pear syrup into a cocktail shaker. Shake with all your Christmas might and pour into a champagne flute.” “As its name suggests, a sip alone of this festive beverage will make you feel good! Let’s toast to this Christmas and look forward to a happy New Year! Cheers!” 8. Larry Guevara Mixologist at Liquid Concept “Christmas is definitely in the air and what better way to start it than by imbibing a classic Hot Buttered Rum but with a Pinoy twist. With the help of my partner, Sharleen (all the way from Canada) we came up with a drink that will not only keep your body warm but will also bring some fond memories of the classic Filipino delicacy/dessert also known as the yema (milk) Indeed, ‘tis the season to be jolly as we present to you the Yema Buttered Rum. Yema Buttered Rum Ingredients: 60 ml Bacardi 8 rum 6 pcs yema candy 1 teaspoon brown sugar 3 pcs. cloves Yema candies and grated nutmeg to garnish (cinnamon stick may also be added) Over low heat, melt the yema in a pan with the sugar and cloves. Turn off the heat and add the Bacardi 8 rum and stir well. Double strain into a mug or toddy glass and top with hot water to taste. Garnish with a yema candy and grated nutmeg.