Cocktails

Christmas CoCKtail Corner

by Nick Nunes

The nights are already getting a little cooler. The cane arrows have appeared on the tops of rows of cane all around the country. Tourism is reviving. Christmas music is all over the airwaves. It’s definitely the season for celebration and sipping on some sweet cocktails while enjoying the more wonderful time of year.

Christmas is a time that is heavily associated with several drinks. Mulled wine, eggnog, hot chocolate, ciders of all kinds, and tea to warm the soul are all regularly consumed during the Christmas season. Even in the Caribbean it gets just cool enough to enjoy a warm mug of cocoa by a fire in the chill of the night.

The most Christmas-associated alcoholic beverage, thanks to Hollywood, is eggnog. Though not a big drink in the Caribbean, this egg yolk cream mixture may be worth a try if just for seeing what it’s all about this Christmas.

Whisked egg yolks combined with cream, milk, salt, and nutmeg are heated in a saucepan till it completely comes together and vanilla and an alcohol of choice are added to complete the concoction. Brandy, whiskey, rum, vodka, or whatever suits your alcohol preference can be the main draw in this cocktail.

As the Spruce Eats puts it, “Summer may have sangria, but winter is the time for mulled wine. It is, without a doubt, the cosiest way to enjoy wine during the holidays.”

What is mulled wine, you ask? Well, it’s basically sangria with extra steps. Pouring out your run-of-the-mill red into a larger container and adding in fruits and spices, plus a little extra oomph of another alcohol is all you need to craft this traditional Christmas beverage.

Oranges, apples, plums, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves—these are all perfectly acceptable additions to craft your own personal punch of mulled wine. To pump up the alcoholic quality of the mulled wine, you can also consider pouring in a bit of spiced and flavourful rum to mingle with the medley of flavours crafted together.

If you’re looking for something with a little more familiarity and a little less catered to those living in cold climates, always consider just ramping up the old favourites with a bit of nutmeg freshly dusted over the top of your drinks or a bit of cinnamon sparingly sprinkled to give that scent a spice to holiday alcohol escapades.

Cinnamon and star anise go great with citrus-heavy drinks and can take a little focus away from extra-sweet drinks. Cardamom can also be an interesting addition to cocktail hour by adding the unexpected to your regular rum indulgence.

Gin is a great versatile drink for the holidays. With the rising popularity of colour-changing gins, the juniper berry alcohol can make for a visual feast during the holidays. Many of the blue gins offered today have an interesting reaction to the addition of any citrus—they turn pink!

A strong pour of deep blue gin over some awaiting ice, a heavy squeeze of fresh lime, a small squirt of simple syrup and a top-off of tonic water will have a wonderful presentation in the mixing and is a pretty good drinking experience on its own.

Whatever your tastes, a little bit of dazzle added to the old and familiar can only add to the extravagance of the holidays in the best of ways this Christmas season.