Top 5 Christmas Cocktails
Our favourite Christmas Cocktails to bust stress
and get you feeling festive!
It's #StressAwarenessDay (1st Wednesday in November) and we know the run up to Christmas can be overwhelming. So, as a reminder to take some time for yourself, put your feet up and say 'I'll deal with it later' we have rounded up our top 5 Christmas Cocktails you can make at home and our favourite cocktail bars in Winchester. Grab your friends, put the 'to-do-list' with the 'on-a-rainy-day-list' and go enjoy yourself. In the long run taking time for yourself will make you more productive, happy and stress-free!
White Mint Mojitos
INGREDIENTS
juice of 1 lime
8 leaves mint
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons white rum
1 tablespoon coconut rum
1/4 cup canned coconut milk
sparkling water for topping
pomegranate arils for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
In a glass, muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves until the leaves have broken down. Fill the glass half way with ice.
In a blender, combine the white rum, coconut rum, and coconut milk and pulse until smooth. Pour over the ice and stir to combine. Top with sparkling water, mint and pomegranate. Drink!
Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest this White Mint Mojito looks gorgeous and has a perfect balance of mint and cream. It's a great adult alternative to a candy cane!
Cranberry Mule
INGREDIENTS
- 1 standard shot = 25ml
2 shots. unsweetened cranberry juice (do NOT use cranberry cocktail)
3.5 shots ginger beer
2 shots of spiced rum
1/2 shot of sugar syrup
Ice , for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Place a handful of ice in a copper mug or glass. A copper mug will keep your Cranberry Mule chilled for longer.
Combine the cranberry juice, ginger beer, rum and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
Shake until combined, then pour over ice.
Serve with sugared cranberries as garnish, and enjoy immediately.
Courtesy of The Speckled Palate this Cranberry Mule is great for those who love a classic spiced festive cocktail.
Raspberry Russian
INGREDIENTS
3 Fresh Raspberries
Ice Cubes
1 Shot Heavy Cream
1 Shot Chambord
1 Shot Vodka
INSTRUCTIONS
Muddle raspberries in the bottom of a glass. Add ice. Pour cream, Chambord, and vodka over ice. Stir well to combine.
Courtesy of Food Fanatic this is a festive and tasty twist on the White Russian. It's a very easy cocktail that does not require any fancy tools. Garnish with posh ice cubes by popping a raspberry in your ice cube tray, top with water and freeze.
Apple Pie On The Rocks
INGREDIENTS
1 Shot . Vanilla Vodka
1 shot . Fireball Whiskey
4 Shots . Organic Apple Juice
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon
Brown Sugar for the rim (fine ground)
Optional: Cinnamon Stick for Garnish
Ice
INSTRUCTIONS
Wet the rim of your rocks glass just a little, and gently sugar the rim with the brown sugar.
In a shaker, pour the vodka, Fireball Whiskey, apple juice and ground cinnamon together with a handful of ice cubes.
Shake 10 times and pour the contents into the glass without wiping off the sugar rim.
Serve chilled and with a cinnamon stick, for garnish.
Courtesy of Vegan Yak Attack this is the perfect cocktail for an evening in front of the fire. Warm, spicy and bound to get you merry.
Kahlua Hot Chocolate
INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 Shot Kahlúa coffee liqueur
Mini marshmallows, for serving
Salted caramel, for serving
Chocolate syrup, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Kahlúa.
Serve immediately, garnished with mini marshmallows, salted caramel and chocolate syrup, if desired.
Courtesy of Damn Delicious this coffee liqueur based hot chocolate is a classic twist on a winter drink. If you're not much of a drink but fancy bit of a kick then this drink is the ideal alternative. Sweet with a hint of spice and kick of coffee you'll feel festive and snuggly all evening.
Winchester Cocktail Bars
If making your own cocktails is not for you then don't panic! There are some amazing cocktail bars with very talented Mixologists in Winchester and we have gathered a list of our favourite cocktails bars here. If you're heading into Winchester for a Christmas party then make these bars one of your first stops to start the festivities.
With Martini Monday, Gin & Tonic Tuesday and Prosecco Wednesday Greens Bar & Kitchen know how to start a great evening. There are cocktail offers every Monday and some funky twists on classic cocktails such as: Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, Manhattan Sour and Limoncello Collins. Greens can get quite lively in the evenings so if you're out for a quiet one head to Greens as your first stop.
Slug & Lettuce provides an expansive cocktail menu, including the classic cocktails Mojito and a Cosmo. In the Christmas season, they spread the festive cheer through their drinks, by adding that Christmas twist. They offer the promotion of '2 4 1' all day everyday, meaning you can have double the fun for half the price! Slug & Lettuce is definitely worth a visit over the Christmas period.
A small but exclusive bar ideal for eating and drinking in style. Each drink from a coffee to a cocktail made with exquisite precision, Cabinet Rooms are for those who love great service but appreciate the artsy quirks bringing life to a classy venue. Underground Film Societies, live jazz and book groups attracts the crowds with a sense of inquisition and curiosities always learning and engaging with new media.
Incognito is the place to be for those who love to be sophisticated without boundaries. Bottomless Brunch offers and cocktails served in teapots creates an enchanted feeling as if you're in a 1920's version of Alice in Wonderland. Travel to a new country, new world, new dimension with Incognito's weird and wacky but fantastic style.
Stay Close
When you're having a Christmas night out in Winchester you don't want to have to worry about buses, taxis or trains so stay right in the centre of the city with all the bars within walking distance. No. 11 Cossack Lane is just a 8 minute walk to Jewry Street where you will find Cabinet Rooms. No. 11 Cossack Lane can sleep a maximum of 4 guests.
Our availability over November and December for all properties are becoming very limited but please do enquire here! This cocktail crawl around Winchester would also be a fantastic Valentines activity in February. Book soon to secure your dates!