The dawn of the New Year is drawing closer. It is finally time again for dazzling celebrations, sparkling wines and a boozy night. Whether your New Year plans are dancing and partying all night with your friends or watching the annual TV specials and playing games with your loved ones, popping a bottle of champagne and a round of classy cocktails has to be on your New Year's Eve checklist. No one wants to spend hundreds of dollars at overcrowded and overpriced bars. Whether you’re throwing a party or having a cosy night, we have the perfect sip for you.
“I used to know a clever toast, but pshaw! I cannot think of it. So fill your glass to anything and, bless your souls, I'll drink to it!” - Wallace Irwin
Negroni
Negroni is a simple yet sophisticated Italian classic with its bittersweet and botanical flavours that are reminiscent of winter with notes of juniper from the gin highlighted by sweet vermouth and the herbaceous Campari. The best part is that there are no complicated ratios. Just take equal parts of all three and stir them well. Serve it on the rocks with a strip of orange peel.
Appletini
Take your martini to the next level with an Appletini that is sweet and full of bold flavour with an enchanting green hue. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, vodka, apple schnapps, lemon juice and sugar syrup and give it a shake. Pour into a martini glass and top it off with green apple slices and maraschino cherries. You can even step it up and experiment with hand-pressed apple juice or an imported French apple brandy known as Calvados to pack a boozy bunch.
Bees Knees
Bees Knees is a classic cocktail from the prohibition era where honey and lemon juice were used to sweeten and mask the taste of poorly made alcohol. It is a bright and sweet drink with herbaceous and citrusy notes. Whisk honey with equal parts of hot water to make a syrup and chill it. Take the chilled honey syrup in a cocktail shaker with gin, lemon juice & ice and shake it well. Pour into a chilled coupe glass and top with a slice of lemon or edible flowers.
French 75
French 75 is possibly one of the fanciest cocktails for your New Year's Cocktail Party. It outshines the other classics because of the sparkling and elegant Champagne that makes it distinctively French. It was inspired by the 75 mm French Field Artillery guns and it sure packs a punch. Simply pour some gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into chilled champagne flutes and top it off with twice the amount of Champagne!
Ingredients:
12 cl gin
12 cl lemon juice
8 cl syrup
Champagne
French Pear Fizz
Cocktails with Champagne simply elevate a party into an elegant affair. Cut round slices of pears and squeeze lemon juice all over, to prevent it from losing colour and adding a citrusy flavour. Run the squeezed lemon around the rim of the martini glass and dip it into sugar. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add equal parts pear-flavoured vodka and elderflower liqueur. Shake well and strain into the martini glass. Top it off with champagne and a slice of pear.
Prosecco Mint Julep
This mint julep is a slightly sweet, pleasant, refreshing and boozy addition to your New Year's dinner that pairs well with almost any dish from vegetables to lamb. In a highball glass, muddle mint leaves with sugar syrup till they turn dark green. Pour bourbon, prosecco, crushed ice and Angostura bitters. Stir well and top it with more mint leaves.
New York Sour
The New York Sour is the classic Whiskey Sour’s rich and dressed-up cousin. Shake some bourbon whiskey, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice and pour red wine over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top.
Brandy Alexander
The Brandy Alexander is the perfect dessert cocktail that deserves a spot as the last drink of the year. It is just an upgraded and elegant boozy version of the all-time favourite chocolate milkshake. Simply take equal parts of cognac, crème de cacao and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and sprinkle nutmeg on top.
