Whether you actually get life from some sanitized story about Native Americans and Pilgrims breaking bread or are just grateful to have some time off from work to overeat and kick it with loved ones, I think we can all agree that Thanksgiving is a good time to try some new libations. Personally, I will be giving thanks for libations at my holiday couch table and I doubt I’m alone there.
We picked a couple of cool mixed drinks for you to pour up and impress your Aunt Sadie from Cleveland or survive your brother’s baseball stories or whatever. Enjoy responsibly.
-Jamilah Lemieux
GM Raspberry Peach Holiday Punch
Grand Marnier is an orange-flavored cognac liqueur and the Raspberry Peach variety is a delightful remix on the classic citrus flavor. If you onlu have the original on hand, this punch will still please those guests who enjoy something sweet-yet-kicky. Created by mixologist George Carney.
- 2 quarts Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach
- 1 ½ cups cinnamon syrup
- 2 quarts water
- 1 quart lemon juice
- 1 quart overproof rum
- 4 oz apricot brandy
Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl and serve. Jazz it all up with some frozen raspberries and pieces of peach.
Moscato Frosted Fizz
Even if you’re too fancy to indulge in Drake’s favorite dessert wine, you know your cousins love moscato. Impress them with this fancy cocktail spin and make “the light-skinned Keith Sweat” proud. Owwwwww…
- 1 ½ oz. SKYY Infusions Moscato Grape
- 5 oz. Sparkling Wine
- 3 Green Grapes
- White Rimming Sugar
Pour vodka into a white sugar rimmed flute and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with green grapes.
The Double Shot Martini
Avión Espresso is a tequila-based liqueur blended with espresso, which may sound a little odd…until you try it. Aw man, homie. That perfect kick of top quality tequila (important tequila rule: if the bottles don’t clink, don’t drink) blends with the rich coffee magnificently. No sugar needed, but if you have a little cinnamon or nutmeg, a pinch will set things off quite well.
- 1 ½ parts Avión Espresso
- 1 part Milk or Half & Half
Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with 1-3 espresso beans.
HPNOTIQ Dazzler
At first glance, this may not sound like a particularly Thanksgiving-friendly drink but remember what I said about your cousins and moscato? Goes double for your aunties’nem and Hpnotiq. Per my own Aunt Yolanda, Hpnotiq is “the ballers’ drink” and what’s more baller than a little champagne? This is a very fun cocktail and Incredible Hulks are so 2000-and late. Save your Hennessy for something else; if you’re a Hpnotiq kind of guy or gal, it’s much better solo or with a little fizz.
- 2 oz. Hpnotiq
- 2 oz. Champagne (you can use sparking wine; we'll discuss the difference come New Year's Eve)
Pour chilled Hpnotiq and Champagne into a Champagne flute.
Holiday “Sauce”
Speaking of Hennessy, YOU KNEW SOMETHING WITH HENNESSY WAS COMING. I had the pleasure of trying this amazing cocktail just last week and, look, I will not see cranberry sauce with the same eyes again. Just do it.
- 1.5 oz Hennessy VS
- .5 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Heaping Tablespoon of cranberry sauce (yes, as in the kind you would have with turkey)
- 1 dash fee brothers cranberry bitters (optional)
- Garnish: Orange twist, cinnamon sugar rim
Glass: Coupe or martini
Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice, shake until well chilled. Take the coupe or martini glass and rub the rim with a fresh cut lemon, now dip the rim in a plate of cinnamon sugar (1 part cinnamon to 1 part white sugar). Strain the cocktail into the rimmed glass and garnish with an orange twist.
