Thanksgiving isn't only for celebrating with your family, it's also for celebrating with your friends (and friends who have become family).
We must acknowledge, that although not everyone can whip something up like chef Aarón Sánchez to bring to the potluck, it doesn't mean that you can't make something extra special.
Below we've gathered eight cocktails to truly impress your amigos y amigas and show them just how special they are. We also included an honorable mention that's no less amazing the rest.
Autumn Sweater
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Zacapa No.23 Rum
- 1 oz Oloroso Sherry
- ½ oz Ancho Chili Liqueur
- ½ oz French Herbal Liqueur
- Garnish with rosemary sprig
Preparation:
- Add all ingredients to mixing glass with ice.
- Site and double strain over a large ice cube into a negroni glass.
- Garnish and smoke with a flavor blaster.
Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom (Recipe by Goop)
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounces Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom
- 2 dashes cranberry bitters
- 3 ounces Fever Tree soda water
- Garnish with cranberries
Preparations:
- Combine all ingredients and serve in a wine glass over ice.
- Garnish with a cranberry.
The Moët & Chandon Impérial 1869
Ingredients:
- 15 ml Agave Syrup
- 2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters
- 1 Dash Orange Flower Water
- 100 ml Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut
Preparation:
- Pour all the ingredients into the Moët Impérial 150th anniversary Coupe and top with Champagne.
- Garnish with a sprig of “Queen Anne’s Lace” (also known as “wild carrot”).
SVEDKA Cherry Harvest
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ part Svedka Cherry
- ¾ part Honey
- ¾ part Fresh Lime Juice
- ½ part Grapefruit Juice
- ½ part Cherry Heering
- 1 ½ part Porter Beer
Preparation:
- Build in cocktail shaker except for beer.
- Shake and strain into a Highball glass over ice.
- Add beer and stir.
- Garnish with fresh cherries.
The D’USSE VSOP Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
- 2 oz D’USSE Cognac
- 4 oz Hot Black Tea
- 1 oz Honey Syrup
- 2-3 Orange Peels
- Cinnamon Stick
Preparation:
- Seep tea in a glass mug.
- Add D’USSÉ VSOP, Honey Syrup and stir.
- Add Orange Peels and Cinnamon Stick.
Rye Carre by Belvedere Vodka
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Belvedere Vodka
- 1.5 oz Hot Water
- 1 oz French Fortified Wine
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- .5 oz Honey
- Cinnamon Stick
- Orange Wedge
- Clove
- Nutmeg
Preparation:
- Stir all ingredients over cubed ice in mixing glass
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube.
Belvedere Champagne Punch
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Belvedere Vodka
- .75 oz Pineapple Juice
- .75 oz Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut
- .5 oz Averna
- .25 oz Vanilla Simple Syrup (1:1 vanilla extract to simple syrup)
Preparations:
- Add all ingredients, except Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut, to a shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into a glass mug, add ice and top with Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut.
- Garnish with a dusting of fresh nutmeg.
Belvedere Toddy
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Belvedere Vodka
- 1.5 oz Hot Water
- 1 oz French Fortified Wine
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- .5 oz Honey
- Cinnamon Stick
- Orange Wedge
- Clove
- Nutmeg
Preparation:
- Add hot water to heat glass mug, then honey to melt.
- Add remaining liquid ingredients.
Belvedere Cider Punch
Yields: six to eight servings
Ingredients:
- 10 oz Belvedere Vodka
- 14 oz Cloudy Apple Cider
- 3 oz Allspice Syrup
- 4 oz Lemon juice
- 4 Lemon wheels
- 4 Orange wheels
- 5 Cinnamon sticks
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl with ice and serve immediately.
Honorable Mention: Azulana Tequila Sparklers
This may not be a recipe, but it doesn't mean it's not worth trying.
Why should you try it? It is the first and only sparkling tequila drink that is made with 100% blue agave tequila and sweetened with agave nectar (can you say yum?).
It comes in three flavors — Lime, Original and Pineapple Rosemary — so there is one for everyone to try.