It is so nearly Christmas. Levels of excitement are reaching fever pitch here at Juliettes (if you have children, you’ll know exactly what we mean). While we are still working our stockings off finding last minute gifts for our customers, we are all looking forward to a well-earned Christmas break. No doubt all our customers are too, so we decided to put together a few of our ideas on getting the best out of your Christmas. We’ve chosen 3 of our favourite Christmas Cocktails, 3 fantastic Christmas Destinations and the 3 Best Places to Spend New Year. If we’ve missed the sleigh and you have already planned this Christmas down to the last brussels sprout, you could always start planning for next year.
So, let’s get the party started with our 3 Best Christmas Cocktails. It wouldn’t be Christmas without some festive cheer and these 3 delicious cocktails will be truly welcome at any party or gathering. Just get the ingredients in and have a quick practice before the guests arrive. That’s always our excuse anyway.
Juliette’s Signature J&T
This cocktail was created for us by talented mixologist Tiki Chris and named after our founder, Juliette Thomas. It has been with us on all our travels this summer, together with our fabulous gin trolley. Most recently, it was served at our Caviar & Champagne evening with Ainsley Harriott. We think its combination of gin, ginger, citrus and rose – and a final sprinkle of seasonal nutmeg – make it deliciously warming and Christmassy.
Ingredients
- 4-5 ice cubes
- 25ml Pickering’s Original 1947 Gin
- 125ml Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water
- 15ml Lanique Rose Liqueur Spirit
- 15ml Fever Tree Ginger Beer
- Juice from half a lime
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Lime wedge
Method
- Place the ice cubes in a tall narrow chilled glass
- Pour in the gin, tonic, rose liqueur, ginger beer and lime juice
- Top with grated nutmeg and stir well
- Garnish with lime wedge
Bitter Orange & Cardamom Martini
Orange with aromatic spice surely has to be the flavour of Christmas? This gloriously decadent cocktail has hints of mince pies, breakfast on a frosty Christmas morning and that tangerine from the toe of your Christmas stocking. It needs to be made ahead of time, which is great when you’re busy schmoozing at a party. Serves 6.
Ingredients
- 12 cardamom pods
- 6 tbsp Seville orange marmalade, plus more to serve
- 400 ml vodka
- 125 ml Cointreau
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- Ice to serve
Method
- Bash 6 cardamom pods until they split
- Melt the marmalade in a pan, then whisk in the vodka, add the crushed pods and warm gently – do not boil. Leave to infuse and cool for 20 mins. Strain.
- Add the Cointreau and lemon juice and chill until ready to serve. Put ice and a little marmalade into the bottom of each glass, pour over your cocktail and serve with a whole cardamom pod floating on the top.
Gingle Bells
No prizes for guessing what’s in this one. We particularly like it with Wild Island’s new Sacred Tree Gin, infused with autumn fruits such as crab apples, rosehips, brambles, rowan and elderberries. It is a real winter warmer with its fantastic fusion of flavourful gin, ruby port, clove cordial and cranberry juice. Dress it up or down depending how sophisticated or kitsch your party is likely to be.
Ingredients
- 30 ml Wild Island Sacred Tree Gin
- 20 ml ruby port
- 5 ml pink clove cordial
- 20 ml Demerara sugar syrup
- 30 ml cranberry juice
Method
- Stir ingredients over ice and strain into a martini glass
- Garnish with mint, a sprig of rosemary, cranberries threaded onto a cocktail stick – or go all out and serve in a frosted glass with a mini candy cane perched over the edge
