Dress up your classic whiskey cocktails for the holidays with these festive recipes

Could be tradition, or maybe the weather… but something about the holiday season draws us back towards those warm & fuzzy classic whiskey cocktails. Old fashioneds, martinis and Manhattans alike have all stood the test of time –  earning their stake at holiday parties generation after generation, (and for good reason too). With specialty bitters, cocktail smokers and handcrafted syrups, there are seemingly endless possibilities when it comes to customizing your very own seasonal sipper! That said, for the typical whiskey drinker or holiday fanatic, December often comes with the sudden urge to infuse some holiday pizzazz into your otherwise year-round favorites. Rising to the occasion, we took a few of our classic Skrewball cocktails and adjusted them to be a little bit more *festive* to help get you and the krew in the holiday spirit, (or should we say spirits)! 😉🎄Dying to get your hands on that last secret recipe? Take yourself off the NUTTY list and mosey on over to the NICE list by subscribing to our Skrewball insider email list to get a VIP code with exclusive access to this recipe and much more 🫢

MISFIT MINT MANHATTAN

Ever heard of our Misfit Manhattan? It’s a Skrewball’s take on a classic Manhattan… A.K.A. a peanut butter manhattan 👀🥜 As if we didn’t put enough of our own spin on this classic cocktail, our Misfit Mint Manhattan is sure to do the trick. The main difference between the two is the need for mint simple syrup… And if you have never made your own simple syrup before, don’t be intimidated! You literally just boil equal parts sugar and water, toss some mint in there and BOOM, you have your mint simple syrup. Once that’s taken care of, build your manhattan as usual and serve neat in a coupe glass 🤩

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz. Skrewball
• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 tbsp. mint simple syrup
• 1 tbsp. Sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters
• 3 mint leaves (crushed)
• Cherry
• Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Start by making your mint simple syrup (boil ½ cup water and stir in ½ cup sugar until dissolved // add ¼ cup mint leaves // let cool & strain)
• In a mixing glass combine 2 oz. Skrewball, 2 oz. bourbon, 1 tbsp. mint simple syrup, 1 tbsp. sweet vermouth, 2 dashes aromatic bitters, crushed mint leaves & ice
• Stir well
• Strain into chilled coupe glass neat & garnish with mint leaf and cherry
• Enjoy!

MULE TIDINGS

Moscow Mules are a common “crowd pleaser” cocktail and are great additions to any drink menu for whiskey lovers and newbies alike! But in the name of the holiday season, we’re all about bringing the festive flare to the traditional mule with our Skrewball Mule Tidings ✨ This take on a mule still maintains the crisp & classic freshness you’d normally expect, but with some cranberry, rosemary & pomegranate thrown into the mix 😉 Start by adding your Skrewball, cranberry, lime juice & rosemary simple syrup into a shaker with ice (can substitute for regular simple syrup if desired). Shake your cocktail and strain into a copper mug with fresh ice. Top off the rest of your drink with ginger beer and garnish with a sugar-coated rosemary sprig, cranberries & fresh pomegranate seeds!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz. Skrewball
• 6 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 oz. lime juice
• ½ rosemary simple syrup
• Ginger beer
• Rosemary
• Cranberries
• Pomegranate seeds
• Sugar (for simple syrup + sugar-coated garnishes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Combine 4 oz. Skrewball, 6 oz. cranberry juice, 1 oz. lime juice & ½ oz. rosemary simple syrup into a shaker with ice (can sub with regular simple syrup)
• Strain into a copper mug over fresh ice
• Top the rest with ginger beer
• Garnish with sugar-coated rosemary sprig, cranberries & fresh pomegranate seeds
• Enjoy!

EGGNOG ESPRESSO MARTINI

Espresso martinis definitely fall into that “otherwise year-round favorites” category, but it’s fun to dress them up a little for the holidays too! And what’s the only thing that could possibly make espresso martinis even more delicious? Eggnog, final answer 😏 If the thought of making your own simple syrup makes you groan, this is your basic “combine & shake” type of drink, making it the ideal holiday cocktail recipe for our lower maintenance Skrewballs out there. Despite the need for creative simple syrups in this recipe, what you choose to garnish your Eggnog Espresso Martini with is where you can really make it shine! Top it with whipped cream & sprinkles, dust it with cinnamon & nutmeg, or go the classic route and top with 3 espresso beans – You do you. That first sip will leave you feeling merry and bright either way 😌☕️

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz. Skrewball
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• 1 oz. espresso
• 3 ½ oz. eggnog
• ¼ tsp. Vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Combine 1 oz. Skrewball, 1 oz. coffee liqueur, 1 oz. espresso, 3 ½ oz. eggnog, ¼ tsp. Vanilla & a pinch of salt into a shaker with ice
• Shake vigorously & strain into a martini glass
• Garnish with cinnamon & nutmeg
• Enjoy!

SKREWBALL SPICED OLD FASHIONED

We have explored many old fashioned variations, but this spiced holiday remix might take the cake! Similar to the Misfit Mint Manhattan, this also involves making your own simple syrup… Only this one makes your whole house smell like a seasonal wonderland in the process, so it’s kind of a double whammy in terms of getting festive 😋 Although there are a few more ingredients for our spiced syrup, the concept is exactly the same and should be just as easy to execute once you get your hands on everything! While it may be tempting to shake your old fashioned with ice, we recommend going with the traditional route of stirring in a mixing glass to avoid watering down your cocktail. Once crafting your Spiced Old Fashioned, we recommend enjoying your beverage reclined on a comfy sofa in close proximity to a flickering fireplace to get the complete holiday experience… if possible 🔥🥃

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz. Skrewball
• 1 oz. bourbon
• ½ oz. spiced syrup
• 2 dashes of aromatic bitters
• Cinnamon stick
• 3 Oranges (½ cup orange juice + peel for garnish)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 10 allspice berries
• 8 cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Start by making your spiced syrup (Combine ½ cup orange juice, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup water, 10 allspice berries, 8 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, peels from 2 oranges and 2 star anise in a pot and simmer for 10 minutes // let cool & strain)
• Combine 1 oz. Skrewball, 1 oz. bourbon, ½ oz. spiced syrup & 2 dashes of bitters into a mixing glass with ice
• Stir well & strain over ice in a rocks glass
• Garnish with a cinnamon stick & orange peel
• Enjoy!