The art of the cocktail party, often maligned in our busy, multi-task laden lives of networking, should always be revived for special occasions. Bring on the festive cocktails!

When bringing together people at the end of the year, some of whom may not know each other, I love to serve some unusual, colourful kitschy cocktails.  They’re a conversation starter in themselves, and each of this delicious draughts packs enough of a punch to get the party started!

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It’s peppermint, it’s green, it’s just a tiny bit tacky! Richness and fun abound in this cocktail, coloured in obligatory 1950s mint green.

Serves 1

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1½ oz. cognac

1 oz. green crème de menthe

1 oz. white crème de cacao

1 oz. thick cream

½ oz. Gran Marnier

Chocolate, shaved, to garnish

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1. Add everything except for the chocolate shavings into your shaker with ice and shake.
2. Pour into your glass and add the chocolate shavings on top.
3. Drink up and enjoy!

 

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A summery tropical drink you may not expect with a cold weather friend such as Polish vodka.

Serves 2

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2 oz. good quality Polish vodka

1/2 oz. Grand Marnier

1 oz. Fresh squeezed lime juice

3/4 oz. Hibiscus syrup*

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1. Pour vodka and other ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an edible hibiscus flower.

*To make Hibiscus Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add 2 tsp dried hibiscus flowers. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add 1 cup of caster sugar, stirring until it dissolves.

 

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With the classic inclusion of champagne, try this the next time some tries to ask for a buck’s fizz. It’s so much more subtle and delicious!

Serves 1

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1 oz. orange liqueur

4 oz. champagne

Mandarin peel, for garnish

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1. Pour liqueur into a champagne flute; top with champagne.
2. Twist mandarin peel over glass and gently drop into cocktail.

 

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This German favourite, literally meaning ‘fire tongs punch’ is a dramatic take on mulled wine.

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For 10-12 glasses

2 oranges

2 lemons

8 1⁄2 cups red wine

1 stick cinnamon,

5 cloves

1 dash ginger

1⁄2 lb (225g) sugar loaf

2 cups brown rum (at least 54% alcohol)

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1. Wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly, pat dry and cut into slices or wedges.
2. In a large pot add red wine, oranges, lemons, cinnamon and cloves. Heat up slowly, but don’t boil.
3. Move pot from heat and place it on a heating surface, stove or flame). Add ginger.
4. Place the sugar loaf above the red wine mixture (about 1 inch above the surface). You can use special “fire tongs” for this.
5. Soak the sugar loaf with rum and light the alcohol on the sugar loaf. The sugar will melt and drip into the wine. Add rum (little by little) to keep the fire burning until the sugar loaf is used up.
6. After the sugar loaf is melted stir gently and serve.

Tip: Sugar loaves are large conical shaped forms of white cane sugar, which are moulded together with water and slowly dried out in an oven on a low heat. You can make sugar loaves yourself, or use sugar cubes on absinthe spoons for individual glasses of this flaming cocktail.

 

What’s your favourite Christmas cocktail? Let us know in the comments.