Our favourite Christmas Cocktails to bust stress and get you feeling festive!
It’s #StressAwarenessDay and we know the run up to Christmas can be overwhelming. So, as a reminder to take some time for yourself, put your feet up and say ‘I’ll deal with it later’ we have rounded up our top 5 Christmas Cocktails you can make at home and our favourite cocktail bars in Winchester. Grab your friends, put the ‘to-do-list’ with the ‘on-a-rainy-day-list’ and go enjoy yourself. In the long run taking time for yourself will make you more productive, happy and stress-free!
White Mint Mojitos
INGREDIENTS
- juice of 1 lime
- 8 leaves mint
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons white rum
- 1 tablespoon coconut rum
- 1/4 cup canned coconut milk
- sparkling water for topping
- pomegranate arils for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a glass, muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves until the leaves have broken down. Fill the glass half way with ice.
- In a blender, combine the white rum, coconut rum, and coconut milk and pulse until smooth. Pour over the ice and stir to combine. Top with sparkling water, mint and pomegranate. Drink!
Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest this White Mint Mojito looks gorgeous and has a perfect balance of mint and cream. It’s a great adult alternative to a candy cane!
Cranberry Mule
INGREDIENTS – 1 standard shot = 25ml
- 2 shots. unsweetened cranberry juice (do NOT use cranberry cocktail)
- 3.5 shots ginger beer
- 2 shots of spiced rum
- 1/2 shot of sugar syrup
- Ice , for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place a handful of ice in a copper mug or glass. A copper mug will keep your Cranberry Mule chilled for longer.
- Combine the cranberry juice, ginger beer, rum and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
- Shake until combined, then pour over ice.
- Serve with sugared cranberries as garnish, and enjoy immediately.
Courtesy of The Speckled Palate this Cranberry Mule is great for those who love a classic spiced festive cocktail.
Raspberry Russian
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Fresh Raspberries
- Ice Cubes
- 1 Shot Heavy Cream
- 1 Shot Chambord
- 1 Shot Vodka
INSTRUCTIONS
- Muddle raspberries in the bottom of a glass. Add ice. Pour cream, Chambord, and vodka over ice. Stir well to combine.
Courtesy of Food Fanatic this is a festive and tasty twist on the White Russian. It’s a very easy cocktail that does not require any fancy tools. Garnish with posh ice cubes by popping a raspberry in your ice cube tray, top with water and freeze.
Apple Pie On The Rocks
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Shot . Vanilla Vodka
- 1 shot . Fireball Whiskey
- 4 Shots . Organic Apple Juice
- Pinch of Ground Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar for the rim (fine ground)
- Optional: Cinnamon Stick for Garnish
- Ice
IINSTRUCTIONS
- Wet the rim of your rocks glass just a little, and gently sugar the rim with the brown sugar.
- In a shaker, pour the vodka, Fireball Whiskey, apple juice and ground cinnamon together with a handful of ice cubes.
- Shake 10 times and pour the contents into the glass without wiping off the sugar rim.
- Serve chilled and with a cinnamon stick, for garnish.
Courtesy of Vegan Yak Attack this is the perfect cocktail for an evening in front of the fire. Warm, spicy and bound to get you merry.
Kahlua Hot Chocolate
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 Shot Kahlúa coffee liqueur
- Mini marshmallows, for serving
- Salted caramel, for serving
- Chocolate syrup, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Kahlúa.
- Serve immediately, garnished with mini marshmallows, salted caramel and chocolate syrup, if desired.
Courtesy of Damn Delicious this coffee liqueur based hot chocolate is a classic twist on a winter drink. If you’re not much of a drink but fancy bit of a kick then this drink is the ideal alternative. Sweet with a hint of spice and kick of coffee you’ll feel festive and snuggly all evening.
Winchester Cocktail Bars
If making your own cocktails is not for you then don’t panic! There are some amazing cocktail bars with very talented Mixologists in Winchester and we have gathered a list of our favourite cocktails bars here. If you’re heading into Winchester for a Christmas party then make these bars one of your first stops to start the festivities.
With Martini Monday, Gin & Tonic Tuesday and Prosecco Wednesday Greens Bar & Kitchen know how to start a great evening. There are cocktail offers every Monday and some funky twists on classic cocktails such as: Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, Manhatten Sours and Limoncello Collins. Greens can get quite lively in the evenings so if you’re out for a quiet one head to Greens as your first stop.
Bring & Mix is an experience rather than a night out. You must book in advance and there are very limited spaces to these exclusive evenings. This 1920’s reenactment of a prohibition bar requires a secret password to be allowed entry. Bring your own spirits and the bar do the rest funking up your drinks with cordials, bitters, fruits, spices, herbs and syrups. Don’t forget your flapper dress and feather bower!
A small but exclusive bar ideal for eating and drinking in style. Each drink from a coffee to a cocktail made with exquisite precision, Cabinet Rooms are for those who love great service but appreciate the artsy quirks bringing life to a classy venue. Underground Film Societies, live jazz and book groups attracts the crowds with a sense of inquisition and curiosities always learning and engaging with new media.
Incognito is the place to be for those who love to be sophisticated without boundaries. Bottomless Brunch offers and cocktails served in teapots creates an enchanted feeling as if you’re in a 1920’s version of Alice in Wonderland. Travel to a new country, new world, new dimension with Incognito’s weird and wacky but fantastic style.
Stay Close
When you’re having a Christmas night out in Winchester you don’t want to have to worry about buses, taxis or trains so stay right in the centre of the city with all the bars within walking distance. No. 58 Marston Gate is just a 2 minute walk to Jewry Street where you will find Cabinet Rooms. No. 58 Marston Gate can sleep a maximum of 5 guests and benefits off-street parking.
Enquire here about booking No. 58 Marston Gate for your festive holiday!
Our availability over November and December for all properties are becoming very limited but please do enquire here! This cocktail crawl around Winchester would also be a fantastic Valentines activity in February. Book soon to secure your dates!