Cocktail Guide: New Year's Eve at Home

New Year's is not exactly going to be what we thought it would but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring it in with style and sophistication. Looking on the bright side, there’ll be no queues, no crowds and no overly priced rounds. We’ve rounded up some classic and new cocktails to try whilst bringing in the New Year at home.

Bling Pig Irish Coffee

Perfect for the coffee lovers with a sweet tooth, or just the family member who is usually asleep by 9pm. Created at the Blind Pig in London’s Soho, it’s bound to be a good one.

Ingredients

• 20ml Irish whiskey
• 15ml Baileys Irish Cream
• 45ml Lavazza coffee cold brew
• 1 scoop of coffee ice cream

Method

Mix all together in a classic sundae glass and top with whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Mulled Martinez

Nothing says festive more than a mulled wine mix up. (The Cocktail Guy), creates this vibrant blend by infusing mulled spices for a simple riff on the classic Martinez.

Ingredients

• 50ml Mulled Wine Spiced Gin
• 25ml Sweet Vermouth
• 5ml Maraschino Liqueur
• Squeeze of Lemon Juice

Method

Add all liquids into a glass with ice and stir until the outside of the glass is cold. Strain into a wine glass and garnish by rubbing clementine around the rim and add the zest into the glass to finish.

Belvedere Almond Milk Punch

Also known as egg-nog, this milk punch is a more smooth light and silky version of the traditional drink, perfect for this time of year and as something a little different.

Ingredients

• 40ml Belvedere
• 25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
• 15ml Honey water*
• 60ml Almond milk
• Mint to garnish

*Honey Water: combine 3 parts honey and 1 part boiling water (3:1)

Method

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into ice filled highball glass. Garnish with sprigs of mint.

Mudslide

Served on the rocks or blended into a boozy milkshake. Perfect for if you’ve got a surplus of Bailey’s to use up after Christmas and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 40ml Vodka
• 30ml Coffee Liqueur
• 30ml Bailey’s
• Chocolate Syrup

Method

Pour all liquid into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice and decorated with Chocolate syrup.

Classic Martini

Stirred, not shaken. Sophisticated and strong, this Martini is a classic and it’ll have you singing down the karaoke in no time.

Ingredients

• 60ml Vodka
• 1 tbsp dry vermouth
• Lemon Peel to Garnish

Method

Stir the gin or vodka, dry vermouth and a little ice together or put them in a cocktail shaker to combine. Strain into a chilled martini glass and serve with a twist of lemon peel.

Hennessy & Ginger

Striking the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, if you’re a Hennessy drinker you’ll love this simple yet sophisticated concoction.

• 50ml Glenmorangie Original
• 15ml Fresh lemon juice
• 15ml Honey water
• Sparkling water to top
• Lemon wedge
• Slices of raw ginger

Method

Mix all ingredients together (excluding the water) strain into an ice filled tall highball glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lemon wedge and thin ginger slices.

Long Island Ice Tea

Though there seems to be a lot of ingredients to it, it’s an extremely easy cocktail to make and the perfect one to make in a jug for all to enjoy.

Ingredients

• 50ml vanilla vodka
• 50ml London dry gin
• 50ml reposado tequila
• 50ml rum
• 50ml triple sec
• 50-100ml fresh lime juice
• ice
• 500ml cola
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Method

Pour all liquid ingredients bar the lime and cola into a large jug. Add the lime juice to taste and half fill with ice. Stir until the outside feels cold and then add in the cola and lime wedges. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

Classic Mojito

Didn't get to go away this year? No worries, mix up this mojito and if you sip it with your eyes closed you can imagine yourself somewhere hot and exotic.

Ingredients

• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• Small handful mint leaves, plus extra sprig to serve
• 60ml white rum
• Soda water, to taste

Method

Muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint and pour into a tall glass with ice. Pour over the rum and stir, top up with soda water and garnish with extra mint.

Salted Caramel Pecan Sour

A modern take on the classic sour cocktail with the ultimate Christmas twist.

Ingredients

100g pecans , finely chopped
160g golden caster sugar
½ tsp sea salt flakes
Vodka
3 egg whites
120ml fresh clementine juice (about 2-3 clementines)
18 drops chocolate bitters
ice
6 dehydrated orange slices, to serve
good grating of nutmeg, to serve

Method

Toast the pecan in a dry saucepan for 1-2 mins. Take off the heat and add the sugar and 80ml water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the salt. Once cool, sieve it in a cocktail shaker. Add the Vodka, egg whites, clementine juice and bitters. Shake hard for 30 seconds. Add ice and shake again for another 15 seconds. Strain into a glass over ice and garnish with the orange and nutmeg.