Something to warm the body
Winters are never kind because they rarely offer us any comfort. This goes out to everyone who’s not used to cold weather conditions. As a bartender in a Ski Japan resort, I‘ve had the experience of seeing people who are freezing their bums off because they are not accustomed to the cold weather. My remedy for them is a glass or two of the best body-warming drinks that can make their day or night in the resort.
The long list of cool winter drinks
You don’t need to be a bartender to mix all these cool winter cocktails and drinks.
First we have the Manhattan, which is one of my most favourite drinks. You need: 2 ounces rye whisky, 1 ounce Italian vermouth, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake the rye, whiskey, and bitters well with cracked ice, although most people would love to argue that Manhattans are best served stirred. Afterwards, strain the mixture into a cocktail glass, best if it’s a chilled glass. Top it off with maraschino cherry or olive.
Up next, we have the Chancellor, a crowd favourite during the winter. You need: 2 ounces blended Scotch whisky, 1 ounce ruby port, 1/2 ounce French vermouth, and 2 dashes orange bitters. Mix them all together and strain them into a cocktail glass. The colour should be red, or luminous.
The Hot Toddy was something I recently discovered. I mix tea and brandy, and add a couple of drops of honey and lemon for bitter sweetness. If brandy is not present, you can make use of rum or bourbon. This is the quickest way to serve up a cool drink to warm up the body.
Irish Coffee is a mid-day favourite for tourists. All one needs is a cup of hot coffee and a shot of his or her favourite spirit. I call it “spiking the Joe”.
The Emerald is the crown jewel of winter cocktail drinks. For this, you need 2 ounces whiskey, 1 ounce Italian vermouth, and 1 dash orange bitters. Like the Chancellor, mix all of these and strain into a cocktail glass. I highly recommend Irish Whiskey for that additional kick.
Winter cocktail drinks are not that difficult to make, nor should you be particular about the kind of weather in making it. If you want something to warm up the entire body, these drinks should definitely do the trick and more. Remember to follow the rules of drinking though.