With freezing temperatures already in tow, we may look back on cocktails of seasons past longing for sunnier days and umbrella-garnished glasses. But bundled up in wintry spices and spirits, classic summer cocktails take on new personas; with a few added layers they can transform into instant winter classics, too.
For some of these templates, it’s just a matter of replacing summery herbs with seasonal spices or richer spirits. Take the Winter Pimm’s Cup—where ginger ale is swapped for American lager and fresh crushed ginger, then garnished with rosemary, apples and cranberries for a suitably seasonal finish. Similarly, at Grand Army Bar in New York, the Glasgow Mule swaps vodka for Scotch and adds an additional floral note with St-Germain. Or consider the Winter Paloma, where sage leaves and mezcal winterize the citrus notes of grapefruit and lime.
Even typical poolside cocktails can still look good in a winter hat and gloves. In her Hot Daiquiri, for example, Kathleen Hawkins transforms the perennial summer favorite into a rum Hot Toddy lookalike, topping the warmed up mixture of rum, simple syrup and lime juice with Angostura whipped cream. Likewise, the minty Mojito extends its reign into winter when a more robust rum, like blackstrap, is used in lieu of white rum, and rosemary takes the place of mint for a deeper flavor, seamlessly taking this drink from poolside to fireside.
For more winter recipes, see Winter Drinks, a collection of 70 cocktail recipes built to fortify against the cold, featuring essential classics; updated riffs on traditional toddies, punches, nogs and spiked coffees; and thoroughly modern drinks built to channel the season.
