There’s no better way to start or cap off a winter evening than with a decadent cocktail to warm you up from the inside. Here are some of the best seasonal cocktails you can make at home, or if you’re willing to brave the elements, then head out and enjoy some of the tastiest cocktails in town.
SALTED CARAMEL ESPRESSO MARTINI
● 1 tbs store-bought caramel
● 50ml espresso, cooled
● 50ml coffee liqueur or Kahlua
● 100ml vodka
Method
1. Place caramel, espresso and a pinch of salt flakes in a cocktail shaker and stir until caramel has dissolved.
2. Add coffee liqueur and vodka, top with ice and shake until combined and frothy.
3. Strain mixture and divide between two chilled martini glasses and top with finely grated chocolate, to serve.
Photography by Ulvi Safari
BLOOD ORANGE GIN AND TONIC
● 45ml gin
● 60ml fresh blood orange juice
● 2 dashes orange bitters
● 120ml tonic water
Method
1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add gin, blood orange juice, and orange bitters.
3. Top with tonic water and gently stir.
4. Garnish with a blood orange slice and serve.
BAJAN RUM MULE
● 1.5cm piece ginger
● Ice cubes
● 60ml Black Rum (dark rum)
● 1 ½ tbs lime juice, plus 1 lime slice, to garnish
● 1 ½ tbs falernum (Caribbean syrup liqueur)
● 60ml cup ginger beer
● Candied ginger, to serve
Method
1. Muddle the ginger in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice, rum, lime juice, and falernum.
3. Shake until very well chilled, then double strain (through a fine mesh strainer, as well as the shaker’s strainer) into a tall glass filled with ice.
4. Top with ginger beer.
5. Garnish with a slice of lime and candied ginger.
Photography by Adam Jaime
CARAMEL APPLE HOT TODDY
● 150g caster sugar
● 165ml apple juice
● 4 cinnamon quills
● 165ml apple pie liqueur (substitute Calvados)
● Whipped cream, to serve
● Ground cinnamon, to dust
Method
1. Place sugar in a medium heavy-based saucepan over high heat with 1 tbs of water. Cook, swirling pan, for 5-6 minutes or until golden and caramel.
2. Using a metal spoon (and being mindful of the steam), stir in 2 cups (500ml) water and swirl pan until caramel and water are combined.
3. Stir in apple juice and cinnamon quills, then stir in the liqueur.
4. Divide among glasses, spoon over whipped cream and dust with cinnamon to serve.
HOT SPICED CIDER
● ¼ cup brown sugar
● ½ teaspoon whole allspice
● 1 teaspoon whole cloves
● 1 cinnamon stick
● ¼ teaspoon salt
● 1 pinch ground nutmeg
● 1 large orange, quartered with peel
● 2 litres apple cider
Method
1. Place filter in coffee basket, and fill with brown sugar, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt, nutmeg, and orange wedges.
2. Pour apple cider into coffee pot where the water usually goes.
3. Brew, and serve hot.
Photography by Patrick Fore
WHERE TO FIND DECADENT WINTER COCKTAILS IN CANBERRA
Parlour, Acton Negroni Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin, AHD Rosso Vermouth, Campari.
White Rabbit, City Jessica Rabbit Salted Caramel Espresso Martini Caramel Vodka, Kahlua, Fresh Espresso, Salted Caramel.
Hippo Co, City Albany Expression Starward Two Fold Whiskey, Imbroglio, Coffee Infused Dubonnet.
Blackbird Bar, City Trench Town Rock Goslings Black Seal, Appleton’s Signature, Lime, Dry Ginger Ale, Cherry Liqueur, Jerry Thomas Bitters.
Bar Beirut, Canberra Don’t Tell Charlie Baron Samedi Spiced Rum, Blood Orange, Lime, Vanilla Gomme, Marmalade.
Tipsy Bull, Braddon Hookah Me Up Brix Spiced Rum, Laird’s Applejack Brandy, Pomegranate Molasses, Honey, Smoked Salt, Star Anise, Cranberry Bitters.
Queenies, Kingston Nellie Cameron Four Pillars Sherry Cask Gin, Le Birlou Apple and Chestnut Liqueur, Regal Rogue Bold Red Vermouth, Ravensworth Outlandish Claims White Bitter Tonic.
