Hendrick’s Gin has been busy this holiday season, having recently unveiled its Enchanted Forest of Curiosities in San Francisco and Brooklyn. The snowy indoor scene was brought to life with trees, woodland creatures and bizarre performances – think ukulele bands and sword swallowers. Also, cocktails. Guests enjoyed Hendrick's cocktails created by Brand Ambassador Jim Ryan. Hendrick’s Gin is comprised of 11 botanicals, including the very distinct infusions of cucumber and rose petals, which gives it great application in cocktails. Like the fine libations detailed below. Alaskan Sour 1 ½ oz Hendrick’s Gin ¾ oz Yellow Chartreuse ½ oz Simple Syrup ½ oz Lemon Juice ¼ oz...

The holidays are approaching, which means our inboxes are being inundated with holiday cocktail recipes. We’ll include some of the better ones below and will continue updating this post as drinks roll in. Here’s to happy and festive drinking this holiday season. Hot Gin Punch 24 oz Hendrick’s Gin 24 oz Madeira wine 6 lemon twists 1 orange slice 3 large chunks pineapple 3 oz honey 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3 cloves 1 pinch ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon brown sugar Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan over low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. To serve, strain and pour the hot mixture into a punch bowl...

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow drinkers! If you’re looking for some holiday-appropriate libations, we’ve got you covered. Check below for Thanksgiving cocktails, and give thanks for what’s in your glass. Of course, if an eating binge makes cocktail crafting too complicated, no worries. A bottle of Wild Turkey always does the trick. Peligroso Cranberry Margarita 4 oz 100% cranberry juice 2 oz Peligroso Silver tequila .5 oz Cointreau .5 oz fresh lime juice .5 oz agave nectar Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a margarita glass. Garnish with cranberries. Holiday Smash 2 oz bourbon .5 oz fresh lemon juice .5 oz Maple syrup 5-6 Cranberries Rosemary sprig Muddle cranberries and rosemary. Add remaining ingredients and...

Scotch Whisky doesn’t get enough love in cocktails. Sure, we prefer to sip it straight more often than not, but a well-crafted Scotch cocktail is something special. And there’s just something about the holidays that makes us crave them. Thankfully, Highland Park sent along some inspiration, in the form of these drinks, each featuring Highland Park’s 12 year old expression. For the best results, pair with a warm fire. This first drink was crafted by Damon Boelte of NYC’s Prime Meats. It starts with the basic sour template, and from there it invokes the holidays with cinnamon syrup and some apricot liqueur. UK...

Halloween’s coming, and with it, another excuse for thematic cocktails. Whether you’re hosting a party or simply occupying the front porch and turning the hose on neighborhood kids, try the below cocktail recipes for a good time. Note that we opted for real drinks here, rather than gross-out libations that taste as scary as they look. Halloween Cocktails Created by Demetrios Saites of NYC’s The Fat Radish, the Witches Brew, pictured above, employs Aperol and blood orange juice for that nice bloody hue. Kanon Vodka Witches Brew 2 oz Kanon Vodka 1 part blood orange juice 1/2 oz aperol 1/2 oz lime juice 1/2 oz simple syrup Shake with...

The entries are in, and the results show that booze is in fact a suitable breakfast. October’s Mixology Monday focused on morning drinks, a subject near and dear to us here at Cocktail Enthusiast. While bloody marys, screwdrivers and mimosas have their place, we challenged participants to create something different – inventive cocktails that jump start your morning, absolve the prior night’s sins or just taste really good with eggs and bacon. The besotted bunch of contributors concocted some impressive drinks, and we can’t wait to start mixing these up at home. We’ll kick things off with The...

This month’s Mixology Monday focuses on morning drinks, the kind of boozy beverages that jumpstart your day and pair nicely with breakfast. I created a tasty libation, dubbed Dad’s Juice Box, that pairs fresh orange juice with egg whites for a nutrient-packed beginning. From there, I add genever, St. Germain, sugar and absinthe, because I’ve yet to find a better way to start your day than with absinthe. For the orange component, I opted for Clementines. They’re seedless and sweet and their peels give off very aromatic oils when muddled. So rather than squeeze the fruit, I muddled a handful of...

Perhaps the biggest contributor in reviving craft cocktails – aside from personal interest and talent – has been the utilization of fresh ingredients in drinks. Just as quality dishes benefit from fresh produce and herbs, so too can drinks. And as the weather turns cooler, we often look to fall favorites like apples and rhubarb to add seasonal flavors to our cocktails. In this latest video from friend of the program Liquor.com, industry expert Charlotte Voisey explores the bounty at Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, where she finds fresh and flavorful ingredients like red bell peppers, cilantro, rosemary...

Summer has turned to fall (though here in Texas, you wouldn’t know it), which means that it’s time to usher in some seasonal drinks. We typically prefer a nice whiskey, Cognac or rum to welcome falling leaves and cooler temps, but the below Grey Goose Vodka cocktails include some ingredients, flavors and colors indicative of the season. Grab a bottle and start mixing. Autumn Sage 1 1/4 parts GREY GOOSE Le Citron Vodka 1/2 part Green Chartreuse 2 one-inch pieces of fennel, diced 3 sage leaves 3/4 part agave nectar 1 part lemon juice 2 parts seltzer water In a cocktail shaker, muddle the fennel, sage and agave...

September 20th is National Punch Day. While some associate punch with everclear, trashcans and college, a true punch (which is Hindi for “five”), is comprised of five main components: sugar, water, citrus, spice and alcohol. An Indian discovery, punch gained popularity amongst sailors who took advantage of the abundance of Caribbean sugar cane as a perfect ingredient for their new drink of choice. When punch arrived in the new world, many drinkers relished the taste, texture and simplicity of the drink, and enjoyed sharing it in large quantities. “It’s the original mixed drink,” says David Wondrich, drinks historian and author of...