23 recipes for New Year’s Eve cocktails and party drinks

1. Brockmans French 75

Elegant and delicious, Brockmans French 75 is the ideal cocktail to impress friends and family on New Year’s Eve.

Ingredients

• 50ml Brockmans Gin
• 25ml lemon
• 10ml sugar syrup
• Top with champagne
• 10ml float creme de cassis

Method

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Shake the first three ingredients, strain into flute glass, top with champagne and a float of creme de cassis in the glass.

Brockmans Gin

2. Five Rivers Saffron & Black Pepper Negroni

Rum brand Five Rivers has mixed up a spicy negroni for the NYE celebrations.

Ingredients

• 25ml Five Rivers Indian Spiced Rum
• 25ml Campari
• 25ml Azaline vermouth
• 5 drops black pepper bitters
• Garnish: saffron threads

Method

Using all the ingredients, build over ice and serve in a tumbler glass. Garnish with saffron threads

Five Rivers Rum

3. Baileys Hot Chocolate Martini Choctail

Baileys has taken hot chocolate to the next level using simple ingredients already in your cupboards. This choctail is a perfect serve for the festive season.

Ingredients

• 25ml Baileys Original Irish Cream
• 25ml whole milk
• 25ml single cream
• 25g dark chocolate
• 15ml Smirnoff Vodka

To garnish

• Chocolate sauce
• Chocolate sprinkles

Method

Squeeze the chocolate sauce onto a small plate. Place your martini glass upside down and dip the rim in the chocolate sauce. On another plate, pour on some chocolate sprinkles and place the martini glass upside down to coat the chocolate rim. Chop/grate your 25g of dark chocolate into super small pieces. Add 25ml of whole milk and 25ml of single cream into a mug, mix together, and microwave for around 30 seconds until boiling. Make sure you watch over this so it doesn’t spill over. To the hot milk, add the chopped dark chocolate and stir until melted. Then add 15ml vodka and 25ml Baileys into your chocolate milk. Stir until fully combined. It doesn’t matter if your cocktail is still a little warm. Pour into your decorated martini glass and serve. If you have spare chocolate feel free to grate this over the top of the drink at the end for an extra treat.

Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur

4. Badminton cup

Charles Dickens was an enthusiastic compounder of punches and cups, and this sangria-like recipe is said to have been one of his favourites, says Alice Lascelles. Don’t open special wine for this; cheap and fruity is best. And don’t feel you have to stick to lemon juice – it’s also good with a mix of freshly squeezed lemon, lime, pink grapefruit and/or orange juices (even better, in fact).

Ingredients

• 600ml cheap red wine
• 150ml sugar syrup
• 150ml triple sec
• 300ml lemon juice (or a mix of citrus juices)
• 600ml soda water

Method and garnish

Mix in a 3-litre bowl or jug, with a big block of ice. Garnish with cucumber (or borage, if you’ve got it to hand), lemon and orange wheels, and a light grating of nutmeg.

From The Cocktail Edit by Alice Lascelles, published by Quadrille at £16.99

5. Mulled apple punch

By the time the festive season comes round I’m heartily sick of mulled wine – I much prefer this hot punch with its apple and ginger kick, says Alice Lascelles. If you haven’t got apple brandy, you can use cognac instead. And the ginger liqueur isn’t essential either: it can be replaced with ginger cordial. If the apple juice you are using is on the sweeter side, you might find you need less honey, or even no honey at all.

Ingredients

• 230ml calvados/apple brandy (or cognac)
• 230ml ginger liqueur (or cordial)
• 1 litre cloudy apple juice
• 100ml lemon juice
• 20ml honey
• 320ml boiling water
• 1 clove-studded orange
• 6 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• a few orange and lemon wheels

Method and garnish

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat (but don’t boil) for 10 minutes. Serve in mugs or sturdy punch glasses. Garnish with a clove-studded orange slice and a grating of fresh nutmeg.

From The Cocktail Edit by Alice Lascelles, published by Quadrille at £16.99

6. Glenapp1870

The bar staff at the five-star Glenapp Castle in Scotland mix up an array of cocktails, including the Glenapp1870, which is served in a champagne flute.

Ingredients

• 35ml Hendrick’s Gin
• 20ml lemon juice
• 15ml sugar syrup
• Champagne

Method

Add all ingredients except for the champagne to the shaker. Shake and strain into the glass and then top up with champagne. Serve in a chilled flute and garnish with a lemon twist and thyme.

Glenapp Castle

7. Grey Goose Countdown

A citrusy and bubbly delight from Grey Goose Vodka – ideal for the big countdown.

Ingredients

• 35ml Grey Goose vodka
• 15ml light agave syrup
• 25ml yellow grapefruit juice
• 25ml pineapple juice
• Soda or ginger ale

Method

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker before straining and top with soda or ice-cold ginger ale. For the garnish, peel a zingy grapefruit zest for a stylish finish.

Grey Goose vodka

8. Grey Goose Holiday Punch

As well as the Countdown above, vodka brand Grey Goose has a range of cocktail recipes available on its website. Another tipple to mix up on NYE is the Holiday Punch here.

Ingredients

• 45ml Grey Goose vodka
• 15ml pomegranate juice
• 30ml sweetened black tea
• 30ml martini & rossi prosecco
• Mint and lime wedge (garnish)

Method

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over ice and top with prosecco to finish.

Grey Goose vodka

9. Copalli Cacao Espresso Martini

A subtle, chocolatey twist on the classic Espresso Martini, replacing vodka with cacao-infused Copalli rum.

Ingredients

• 40ml Copalli Cacao Rum
• 15ml of sugar syrup
• 20ml coffee liqueur
• 20ml espresso
• Chocolate shavings
• Ice cubes

Method and garnish

Add all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Fine-strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans or chocolate shavings

Copalli Cacao Rum

10. Deanston Kentucky Old Fashioned

This classic cocktail is a great way to usher in the new year and the perfect balance for anyone who is maybe a little tired of sweet Christmas drinks. Watch a how-to video here.

Ingredients

• A slug of Deanston Kentucky Cask
• 1 sugar cube
• Splash water
• Dash bitters
• Ice cubes

Method

In a glass add a sugar cube, splash of water, dash of bitters and give it a good stir. Next go in with a cube or two of ice, followed by a good slug of Deanston Kentucky Cask Matured Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Finish with a squeeze of orange and garnish with orange rind.

Deanston Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

11. Aviation Gin Cosmo Cocktail

Aviation American Gin is crafted in small batches in Portland, Oregon, and takes its name from the Aviation cocktail, which was created in the 1900s. Aviation gin is used for this Cosmo party recipe.

Ingredients

• 45ml Aviation American Gin
• 20ml sweet vermouth
• 10ml maraschino liqueur
• Dash bitters

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir, then strain into a martini glass. Top with dashes of bitters and garnish with lemon peel and maraschino cherry.

Aviation Gin

12. The Moonwalk using Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge

Guaranteed to impress, this beautiful aperitif comes with its own slice of history and guests will be charmed in its retelling. It was invented in 1969 by Joe Gilmore, head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy to celebrate the Apollo 11 mission. Unable to serve the astronauts himself, Gilmore sent a flask over to Houston and it was the first cocktail Neil Armstrong tasted on his return.

Ingredients

• 35ml Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
• 3 dashes grapefruit bitters
• 3 dashes orange blossom water
• 1 sugar cube
• Champagne Brut

Method

Stir Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge with orange blossom and grapefruit bitters in a mixing glass. Place the sugar cube at the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Pour the mixing glass mixture over the sugar and top up with champagne.

Grand Marnier

13. Tennessee Guinness Punch by Daddy Rack

Daddy Rack Tennessee Straight Whiskey’s smooth and luxuriously creamy Tennessee Guinness Punch is a must for any NYE gathering.

Ingredients

• 340ml Guinness
• 225ml whole milk
• 120ml Daddy Rack
• 120ml condensed milk
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Add all the ingredients into a blender without ice, blend and then refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice and garnish with grated nutmeg.

Daddy Rack Tennessee Straight Whiskey

14. The Metaxa Blue Blazer Cocktail

A flaming tipple featuring Metaxa 12 Stars, Cointreau, amaretto and walnut bitter. This twist on the classic Blue Blazer brings with it delicious hints of sweet liqueur and citrus making it a true showstopper for the new year party.

Ingredients

• 50ml Metaxa 12 Stars
• 20ml Cointreau
• 30ml water
• 20ml amaretto
• Dash black walnut bitter

Method

Add the Metaxa 12 Stars, amaretto and bitters to a shaker and roll, add water and syrup. Garnish with orange zest and a burned cinnamon stick on the side.

Metaxa

15. Rising Skies by Nuet Dry Aquavit

Nuet Dry Aquavit’s homemade cocktail, the Rising Skies, is perfect for the party season.

Ingredients

• 50ml Nuet Dry Aquavit
• 20ml lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp blackcurrant jam

Method

Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice cubes. Stir well. Double strain.

Nuet Dry Aquavit

16. ‘Honey have you seen my Ruby!’ by The King of Soho

This cocktail recipe is made using Variorum gin – a pink berry edition of the original King of Soho London Dry Gin.

Ingredients

• 50ml King of Soho Variorum
• 25ml honey water (mix two parts honey to one part water)
• 25ml lime juice
• 30ml ruby port to float

Method

Shake pink gin, honey and lime juice with plenty of ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Finish with a ruby port float by pouring slowly over a teaspoon at the side of the glass.

The King of Soho Gin

17. The Nc’nean Hot Toddy

Nc’nean’s Hot Toddy is a perfect winter warmer. It uses Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky as the base.

Ingredients

• 120ml Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 30ml sherry vinegar
• 300ml boiling water
• 4 heaped teaspoons honey

Method

Mix all the ingredients and pour into a flask. Serves two to three.

Nc’nean

18. After Eight Martini

This deliciously creamy concoction was created by the team at Skylight at Tobacco Dock.

Ingredients

• 30ml vodka
• 20ml creme de menthe
• 50ml Baileys (or try vegan alternative Baileys Almande)

Method

Shake well over ice, then fine strain into a martini glass (also delicious over ice in a rocks glass). Garnish with grated dark chocolate.

Skylight at Tobacco Dock

19. The Sun Tavern’s mulled wine

Ross Painter, head of drink development at the Umbrella Project, has put together this mulled wine recipe for the Sun Tavern in east London. “Making a mulled wine at home can be fairly simple – heat wine, add winter spices and a bit of sugar,” he said. “But making a truly delicious one can be a little more challenging.”

Ingredients

• 4 bottles (2800ml) Malbec/Cab Sav red wine
• 1lt orange juice
• 2lt water
• 600g caster sugar
• 2 vanilla pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 15 cloves
• 2 star anise
• Grated nutmeg

Method

Add all the ingredients into a 6lt/200oz pot and put on the lid. Turn hob on to the lowest temperature. After ten minutes, check the temperature, it should be between 50C and 60C (122 to 140F). After one hour remove the spices by carefully transferring the liquid through a sieve to another pot. Return to heat, when serving, replacing the lid after. Keep an eye on the heat, if you are using gas the lowest setting on the smallest burner may still be too hot. Simply have the pot half on half and off the heat to reach the correct temperature. To garnish simply grate some nutmeg over the top and serve.

The Sun Tavern

20. Hot Hot Chocolate by Diablesse Rum

Diablesse Rum, an independent female-owned British rum brand, has three distinct, small-batch expressions: Caribbean Golden Rum, Clementine Spiced Rum, and Coconut & Hibiscus Rum. The brand has created a number of winter warmers, including the Hot Hot Chocolate.

Ingredients

• 35ml Diablesse Clementine Spiced Rum
• Your favourite hot chocolate⁣
• 10ml Ancho Reyes Liqueur⁣
• Pinch of sea salt⁣

Method

Combine all the ingredients and add whipped cream, toasted marshmallows and chilli flakes.

Diablesse Rum

21. Winter Spiced by Diablesse Rum

The Diablesse Rum festive menu also features the Winter Spiced, which is perfect for the cold season.

Ingredients

• 40ml Diablesse Clementine Spiced Rum
• 20ml Irish cream
• 15ml Mozart White Chocolate Liqueur
• 10ml ginger liqueur
• 5ml toasted almond liqueur
• All spice bitters

Method

Combine all the ingredients, shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Diablesse Rum

22. Mandarina Martini by Dangerous Don

Like all mezcal, Dangerous Don Con Mandarina should be sipped. It can be enjoyed simply on its own, mixed with a dash of tonic, or as a cocktail like the Mandarina Martini, which has been created by Dangerous Don founder Thea Cumming.

Ingredients

• 45ml Dangerous Don Con Mandarina
• 20ml white vermouth (full body is better)
• 10-15ml Italicus liqueur (as you like it)

Method

Stir all the ingredients in a mixing glass, serve in a martini glass and garnish with a pickled onion.

Dangerous Don Mezcal

23. Jaffa Cake Gin Hot Chocolate

Bringing together two timeless classics, Jaffa Cake Gin is distilled with oranges, fresh orange peel, cocoa powder and real Jaffa Cakes. The result is just as you’d expect – full-on Jaffa Cake tastiness built around a distinctive base of crisp juniper – perfect for gin lovers with a sweet tooth. Enjoy a Jaffa Cake-inspired gin hot chocolate on NYE.

Ingredients

• 25ml Jaffa Cake Gin
• 25g dark chocolate
• 150ml semi-skimmed milk
• 10g caster sugar
• Orange zest

Method

Slowly melt the chocolate. Add the milk and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Grate in orange zest, then add the Jaffa Cake Gin and serve, garnished with a Jaffa Cake.

Jaffa Cake Gin