7 cocktails for a comforting autumn

side shot of a few tumblers filled with cranberry rum punch + popcorn on the side

Time to text your friends and celebrate the chillest of seasons

(Image credit: Emma Fishman)

Fall is about to arrive, and with it the parade of cozy nighttimes, friendly gatherings and the accompanying need for a good drink. How about seven of the latter, ranging from two large-format, group-friendly punches to a non-alcoholic take on boba tea?

Oaxaca Old Fashioned

a cut-class tumbler filled with a light orange drink — The classic Old Fashioned in spirit but with a Mexican jolt

Pretty much anytime you have seen mezcal in a cocktail in the United States, you can thank — or blame — the Oaxaca Old Fashioned. Born in 2007 in New York City, the drink is, yes, a take on the classic whiskey cocktail. This take triples-down on the agave, with reposado tequila, mezcal and agave nectar. It is a potent stunner of a cocktail.

Bushels and Barrels

overhead shot of a three cocktail glasses with with orange liquid. clove buds float on top of each — Those floating clove buds mean fall is here

Autumn means apples; autumn means gatherings; autumn necessitates a large-format drink to tie the two together. Two spirits, apple brandy and bourbon, are the ballast, and cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters are the enliveners. This party just got a little looser.

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Scandinavian Glogg

side shot of warm glogg in a light-green plastic holder — Oh so very cozy; oh so very Scandinavian, that glogg

When the weather dips this fall, turn to glogg. You will still want your red wine allotment, but you might now want it spiced, sweetened and warm. Cardamom, cinnamon and ginger enliven the comforting tannins of the wine. The denizens of wintry Scandinavia knew what was up when they birthed glogg.

Pineapple Martini

Yeah, OK, a martini loaded with tropical fruit is not technically a martini. Who cares about historical accuracy when the result — its sweetness balanced with a kick of lime juice — is as delicious and invigorating as this?

Cranberry Rum Punch

Cranberries are as Thanksgiving-y as apple or pumpkin pie. Transplant them this year from the table to the punch bowl, with this lively group-friendly cocktail that introduces white rum and ginger ale to the red-berry holiday fixture.

Elderflower Collins

side shot of the base of the cocktail with boba pearls visible — Not a boba tea. But also not-not a boba tea

A boba tea turned into a cocktail, only to have its booze stripped-out: This topsy-turvy beverage has a foundation of hop water, that non-alcoholic adopted cousin of beer. Evaporated milk and elderflower syrup give the drink its classic boba tea dairy richness.

Turmeric Sour

side shot of a coupe glass, the upper part of the cocktail frothy with egg white — Egg-white froth is the roof for a sour with earthy turmeric

All those rich autumnal foods might have you craving a balancing beverage. The anti-inflammatory assistance of turmeric is put to earthy use in this cocktail, which employs the fresh root to infuse vodka. Once the two-week infusion is complete, shake the golden spirit with honey syrup, lemon juice and egg white. A frothy, stabilizing delight.

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Scott Hocker is an award-winning freelance writer and editor at The Week Digital. He has written food, travel, culture and lifestyle stories for local, national and international publications for more than 20 years. Scott also has more than 15 years of experience creating, implementing and managing content initiatives while working across departments to grow companies. His most recent editorial post was as editor-in-chief of Liquor.com. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of Tasting Table and a senior editor at San Francisco magazine.