Two Wintry Cocktails

In addition to seasonal standbys like the traditional Champagne Cocktail and the Old Fashioned, we like to have a few fresh—and festive—cocktail recipes on hand to serve guests gathered at our homes for some holiday cheer. To help us spice up our bar repertoire, we reached out to some TSG experts in the field for their suggestions for holiday-appropriate beverages, and were rewarded with two new delicious—and non-labor-intensive—drinks that have already become favorites: a refreshing Ginger Winter Cocktail (shown above) and a warming Dakota cocktail (below).

Ginger Winter Cocktail

2 ounces Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur
1 ounce Citrus Vodka
1 ounce Cranberry Juice

Serve chilled

This recipe comes courtesy of Jen Donahoe, owner of TSG Baltimore & Annapolis’s Mills Fine Wine & Spirits, which is located on Historic City Dock in Annapolis and has been owned by families with Naval roots since 1946. In addition to the beautiful cranberry color, we love that the drink is not sweet. An added bonus is that Domaine de Canton comes in a sophisticated bottle that will look great on any bar.

The Dakota

1.5 ounces Goslings Rum
3 ounces Apple Cider
2 dashes Shrub mix

Build in an Old Fashioned glass and serve hot or cold

Created by Matt Pawlina, bar manager for TSG Charlottesville’s Commonwealth Skybar, located on the Historic Downtown Mall, whose family has been in Charlottesville since the 1700s (his grandfather ran a dance hall in Charlottesville in the 1940s and ran moonshine from Nelson County on Sundays), the Dakota is a wonderful drink for either starting off or ending the evening.

Here’s to a holiday filled with festive libations and locally procured spirits. Cheers!