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Recently, we shared a blog post with hot cocktails to keep you warm on a cold winter day. However, we know some of you will still prefer a cold cocktail no matter the temperature outside. At our Burlington Tasting Room, we serve a variety of seasonally-appropriate cocktails. We always aim to update our cocktail menu each month to reflect seasonal ingredients, which may be reflected in our mixers, bitters or garnish choices. We also have a variety of Winter recipes on our website!

When it comes to our spirits, people tend to lean more toward darker-hued spirits in the fall and winter seasons (like our Straight Bourbon, Revolution Rye, Burnt Rock Bourbon, Maple Cask Rum, First Run Rum or PX Rum), and lean more toward our lighter-hued spirits (like Rum 44 and Vanilla Rum) in the spring and summer seasons. While it’s true that Rum 44 and Vanilla Rum are popular choices for a variety of daiquiri recipes, which are generally thought to be warmer season cocktails, these spirits can absolutely be used in cocktails that work all year round.

Below are some Winter Cocktail Recipes you can try from home, including a couple daiquiri options!

SOUNDTRACK TO WINTER

Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.25 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-1 oz. of Carpano Antica
-3/4 oz. of pomegranate juice
-1/2 oz. of simple syrup
-grapefruit peel for garnish

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Add ice to the shaker, and shake for about 10 seconds. Add a large ice cube to a rocks glass. Strain contents over a large ice cube. Express a grapefruit peel over the glass, and add as a garnish.

WINTER DAIQUIRI

Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-2 oz. of First Run Rum
-1/4 oz. of All-Spice Dram
-1/2 oz. of simple syrup
-1 oz. of lime juice

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 8-12 seconds, then double strain contents into a chilled daiquiri coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

STOUT SOUR

Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail
-2 oz. of Revolution Rye
-1 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-2 oz. of stout simple syrup

Instructions:
To make the stout simple syrup, bring 2 - 16 oz. cans of stout (we used Guinness) to just below a rolling simmer in a saucepan. Heat for 2-3 hours, whisking every half hour. Remove the froth that forms at the top. Once you have reduced the stout to about half (16 oz.), add 2.5 cups of sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved, then cool before using. Store any leftover for up to one week. To make the cocktail, combine the rye, lemon juice and stout simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

TRICKSTER

Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of First Run Rum
-1/2 oz of. Orange Curacao
-3/4 oz. of honey-ginger syrup
-1/2 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Stir, then shake well. Serve over a large ice cube. Add an orange peel and candied ginger for garnish.

WINTER CAIPIRINHA

Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail: 
-2 oz. of Maple Cask Rum
-1 lime, cut in half
-1 bar spoon of sugar (preferably Demerara)

Instructions:
In a rocks glass, squeeze the juice from each half of the lime, then drop the lime in the glass. Add a bar spoon of sugar to the rocks glass, and muddle into the fresh squeezed lime juice. Add the Maple Cask Rum to the rocks glass, then fill the glass with crushed or pebbled ice. Dump the contents of the rock glass into a shaker, and dump back and forth a couple times until ingredients are well incorporated, then enjoy!

WINTER IS A DRAG

Instructions - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-2 oz. of Revolution Rye
-1 oz. of Fassionola syrup
-1/4 oz. of Amaro Braulio
-1/4 oz. of PX Sherry
-¼ oz. of lemon juice
-bar spoon of grapefruit-cinnamon cordial
-5 drops of El Guapo Plynesian Kiss Bitters
-2 drops of Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Whip, shake well, then pour contents over crushed ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a long cinnamon stick, half lemon wheel, inside out cocktail parasol, orchid, and powdered sugar (as “snow”).

MAPLE MOJITO

Instructions - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Rum 44
-3/4 oz. of lime juice
-3/4 oz. of mint simple syrup
-1/4 oz. of Baird Farm Mint Infused Vermont Maple Syrup
-2 dashes of Fee Brothers Mint Bitters
-Club soda or seltzer on top

Instructions:
To make a mint simple syrup, combine 3 cups of simple syrup (a 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in hot water) with 1 cup of pressed mint leaves. Blanch the mint in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately remove the mint leaves and immerse them in ice water for 1 minute. Strain the leaves from the ice water. Blend the cooled simple syrup with the mint leaves for 1 minute, then strain well. Store the cooled mint simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks. To make the cocktail, combine all ingredients except the club soda (or seltzer) in a tall glass filled with ice. Stir to incorporate ingredients, then top with the club soda or seltzer. Garnish with a lime wedge.

WINTER TROPICS DAIQUIRI

Instructions - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-2 oz. of First Run Rum
-3/4 oz. of fresh squeezed lime juice
-3/4 oz. of cream of coconut
-3-5 dashes of Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters
-lime wheel garnish
-fresh grated cinnamon

Instructions:
Pour the rum into a shaker. Add the cream of coconut and Blackstrap bitters. Add ice to the shaker, and shake for 8-10 seconds. Strain the contents over a chilled coupe glass. Add a lime wheel garnish, then grate a cinnamon stick over the coupe and enjoy.

COLD BREW COFFEE NEGRONI

Instructions - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Revolution Rye
-3/4 oz. of Averna
-1/2 oz. of Campari
-1/2 oz. of Cold Brew Coffee

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir for 8-12 seconds, then strain into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube. Add an orange peel for garnish.

GOODBYE TO WINTER

Instructions - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Maple Cask Rum 
-1/4 oz of. Nocino Liqueur
-1/4 oz. of cinnamon syrup
-1 dash of Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir briefly, then strain contents into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Between these cold winter cocktail recipes above, and our list of hot cocktails to drink on a cold day, you have plenty of drink options to carry you through until spring. If you happen to need more ideas, you can always check out our Cocktail Recipes page, where you can look for cocktails by spirit, or even search for a specific cocktail if you already have something in mind. If you need spirits or other supplies, visit our Burlington Tasting Room, where we boast the largest bitters selection around. Cheers!

Written and published by Brianne Lucas on January 8, 2024.