The holidays are when cocktails stop being background noise and start becoming part of the ritual. These are the drinks we actually reach for when hosting—recipes that feel festive without being fussy, and special without turning into a sugar bomb.
From batchable classics to ginger-forward crowd-pleasers, here are four of our favorite holiday cocktails—built with real ingredients, clean balance, and bar-level intention.
Winter Paloma
A cold-weather riff on the classic Paloma—bright grapefruit bubbles meet cranberry tartness, ginger heat, and a whisper of holiday spice. This is the drink for people who say they don’t like sweet cocktails, but keep asking for refills anyway.
Built with Top Hat Sparkling Grapefruit Soda and Top Hat Craft Ginger Beer, it stays crisp and structured even on a winter menu.
View the Winter Paloma Recipe →
Café Coquito
A Puerto Rican holiday classic, reworked for coffee lovers. This batch-style Coquito blends coconut, warm spice, and rum (or zero proof) with Javo Single Origin Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate for an espresso-martini-meets-Christmas-night effect.
Rich without being heavy, spiced without being cloying, and designed to live in the fridge so you can pour and enjoy all week long.
View the Café Coquito Batch Recipe →
Gingerbread Mule
Think mule, but warmer and deeper. Dark or zero proof rum, cranberry brightness, real ginger heat, and holiday bitters give this drink its name—without turning it into dessert.
It’s familiar enough for a crowd, but layered enough to feel intentional. One of our go-to drinks for open houses and long nights.
View the Gingerbread Mule Recipe →
Old Fashioned
No holiday bar is complete without it. Our Old Fashioned keeps the focus where it belongs—proper balance, real citrus oils, and just enough sweetness to let the spirit lead.
Works beautifully with whiskey, but also adapts cleanly to zero proof builds without losing its backbone.
View the Old Fashioned Recipe →