If you haven’t made plans for your Thanksgiving celebrations yet and you’re hoping to host family or friends, now is the time to think about what you’ll be serving in terms of both food and drink. If you don’t want to fuss, then we’ve previously recommend batch cocktails as an easy way to make drinks for a celebration. But if you want to do individual drinks for each person, you can still do so without too much difficulty if you stick to more simple cocktails.
That’s the recommendation we have for you today, with easy to make cocktails that embrace the festive spirit. These are based on offerings from Redemption Whiskey, makers of a rye whiskey which is one of our favorites thanks to its spicy-sweet flavors and peppery, citrusy notes. Whether you prefer rye whiskey or bourbon, there are simple but delicious cocktails which take advantage of the complex flavors profiles of the whiskey to taste intriguing even in cocktails with just a few ingredients.
To capture the feeling of Thanksgiving, these cocktails use ingredients like honey syrup, maple syrup, and coffee liqueur to mix with the whiskeys and bring out flavor notes. The Autumn Toddy is a particularly appealing in that it can be served either hot or cold, depending on your mood and the weather. This recipe calls for any amaro, but I would recommend that it would go well with a sweeter amaro like Montenegro or Amaro Lucano, or opt for something chocolately like Averna. Alternatively, if you have a very sweet tooth and are after a nutty flavor then it could be fun to experiment with Amaretto here.
Fireside Rye
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Redemption Rye Whiskey
- ½ part Cantera Negra Café
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
Method:
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with an orange or lemon peel.
Harvest Red Rye
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ parts Redemption High Rye Bourbon Whiskey
- ½ part Campari
- ½ part Dry Vermouth
Method:
Combine ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Autumn Toddy
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ parts Redemption Bourbon
- ½ part Amaro
- ½ part Honey Syrup
Method:
Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube. Garnish with a lemon peel or cinnamon stick.
*To serve hot – mix with 3 parts hot water in an Irish Coffee glass.
Thanksgiving Rush
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Redemption Bourbon Whiskey
- ¾ parts Lemon Juice
- ¾ parts Rich Honey Syrup
Method:
Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin and shake with ice until chilled and diluted. Double strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Maple Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Redemption High Rye Bourbon
- ½ part Maple Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Method:
Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube. Garnish with orange peel studded with cloves.
