How to drink Esker this Christmas
Between early Christmas snow, storm damage and new variants, we weren’t quite sure we would get to the end of year with any Christmas markets or cocktails in us … but the Esker Spirits Team are very thankful to be sharing these cocktails with you and having had the chance to see so some of you at the markets too!
This close to Christmas and the start of another year, there’s nothing for it but to try and get some rest with an Esker Spirits Christmas serve or cocktail.
Try one of these cocktails over the festive season, hand picked by the Esker Spirits Team based on some of our favourite ways to drink Esker at Christmas.
Esker’s Winter Sangria (Serves 5 )
Our Esker Orange and Pomegranate Vodka mulled with red wine and warming spices is a warming punch style drink and is a great alternative to traditional mulled wine.
350ml red wine
25ml sugar syrup
200ml boiling water
Cloves
Star anise
Cinnamon
Fresh ginger
Orange slices
Lemon slices
Rosemary
Add vodka, red wine, sugar syrup, cloves, star anise and cinnamon to the pan with boiling water and gently simmer for ten minutes, do not let it boil! Transfer into two heat proof mugs and garnish with orange, lemon & rosemary
Chamomile and Honey Spiced Toddy
An Esker to sip while you wrap the last of the presents… or take a little quiet time to yourself with a festive favourite, Esker Gold Gin – served warm in this delicious toddy recipe.
30ml Esker Gold Gin
1 chamomile teabag
12.5ml lemon juice
10ml ginger cordial
Squeeze of honey to taste
8 cloves
2 star anise
Cinnamon stick
Add all ingredients EXCEPT THE GIN to a pan and top with 50-100ml boiling water. Simmer gently, but don’t boil, for 5-10 minutes. Add gin then simmer for a further 1-2 minutes. Serve in a heat-proof glass or mug and garnish with a clove studded lemon zest.
Esker Christmas Tuxedo
Could this be the perfect Esker for Christmas Eve? And who said sherry was just for your Granny? This is a grown-up Christmas Eve tipple – perfect with a mince pie. Our original Esker Gin is stirred with sweet cream sherry and orange bitters to make this strong and sophisticated sipper. Get in Santa’s good books and ditch the glass of milk for one of these instead.
50ml Esker London Dry Gin
15ml cream sherry
3 -5 dashes of orange bitters
Add ingredients to mixing glass with ice, stir and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Christmas Day Esker and Tonic
Can’t stand the heat? This will help you stay in the kitchen. When Christmas all gets a bit too much, put your hand up for tattie peeling duties and hide in the kitchen with a Silverglas G&T!
Esker Silverglas is slightly lighter and fresher London dry, served with fresh mint and lemon zest to cut through the richness of Christmas.
Fevertree tonic water
Garnish with fresh mint and lemon zest
Chocolate Orange Russian
Boxing Day is all about relaxation and indulgence and we can’t think of a better way to do both than with this delicious Christmas cocktail.
15ml coffee liqueur
15ml white crème de cacao
20ml milk
20ml cream
Add the gin, crème de cacao, cream and milk to your cocktail shaker and shake hard over ice. Pour the coffee liqueur into a rocks glass, top with ice then layer your shaken mixture over the top. Garnish with a dusting of chocolate powder and grated orange zest.
Spiced Pear & Cider Mimosa
An Esker for Hogmanay … New Year is a time to celebrate and what better way than with our Esker Pear Champagne Cocktail!
35ml apple cider
100ml sparkling wine (Champagne or Cava works best)
Cinnamon sugar *
*To make cinnamon sugar, simply mix one-part ground cinnamon with two parts white sugar until it is a uniform light brown colour
First coat the rim of a champagne flute with cinnamon sugar by running a wedge of lime round the rim of the glass then slowly rolling in the cinnamon sugar. Next, add Esker Spiced Pear vodka and cider directly into your glass and top with sparkling wine (ensure your sparkling wine and cider are super chilled!)
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Remembered to tag us or use the #EskerSpirits hashtag when sharing your cocktails and Esker serves on social media. We love to see your home bartending skills in action.
Our distillery is closed until early 2022 now, but our online shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to buy your Esker Spirits online. There may be some courier delays over the festive period, but we will endeavour to get your order to you as quickly as possible - please bear with us.