Festive Cocktail Recipes by Rocket

Christmas lights have been switched on and here comes the sparkly spread of festive cheer. Whether you are planning a Christmas dinner or a New Year drinks party, you will no doubt need a delicious cocktail or two to accompany your food. At Rocket, we place much value on curating exciting cocktails with local ingredients where possible. This festive season, we bring you two cocktail classics with a British twist: the Damson Negroni featuring Gattertop Drinks‘ craft vodka and liqueur, as well as the English 75, with Gusbourne‘s sparkling Brut Reserve 2019.

These two festive cocktails are not only delicious, but they can also be partly prepared ahead of time so that you can spend more time mingling and less time bartending. The base of the English 75, for instance, can be prepared a few hours before, to be topped up with Gusbourne’s fine bubbles and garnish on the night.

1. Damson Negroni

The Damson Negroni is a fruity cocktail made with a special blend of Vermouth, Campari, damson-infused vodka liqueur Gattertop No12  as well as Gattertop Botanic No7, a smooth and fragrant botanical-flavoured vodka. Served on ice with dried orange (or blood oranges when in season), this deliciously vibrant drink can be a sophisticated aperitif and is perfectly paired with salty olives and charcuterie, as well as hard cheeses like a good English Berkswell, which draws similarities to a mature pecorino.

Ingredients

25ml Gattertop Damsons No12
25ml Gattertop Botanic No7
10ml Campari
35ml Vermouth

Method

Combine all the ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass and stir. Pour the mixture into a glass with large ice and garnish with orange.

2. English 75

The English 75 is an elegant and extremely refreshing drink. Bright and zesty from the lemon juice, the cocktail features the Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2019, a robust and fruity sparkling wine that uses a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. With subtle notes of cinnamon and spice, this drink pairs perfectly with succulent shellfish, like langoustine and lobster.

Ingredients

15ml Sugar syrup
20ml Lemon juice
25ml Gin
50ml Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2019

Method

Combine the sugar syrup, lemon juice, and gin in a champagne flute and thoroughly mix. Top with chilled Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2019 and garnish.

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