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Party Cocktails

Party Cocktails for Christmas and New Year

The holiday season is the perfect time to indulge in festive cocktails that add a sparkle to your bar or restaurant’s Christmas and New Year vibe. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering or a grand New Year’s Eve bash the right cocktails can elevate your party atmosphere and delight all your customers.

Christmas Cocktails often feature warming flavours and festive garnishes. Classics like Mulled Wine or Hot Toddies are ideal for chilly winter evenings, infused with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. For a more modern twist, consider a Peppermint Martini with white chocolate liqueur and a candy cane garnish, or a Cranberry Mimosa, combining sparkling wine with tart cranberry juice for a vibrant toast.

For those who enjoy creamy drinks, an eggnog spiked with rum, brandy, or bourbon is a holiday staple. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg for a spicy finish. Another crowd-pleaser is the White Russian, which can be made more festive with a hint of gingerbread syrup.

New Year’s Eve Cocktails call for glamour and sparkle. Champagne-based cocktails are always a hit, from the classic French 75—a mix of gin, lemon juice, and champagne—to the Kir Royale, which adds a splash of crème de cassis to a glass of bubbly for a rich, ruby hue. If you’re looking to impress, try a Gold Rush cocktail, blending bourbon, honey, and lemon for a refined glass to remember.

For non-alcoholic options, mocktails like a Sparkling Pomegranate Punch or a Virgin Mojito keep the celebrations inclusive without skimping on flavour.

Presentation is key – think sugared rims, fresh herbs and edible glitter to add that extra festive touch. By offering a mix of classic and creative cocktails, you’ll ensure your parties are memorable and brimming with seasonal cheer. Cheers from us all at CS Drinks, we hope you have a delightful and profitable holiday season.

The Origins of Gin

Gin, a distilled spirit flavoured predominantly with juniper berries, has a rich and storied history. Its origins trace back to 16th-century Europe, where it was first developed as a medicinal drink.
The precursor to modern gin was “genever,” a malt wine-based spirit infused with juniper and other botanicals. Genever emerged in the Netherlands and Belgium and is credited to Dutch chemists who believed in the juniper berry’s medicinal properties. By the 17th century, gin had crossed into England, where it evolved a drier style, making it distinct from genever.
The “Gin Craze” in 18th-century England marked the spirit’s rise in popularity. See Hogarth and others. Gin was easy to distil, affordable and widely available, leading to overconsumption and social issues.
The introduction of the 1751 Gin Act helped regulate production and improve quality. Later, the invention of the column still in the 19th century refined gin’s production, allowing for a cleaner and smoother spirit.
Modern gin comes in various styles, each defined by its flavour profile and production methods.
London Dry Gin is the most iconic, known for its crisp, juniper-forward taste. Plymouth Gin, restricted to the city of Plymouth, England, is slightly sweeter and more earthy where Old Tom Gin presents a sweet style popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and is experiencing a revival in craft cocktails.
Newer styles include Contemporary Gin, where juniper plays a supporting role to other botanicals like citrus, florals, or spices. Navy Strength Gin boasts a higher alcohol content, originally made for British naval officers.
Meanwhile, flavoured and infused gins incorporate fruits and herbs – and even edible flowers.
Gin’s versatility makes it a cornerstone of cocktail culture, from the classic martini to innovative craft concoctions. The newer proliferations of gins are increasing its popularity all over again while a straight gin and tonic has never lost its enduring appeal before dinner.

 

Rum and the Caribbean

A short history of rum and the Caribbean Islands

Rum is generally distilled from sugarcane by-products such as molasses or sugarcane juice and is deeply intertwined with the history, culture, and economy of the Caribbean islands. Often referred to as the “spirit of the Caribbean,” it reflects the region’s rich heritage and natural resources.
The origins of rum trace back to the 17th century when sugarcane plantations flourished in the Caribbean under European colonial powers. As plantation workers discovered that fermenting molasses produced alcohol, the rum-making process was begun. This innovation not only shaped local economies but also played a pivotal role in the infamous triangular slave trade, involving sugar, rum, and – lest we forget – enslaved Africans.
Today, rum remains an integral part of the Caribbean identity, celebrated in festivals, folklore, and daily life.
Each island boasts its own distinctive style of rum, influenced by local traditions and production methods. For instance, Jamaica is renowned for its pot-still rums, characterized by bold, rich flavours, while Barbados is famed for producing balanced and refined rums, often considered among the finest in the world.
Rum also fuels the vibrant cocktail culture of the Caribbean, with classics like the Mojito, Piña Colada, and Daiquiri originating in the islands. Beyond cocktails, rum is a centrepiece in Caribbean cooking, used to marinade meats, to create sauces, and to infuse desserts.
In addition to its cultural significance, rum production remains a cornerstone of the Caribbean economy, supporting inbound tourism and substantial exports. Iconic brands like Mount Gay, Appleton Estate, and Bacardí are well known and prized all over the world.
The story of rum in the Caribbean is one of resilience born from the hard graft of the sugar plantation workers. As enslaved Africans in the southern United States created music as they toiled in the cotton and tobacco fields so Caribbean workers developed their own ways of enduring through their creativity, reflecting the spirit of the islands and the people who would settle there.
Rum is a liquid symbol of a history shaped by hardship, innovation, and a zest for life. Here’s to their enduring legacy.

Top Ten Cocktails

It’s Saturday night and I’m sitting with family and friends in a very nice restaurant bar in the east of England. There are cocktails on offer, first class service and a lovely atmosphere. What’s not to like. And CS Drinks offers everything to the bar staff that they need to keep the party going with – as the classic cocktail drinkers of the past used to say – a swing.

Here’s a quick tour of ten top cocktails that are timeless crowd-pleasers. I think we tried them all.

  1. Margarita – A zesty, refreshing classic that combines tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. Served in a glass with a salted rim, it’s an ideal aperitif to get the appetite going.
  2. Old Fashioned – This whiskey-based cocktail is a staple for its simplicity and depth. Mixing bourbon or rye with bitters and a sugar cube, it’s garnished with an orange twist, perfect for those who enjoy bold flavours.
  3. Mojito – A Cuban favourite, this rum-based cocktail is a cool blend of mint, lime, sugar, and soda water, making it ideal for hotter climates and anyone who loves a minty finish.
  4. Martini – The epitome of sophistication, a martini mixes gin or vodka with dry vermouth and is often garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Its smooth and elegant profile has made it a classic.
  5. Daiquiri – Known for its bright, citrus notes, this rum, lime, and sugar cocktail has endless variations, including strawberry and frozen versions, perfect for that hot weather holiday escape.
  6. Negroni – An Italian creation with gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, the Negroni is a bitter, complex drink with a hint of sweetness, typically garnished with an orange peel.
  7. Whiskey Sour – This cocktail blends whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup for a tangy yet smooth flavour, with egg white often added for frothiness.
  8. Cosmopolitan – A glamorous drink made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime, the Cosmo is fruity yet tart, made famous by its association with “Sex and the City”.
  9. Pina Colada – With rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice, this tropical drink is synonymous with vacations and relaxation. Something to look forward to.
  10. Espresso Martini – A modern classic, this vodka-based drink with espresso and coffee liqueur is ideal for an evening kick with a touch of sweetness and endless sophistication.

These ten cocktails offer a mix of classic and contemporary options, each with a unique taste and character perfect for any occasion. Let CS Drinks be your partner in exploring the sweet world of the classic cocktail.

Cocktails in Literature

Cocktails have long played a significant role in literature, symbolizing sophistication, escape, or moral decay, depending on the context. From the 1920s onward, they often reflected the era’s cultural shifts and became iconic in the works of several prominent authors.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925), cocktails represent the extravagance and decadence of the Jazz Age. Gatsby’s lavish parties feature an endless flow of alcohol, highlighting the era’s glamorous rebellion against Prohibition. Drinks like the mint julep play key roles in character interactions, emphasizing themes of excess, disillusionment, and the façade of the American Dream.

Ernest Hemingway was a well known imbiber and often included cocktails in his works, symbolizing both escapism and existential crises. Hemingway’s characters in novels like The Sun Also Rises (1926) and A Farewell to Arms (1929) often drink as a means of coping with the chaos of the world he was writing about – whether it’s war or bullfighting or deep sea fishing. Drinks like the martini and the daiquiri became part of his ritual that trod the fine line between indulgence and something less uplifting.

Ian Fleming’s James Bond also immortalized a particular cocktail, the “Vesper,” in Casino Royale, written in 1953 but brought up to date in Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007. Bond’s famous request for a martini “shaken, not stirred” epitomizes his cool sophistication and exacting standards, qualities tied to his complex personality and background.

Beyond these iconic works, cocktails in literature often represent more than just a drink. They serve as cultural markers, illustrating the shifting social dynamics of their time. Whether symbolizing freedom, indulgence, or downfall, cocktails have provided writers with a potent tool for exploring human nature, identity, and society, reflecting the moods and motifs of entire generations. Enjoy.

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