9 festive cocktails to warm up the Shanghai winter

Everyone jokes, in that not-really-joking way, that you have to drink during the holidays. They say it’s the only way to keep from murder-suiciding your whole family because you spent too much time with them. But we know the truth: you love getting drunk, and you love alcohol (but you’re no alcoholic, no…).  It can be just so delicious and warm in the right mix.

 

Here’s a list of some drink recipes for the cold weather. Maybe you can try them all in one night, because, you know, family and whatever.

 

We spoke to Guilherme Valdivieso, bar manager and head mixologist at Unico by Mauro Colagreco, for his favorite festive cocktail recipes. Here are his selections:

 

Snow Drop

 

This milk-based cocktail is given a burst of freshness by the mint pepper liquor, which makes it perfect for enjoying at the start of a night out, or for sipping and savoring.

 

Ingredients

Vodka

Mint pepper liquor

White cacao liquor

Milk foam

Nutmeg gratin

 

Cola de Mono

 

Deliciously sweet and dangerously easy to drink, this smooth cocktail will slip down nicely to keep you warm during a cold night.

 

Ingredients

Pisco reserve 45

Condensed milk

Agua audience

Milk foam

Cinnamon

Warm cream

Cardamom pounds

 

Gingerbread Daiquiri

 

Packed with festive ingredients, this cheeky cocktail is practically Christmas in a cup.

 

Ingredients

Spiced rum

Gingerbread reduction on sugar

Milk foam

Banana liquor

Nutmeg and cinnamon powder

 

You can try Guilherme’s selections at Three on the Bund:

 

Three on the Bund, 2nd Floor,
No.3 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Lu

 

DIY recipes

 

Or if you prefer mixing up tomorrow’s hangover yourself, then try out these recipes that have been (extensively) tried and tested by our editorial team!

 

Poinsettia

 

A flower-drink, but without an actual flower—this light drink’s red shade goes well with a fun, festive lunch.

 

Ingredients (8-10 glasses)

1 x 75cl chilled bottle of fizzy dry white wine

125ml Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, or Cointreau, chilled

500ml chilled cranberry juice

 

Instructions

Mix everything in a jug and serve.

 

Ruby Duchess

 

Can’t get enough of that red flavor? This drink should satisfy your never-ending craving for crimson.

 

Cava is also surprisingly cheap in China compared to other imported wine, making these fizzy cocktails a real winner.

 

Ingredients (8-10 glasses)

1 x 75cl chilled bottle of dry and fizzy white wine

125ml chilled Chambord

500ml chilled pomegranate juice

 

Instructions

 

Mix everything in a jug and serve.

 

Apple Cider Shooters

 

Some things in life you need to enjoy quickly and with very little thought. And that’s so you can enjoy it again and again and again and again. Apple cider isn’t one of those things, but apple cider shooters…

 

Ingredients

22ml Apple Schnapps

22ml Cinnamon Schnapps

1ml Spice Rum

1 splash of lemon soda

 

Instructions

 

Pour over ice, shake, and then strain into a shooter glass.

 

Cinnamon Apple Shooters

 

That spicy, festive burn is best tasted like any other burn—fast as to have a long-lasting after-burn.

 

Ingredients

24ml Apple Schnapps

3ml Cinnamon Schnapps

 

Instructions

 

Pour apple schnapps into shooter glass, drip cinnamon schnapps into a shooter glass

 

Butterscotch Brandy

 

Tastes like the candy your grandparents gave you, but only if your grandparents were “cool” grandparents.

 

Ingredients 

30ml Brandy

60ml Butterscotch schnapps

15ml Coffee liqueur

30ml Bourbon

 

Instructions

 

Mix ingredients into an old-fashioned glass half-filled with ice. Add water as needed and serve.

 

Cider Punch

 

If you close your eyes and sip, you can actually taste autumn leaves… soaked in alcohol.

 

Ingredients (for 18 cups) 

120ml Scotch whiskey

120ml dry sherry

1400ml Hard cider

60oz Lemon juice

240ml Club Soda

3 Cored and thin-sliced almonds

1tsp grated nutmeg