The cocktails to follow were most likely featured in menus of the past, but they keep coming up at cocktail gatherings. These are our favorites. Often seasonal, but always tasty. We present the cocktails and mocktails that we deem the BEST!!
Golden Cadillac
As with almost every menu we’ve made, just before the list is finalized, Anders Erickson comes out with a Friday afternoon video that is too good to pass up! For the holidays, that cocktail is the “Golden Cadillac”. He has some great history to share about this drink, so head on over and check it out HERE. He will even show you how to turn it into a milkshake!
Galliano Liqueur was a new one for me, but the mix of baking spices and anise was just too intriguing. If you are not a fan of black licorice (the anise flavor) don’t fret. The anise is buried within so many other flavors that it does not overpower the drink. Definitely worth at least one try. Cheers!
1.5oz Galliano Liqueur
1.5oz Creme de Cacao (white)
1oz Heavy Cream (or alternative cream source)
Nutmeg for Garnish
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
Add ice and shake for 15 seconds
Double strain into a chilled nick and nora glass
Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg
Source: Anders Erickson Golden Cadillac Two Ways
Wallace and Davis Old Fashioned (Runaway Anchor Original)
The Old Fashioned is a classic. An easy cocktail to make and enjoy at home, or to order from any bar in the world. We thought it would be fun to do a riff on the Old Fashioned for the holidays. This mixture evokes the taste of chocolate covered cherries, but the balance is crucial with this cocktail.
First thing: stick with Bourbon. We tried it with Rye and the spice will quickly overwhelm the delicate balance here (Scotch would also overpower it). Also, abide by the 0.5oz of cherry heering. If you put a full shot in this drink the only thing you’ll taste is cherry. Finally, THREE dashes of the bitters. The last thing you taste should be the chocolate. We hope you enjoy this Runaway Anchor Original Cocktail for the holidays this year (or anytime you’re in the mood for something a little sweet)!
If you’re wondering about the name. This classic cocktail needed a classic holiday movie to go along with it, so we went with White Christmas, naming the cocktail after the characters played by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.
Happy Holidays!
2.0oz Bourbon
0.5oz Cherry Heering Liqueur
3 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
In a Mixing Glass, add all three ingredients
Add ice and stir for 30 seconds
Strain over a single ice cube if possible
Garnish with 2-3 Maraschino Cherries
Source: BC (Co-Founder of the Runaway Anchor Cocktail Bar)
Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is my primary go-to. It’s easy and it’s quick. This version will take a bit more time, but the pay off is worth it; trust me.
You’ll need to make chai simple syrup in order to mix this drink, but it’s an easy process of combining chai tea bags, maple, and vanilla. Don’t stress about it. Just give yourself a few hours to allow the syrup to cool before mixing into your cocktail. If you like chai tea or a maple old fashioned (sinatra style) you are going to love this one! Cheers!
Chai Simple Syrup
4 chai tea bags
1/3 cup real maple syrup (don’t skimp here)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chai Old Fashioned Cocktail
2oz bourbon (Four Roses is nice)
1oz Lemon Juice (fresh squeezed)
1 dash orange bitters (fee bros is nice)
2 oz chai tea simple syrup
Garnish with Cinnamon Stick and Star Anise (optional but highly recommended for aroma)
Chai Simple Syrup
In medium pot bring 1 cup water to a boil; remove from heat
Add chai tea bags, cover and steep for 15 minutes
Remove tea bags and add maple syrup
Bring back to a boil over high heat; boil 3-5 minutes; remove from heat
Stir in vanilla extract and set aside to cool
Keep in fridge for up to two weeks
Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and add ice
Shake for 15 seconds
Add large ice cube to a low ball
Strain cocktail into low ball glass and garnish with cinnamon stick and star anise
Optional: original recipe has a splash of soda water, but I prefer my drink without it
Cheers!
Source: Half Baked Harvest
Old Fashioned
This is my go-to cocktail during the colder months of the year. It’s easy to have all the ingredients on hand, and it’s fun to play around with whiskey. You can even go with a Rum version if you like. This recipe is my own slight tweak that pushes the orange to the front of the cocktail. It’s especially good for those just getting into whiskey drinking, as the orange can take a bit of the edge off of the drink. Still to strong? Bump the simple to 0.5oz.
Cheers!
2oz Bourbon Whiskey
0.25oz Simple Syrup
Fresh Orange Chunk
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Orange Peel (garnish)
Add all ingredients to the Mixing Glass (including piece of fresh orange, don’t muddle it)
Fill Glass half full of Ice Cubes
Stir with bar spoon for 20-30 seconds
Put large cube in low ball glass
Strain cocktail over the large cube
Garnish with slice of orange and luxardo cherry
Source: this one is my version based on several different recipes
Sazerac
We needed one “neat” cocktail in the standards, and this one is solid. A buddy introduced me to this one just in the past year and it is a great twist on my standard old fashioned. The keys are the ingredients though. No swapping or experimenting with this one. The whiskey must be Rye. The bitters must be Peychauds. The only thing I’d make optional is the absinthe rinse, as the anise flavor would ruin this cocktail for many people. I use a small spray bottle to mist my glass with the absinthe versus rinse, which is the traditional way to do it. This one is a year round treat.
Cheers!
1 Sugar Cube
2-5 dashes Peychauds Bitters (I do 5)
2oz Rye Whiskey
Rinse glass with Absinthe
Prep the Glass: add absinthe to low ball and swirl around to coat the inside
Prep the Glass: discard (or drink) the excess absinthe (spray bottle is another way to coat)
Prep the Glass: place coated low ball in the freezer while building cocktail to chill
Add sugar to a Mixing Glass and soak with bitters
Muddle the sugar with muddler (or bar spoon)
Add Whiskey and fill Glass half full of ice cubes
Stir for 15-30 seconds
Strain the drink into the prepared low ball glass
Express lemon oil over drink and drop peel into glass
Source: this one is my version based on several different recipes