Joe Rogers

Christmas cocktails to make at home

  • From Spectator Life

What better time to show of your cocktail making skills than this year’s rollover Christmas? The bold flavours offered by festive ingredients like Champagne, brandy, and rum offer lots of opportunities to get creative. These crowd-pleasing serves are packed with nostalgic Christmas flavours to help you celebrate straight through till Boxing Day.

French 125

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iStock

Because it wouldn’t be Christmas without a little fizz.

The original French 75 arrived in Parisian cocktail bars shortly after the First World War. It’s essentially a Tom Collins – that’s gin, lemon juice, and soda – that drops the bubbly water and replaces it with Champagne. The name is said to derive from the 75mm field guns which formed the backbone of French artillery during the war and likewise packed quite a punch.

The French 125 takes things a step further, losing the gin and subbing in Cognac. We brits are partial to a drop of brandy come Christmas time so this extra decadent Champagne cocktail is perfect for the occasion.

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