Cocktail Cadre

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🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails, Day 25

The final cocktail of this year’s series is A Stranger in the Alps, a Negroni-style drink built around Braulio.

Gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, and a touch of Braulio. I used Beefeater instead of the recommended Junipero, and ended up blending Carpano Antica with Cocchi di Torino when I ran out mid-measure. It turned into a happy accident and a good reminder that home cocktails are about adapting and experimenting.

The recipe suggests rinsing the glass with Douglas Fir brandy liqueur. I didn’t have that either, so I used a Fernet Branca rinse to add a cool, piney, menthol note that plays nicely with the alpine character. It's finished with a lemon peel.

Bittersweet, herbal, and reflective. A fitting way to wrap up the season.

Thanks to everyone who’s followed along with 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails. We’ve been doing this every year since 2022, and we truly appreciate you being part of it.

🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas The World's 50 Best Cocktails

Day 22

Tonight’s drink is You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, created by Mathias Simonis for Distil in Milwaukee and inspired by the classic holiday film "A Christmas Story."

Made with aged rum, Becherovka, Bénédictine, cinnamon syrup, and Angostura bitters, it’s a warming, spice-forward cocktail that feels right at home in late December. I dialed back the cinnamon syrup slightly to keep it from tipping too sweet and served it on the rocks so I could enjoy it slowly before dinner.

A fun name, but a surprisingly thoughtful and well-structured drink.

🎄🍸25 Days of Christmas Cocktails

Day 21

Tonight’s drink is And To All a Good Night, a cocktail by Tim Stookey from San Francisco. It’s one I usually reserve for Christmas Eve or Christmas night, something stirred, strong, and contemplative to close out the evening.

Made with bourbon, reposado tequila, Cherry Heering, and orange bitters, it’s surprisingly balanced and deeply warming.

After spending part of the day paying respects to my dad on the anniversary of his passing, and the rest navigating last-minute Christmas errands, this felt like the right way to slow things down and reset.

Not every holiday cocktail needs to sparkle. Some are meant to help you exhale.