Drinks

Holidays in the South: 33 Must-Try Cocktails

Festive concoctions to help make your season a little more jolly
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SON OF A NUTCRACKER

An Elf-inspired creation from the holiday menu at Alabama’s Session Cocktails.

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Photo: Niki Beck

MULLED WINE SYLLABUBS

A Virginia entertaining guru reimagines an old English classic sipper that tastes like “Christmas in a glass.” 

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Photo: Patricia Lyons

CHRIS HANNAH’S YULE THYME SLING AND HARVEST STINGER

Two holiday cocktails—one sweet, one sour—from a lauded New Orleans mixologist.

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Photo: JOSH BRASTED

THE CLAUSMOPOLITAN: A COSMO WITH A FESTIVE UPGRADE

An unexpected holiday ingredient elevates this sweet-and-tart spin on a classic cranberry cocktail.

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Photo: KATIE MCCOOL

A GRINCH-INSPIRED COCKTAIL MORE NICE THAN NAUGHTY

The playful Help Me…I’m Feeling is brimming with nostalgic Christmas spirit.

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Photo: COURTESY OF L.A. JACKSON

UNION JACK ROSE

Gin and apple brandy hit it off in this warming New Orleans spirit.

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Photo: Johnny Autry

JUNGLE WITCH: WINTER IN THE TROPICS

A summery holiday is just a sip away.

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Photo: Johnny Autry

QUOIT CLUB PUNCH

This blend of brandy, rum, and Madeira really packs a wallop.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY | FOOD STYLING BY CHARLOTTE AUTRY

BREAKFAST AT GEORGE’S

Morning, meet happy hour in this espresso and bourbon drink.

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Photo: Johnny Autry

HOLIDAY WHISKEY PUNCH

The big-batch solution to making crowd-pleasing cocktails.

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Photo: TARA DONNE

HOLIDAY MILK PUNCH

A New Orleans mainstay, milk punch is the South’s answer to eggnog.

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Photo: Johnny Autry

SATSUMA PUNCH

One bowl, three centuries of New Orleans tradition.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

Bubbly enlivens a refreshing post-prohibition mix.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY

KNOCKOUT BOURBON PUNCH

The potent punch recipe from our October/November 2014 cover.

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Photo: JENNIFER CAUSEY

PINEAPPLE MEZCAL COCKTAIL

Set the punch bowl aside and serve up your very own cask-aged cocktails.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY

HOT TODDY: HONEY BUNNY

Smooth and embracing, a good toddy is hard to resist.

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Photo: SQUIRE FOX

A JAZZED-UP HOT TODDY

The Listening Room in Nashville has a drink to warm up Music City.

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Photo: COURTESY OF THE LISTENING ROOM

HOT APPLE TODDY

The cozy cure-all cocktail gets an apple twist.

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Photo: BRENNAN WESLEY

MULLED WINE

This easy-to-make, hot drink will bring the festive spirit right into your kitchen.

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Photo: Gabriela Gomez-Misserian

BAYOU HORCHATA

A bayou-inspired wintry cocktail to snuggle up to.

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Photo: JULIE SOEFER

BOURBON-SPIKED SPICED HOT CHOCOLATE

A sweet recipe to combat the cold, wintry nights.

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Photo: BRENNAN WESLEY

AN ALL-ARKANSAS COFFEE COCKTAIL

Rock Town Distillery lets the Natural State shine in this winter pick-me-up.

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Photo: JACQUELINE STOFSICK

JOY WAGON: A SPARKLING HOLIDAY COCKTAIL

A delightful alternative to a traditional flute of bubbly.

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Photo: JASON HORN

THE CHRISTMAS VACATION

From the Garden & Gun Club in Atlanta, a holiday sipper that tastes like a tropical getaway. 

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Photo: COREY NEWTON

NANTUCKET SLEIGH RIDE

Spices of the season, apricot brandy, rum, and citrus make this wintry grog a holiday on ice.

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Photo: COURTESY OF LATITUDE 29

CHRISTMAS IN HOLLIS

Looking for something to take the edge off the in-laws’ impending visit? This concoction from T. Cole Newton of Twelve Mile Limit should do the trick.

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SIR ISAAC NEWTON

A perfect cold weather cocktail from Jeremy Wingle of Poole’s Downtown Diner in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY

A CAJUN-SPIKED SPIN ON CHRISTMAS EGGNOG

Lafayette native and former One Flew South bartender Tiffanie Barriere shares her eggnog recipe that captures the spirit of the holidays in Louisiana with one sip.

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Photo: JEFF MOORE/GREEN OLIVE MEDIA

EUDORA WELTY’S CHRISTMAS EGGNOG

A family eggnog recipe from Mississippi’s first lady of letters, Eudora Welty.

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ISLAND EGGNOG

Rum and coconut come together in a Puerto Rican coquito.

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Photo: JOHNNY AUTRY

THE COMMANDER’S PALACE BLOODY MARY

No gathering is complete without a Bloody Mary—so why not make it a good one?

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Photo: ERIC MEDSKER, COURTESY OF TEN SPEED PRESS

A SMOKIN’ GOOD BLOODY MARY

Because you can’t have too much of a good thing, here’s another Bloody Mary recipe from Atlanta bartender Nate Shuman that’s a step above your typical morning-after libation.

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Photo: PETER FRANK EDWARDS

BLOODY GOOD HOLIDAY PUNCH

A Bloody Bull is an even richer spin on a Bloody Mary. Make it batch-style, like one G&G writer’s family, and prepare to bowl over your party guests.

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Photo: JACQUELINE STOFSICK