Two Vintage Cocktails Reimagined for Cozy Nights and Haunted Gatherings
Fall calls for cocktails with character, and Rollers Wine & Spirits delivers. It’s taken two classics — the hot toddy and the martini — and given them a seasonal spin. One warms you from the inside out with cranberry spice, and the other brings a splash of spooky drama to the glass. Both are familiar, a little theatrical and perfect for everything from fireside sipping to a Halloween happy hour.
Story By Bailey Gilliam
Spiced Cranberry Hot Toddy
The hot toddy has been around so long, it’s practically folklore, but the first printed recipe in 1862 was bare bones: brandy, sugar, hot water and nutmeg. No lemon, no honey, no spice. In the Lowcountry, though, fall deserves more. This Spiced Cranberry Hot Toddy simmers tart juice with orange, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and star anise, then finishes with Knob Creek Honey Maple Bourbon. The result is a mug that tastes like autumn actually stopped by.
Ingredients
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 small orange
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 star anise
1/4-1/2 cup water
3-4 ounces Knob Creek Honey Maple Bourbon
Directions
[1] In a small saucepan, combine cranberry juice, orange, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns, cloves and star anise. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to low, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover fully for a few minutes more.
[2] Strain the mixture, then return it to the pan, and stir in the water.
[3] Pour 1.5-2 ounces of bourbon into each 8-ounce glass, then add the hot cranberry mixture. Stir and sip while it’s still steaming.
Bloody-Rimmed Martini
Few cocktails spark more debate than the martini, but Halloween isn’t the time for purists. This version from Rollers is part showpiece, part dessert and all fun. Coconut cream tames the vodka, a red “blood” rim adds drama, and suddenly the martini becomes a spooky cousin, perfect for a haunted happy hour.
Ingredients
Red decorating icing writing gel
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup coconut-flavored rum
1/4 cup vanilla vodka (or regular vodka)
1/4 cup cream of coconut
Ice cubes
Directions
[1] Pipe red gel around the rim of 4-6 martini glasses, letting it drip down the sides for a gory effect. Set aside.
[2] In a pitcher, stir together the half-and-half, coconut rum, vodka and cream of coconut.
[3] Fill a shaker with ice, add the coconut mixture, cover and shake well.
[4] Divide evenly among the prepared glasses, and serve immediately.
