The end of the year is almost upon us, and you may already be thinking about your plans, but what about New Year’s Eve cocktails?
Fireworks and kisses are designed to start a new year with a bang, but NYE cocktails can be a creative accompaniment to make the night extra special. If you’re a member of the one in seven Americans participating in Dry January, this is also your last chance to enjoy a drink.
So, here are our top cocktails to toast the end of one year and the beginning of a new one.
6 Best New Year’s Eve Cocktails 2023
Everyone has their favorite flavor during the winter holidays, but the festivities are also an opportunity to try something new.
For example, according to Forbes, vodka is America’s top alcohol choice at New Year’s, followed closely by red and white wine. If you want to get inspired by new ways to use your favorite liquor, here are some new spirits to try.
1. Kir Cocktail
The kir is a classic berry-flavored cocktail straight from 19th-century France. Invented by the enigmatic Canon Felix Kir, the mayor of Dijon, this is one of the few cocktails to use crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur.
It’s also one of the simplest cocktails you’ll come across, so if you’re missing wine season, give it a try!
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – 0 minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serving – One person
· Calories – 139 kcal
Ingredients
· Five ounces of chilled dry white wine
· ¼ ounce of crème de cassis
Instructions
1. Pour your crème de cassis into a wine glass.
2. Add the white wine slowly.
3. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
· Add extra liqueur for a sweeter drink.
· Make a Kir Royale by adding premium luxury champagne.
2. Espresso Martini
The espresso martini has extended millions of evenings since the 1980s. Invented by Dick Bradsell, this is one of the most popular cocktails on the planet.
Beware that this vodka cocktail is tasty but high-voltage, so it’s a drink for earlier in the evening, not later.
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – Zero minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serves – One person
· Calories – 180 kcal
Ingredients
· 1.5 ounces of vodka
· ¾ ounces of coffee liqueur
· One ounce of chilled espresso
· ¼ ounce of crème de cacao liqueur
· Three whole coffee beans
Instructions
1. Pour your liquids into a chilled cocktail shaker.
2. Shake for 20-30 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with your coffee beans.
Notes
· Choose a premium vodka for a better drink.
· Avoid using coffee, or you risk getting a watery drink.
3. Negroni Classic
Do you know how to drink gin but want a sophisticated aperitif for your New Year’s Eve celebrations? Then look no further than the classic Negroni.
These New Year’s Eve cocktails will keep everyone dancing until midnight, and here’s how to make it.
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – 0 minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serves – One person
· Calories – 200 kcal
Ingredients
· One ounce of gin
· One ounce of Campari
· One ounce of sweet vermouth
· Orange slice
Instructions
1. Pour your ingredients into an old-fashioned glass.
2. Stir well.
3. Garnish with an orange slice.
Notes
· These gin cocktails require a high-end gin to get the best from them.
· Note that an open sweet vermouth has a shelf life of just three months, so don’t use last year’s!
4. Bay Breeze
Dream of white beaches and turquoise waters to beat off the winter blues with these New Year’s Eve cocktails.
This simple mixed drink is a summer cocktail and a winter one. It has a tropical taste that’s simple to mix and tastes like the Caribbean.
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – 0 minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serves – One person
· Calories – 239 kcal
Ingredients
· Two ounces of vodka
· Three ounces of cranberry juice
· Three ounces of pineapple juice
· One lime wedge
Instructions
1. Pour the vodka into a highball glass with ice.
2. Finish with your juices in equal parts.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Notes
· Middle-shelf vodkas work best with these New Year’s Eve cocktails.
· Bay Breezes work as long and short drinks.
5. Cranberry Cocktail
Nothing says winter holidays like cranberries. This holiday table staple can also become a staple of your new year with its pretty red hues and tongue-twisting tartness.
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – 0 minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serves – One person
· Calories – 231 kcal
Ingredients
· ¼ of a cup of fresh cranberries
· Five ounces of ginger ale
· 1.5 ounces of vodka
· Five mint leaves
· One lime wedge
· One teaspoon of brown sugar
· Sprig of mint
Instructions
1. Add your liquids to a cocktail shaker.
2. Muddle the mixture.
3. Add ice and shake for 10 seconds.
4. Pour into an iced rocks glass and add ginger ale.
5. Garnish with mint.
Notes
· Eliminate the vodka to make a cranberry mocktail.
· Add apple cider to balance the cranberry’s tartness.
6. Coffee Old-Fashioned
Worried about your guests going off to bed? Then you need this bourbon and coffee cocktail to keep the party going.
Bringing a premium bourbon to the table is an opportunity to try a new flavor and give yourself an energy boost when you’re flagging as midnight closes in.
· Prep Time – Three minutes
· Cook Time – 0 minutes
· Total Time – Three minutes
· Serves – One person
· Calories – 149 kcal
Ingredients
· 1.5 ounces of bourbon whisky
· One ounce of espresso chilled
· ½ ounce of dark crème de cacao liqueur
· 1.5 ounces of water
· ¼ ounce of simple syrup
· Two dashes of orange bitters
· Three coffee beans
Instructions
1. Pour everything into a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with ice.
4. Garnish with coffee beans.
Notes
· Skip the water for a stronger cocktail.
· Serve over an ice ball to slow down the dilution.
Festive NYE Cocktails Conclusion
Our top picks include many of the best cocktails in the world, but there’s a whole world of drinks to try.
Ring in 2024 the right way with New Year’s Eve cocktails that will impress your guests. At Flavor Fix, we also have a range of cannabis strain pairings for you to take your party to the next level.
Check out our platform for more guides now.
