10 Creative Cocktails

Raise a glass to these fun and festive signature drink ideas!

Want to get your wedding party started in style? Take inspiration from the colorful creations here. Each is sure to lift your spirits!


Lovers Lemonade
From Deussen Global Communications, Inc.

Ingredients: 
1 oz. Frangelico
1 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger Vodka

Directions:
Shake Frangelico and SKYY Infusions Ginger Vodka with ice and strain into a tall glass.
Fill with ice, top with lemonade and garnish with a sugared lemon wedge.

Photo courtesy of Deussen Global Communications, Inc.


Only You
From Deussen Global Communications, Inc.

Ingredients: 
1 oz. CAMUS VS or VSOP
2 drops (.25 of oz.) of raspberry liquor (such as Chambord)
3 oz. of French sparkling wine or champagne

Directions:
Combine the CAMUS with the raspberry liquor.
Top with French sparkling wine or champagne.
Add a citrus twist a top for garnish.

Photo courtesy of Deussen Global Communications, Inc.


Happily Ever After
From Deussen Global Communications, Inc.

Ingredients: 
1.25 oz. Frangelico
1.25 oz. pomegranate liqueur
Dash of Auchentoshen scotch
Splash of soda water

Directions:
Combine ingredients with ice and stir.
Strain to a chilled martini glass that is rimmed with red sugar crystals.
Garnish with an edible flower petal.

Photo courtesy of Deussen Global Communications, Inc.


Cactus-Pear Tequila Martini
From mixologist Ryan Maerz at Canard, Inc.

Ingredients: 
2 oz Cactus Pear Infused Tequila (our pro uses Voodoo Tiki Desert Rose Infused Tequila)
2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
Splash of champagne

Directions:
Combine and shake the first three ingredients in a shaker.
Add a splash of champagne to the mix and pour into a martini glass.

Photo courtesy of canardinc.com


Twisted Arnold Palmer 
From Duvall Events, SC

Ingredients:

1 part Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka 
2 parts lemonade 

Directions:
Combine ingredients and serve over ice.
Garnish with any of the following: sprig of mint, raspberry skewer, blueberry skewer, orange, lemon.

Photo courtesy of Duvall Catering & Events


Stoli Chocolat Razberi Pomegranate Twist

From Charlotte Voisey of William Grant & Sons
.

Ingredients
2 parts Stoli Chocolat Razberi Vodka
1 part pomegranate Juice
Raspberries

Directions
Combine first two ingredients in a shaker; add ice and shake.
Garnish with raspberry.

Photo courtesy of Stoli


Carrot Caramel Soda

From Terzo Piano at the Art Institute of Chicago.

From beverage manager Ryan Paykert and pastry chef Megan Neubeck.

Ingredients:
2 oz carrot caramel sauce (recipe below)
6 oz club soda
Melon for garnish (optional)

Directions:
To make the soda, combine carrot caramel syrup with club soda in a glass with ice. Stir with long spoon to combine.
Garnish: Dice honeydew melon in ½ inch cubes.  Skewer 4 or 5 pieces on a cocktail pick, and drop on the top of the soda.

Carrot Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
2 large carrots
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Peel carrots and cut into equal sized chunks. Put in a pot and cover with water, move to stovetop. Cook carrots over high heat until soft. Strain the carrots, reserving the cooking water.

Transfer cooked carrots to a blender. Add some cooking water to puree smooth. Add more water if the puree is too thick to blend.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups of sugar with ¼ cup of water and stir. Cook over medium heat to make caramel (do not stir while the sugar is cooking, this could cause crystallization to occur). Watch the pan carefully as the sugar begins to darken in color, swirling the pan carefully to even out the caramelization.

When the caramel is an amber color, remove from heat. Very carefully, add the carrot puree to the pot a little at a time, whisking as it is added (the sugar will bubble as the steam emerges from the very hot caramel, so be very cautious with this step).

Finally, whisk in the butter and salt. Cool the syrup completely before using.

Photo Credit: Jennifer McDonald


Minty Melon Martini

From Blackstone Caterers, RI.  

Ingredients:
1.5 oz citrus vodka
.5 oz Cointreau
.5 oz simple syrup
3.0 oz pear nectar
.5 oz honeydew melon puree
Splash of Midori (just enough for color)
Chopped mint leaves

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add a bit of chopped fresh mint leaves and shake. Fill a glass with ice, and pour cocktail into glass. Garnish with a skewer with a fresh mint leaves and a honeydew melon ball.

Photo courtesy of Blackstone Caterers


Prosecco Fresco
From Ruffino Prosecco

Ingredients:
16 oz chilled Ruffino Prosecco
4 cucumbers
4 lime wedges
Hot sauce
Sea salt

Directions:
Peel cucumbers and puree in blender.
Strain cucumber juice evenly into 4 glasses.
Top off with Ruffino Prosecco.
Finish with a dash of hot sauce and a pinch of salt.
Gently stir to combine. Garnish with lime.

Photo Credit: Hannah Thomson for Ruffino

 


Blood-Orange Bourbon Cocktail

From Shiraz Events, NYC and Miami


Ingredients:
3 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon
1.5 oz. blood orange juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
.5 oz. thyme simple syrup (recipe below)
Thyme sprig
Orange peel

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 4 large ice cubes, stir with a cocktail spoon. Strain into a glass with 4 large ice cubes. Garnish with a thyme sprig and/or a twist of orange peel.

Directions for Simple Syrup:
Combine equal parts fine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a low boil and take off heat. Add 6-10 sprigs of fresh thyme and let steep for 15 minutes. Let cool and set aside.

Photo Credit: Carol Lee