Holiday Cocktails to Enjoy from Around the World

       

Grinch Cocktail / Southernmost Beach Resort 
Heading to a tropical locale to catch the holiday spirit might seem contradictory, but Key West’s Southernmost Beach Resort is a vision of old southern charm with tons of festive surprises. Visitors can enjoy several limited edition holiday cocktails at the two bars onsite, including their signature Grinch cocktail – quickly becoming a crowd favorite. Cheers!
 Ingredients:
  • 1.5 oz. Midori
  • 1oz. White Rum
  • Sprite
  • Cherry to Garnish
 Directions: Combine the midori and white rum in a shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly to combine the mixture. Strain the combination into a short glass, then top it off with Sprite. Garnish the completed drink with a cherry at the bottom.
Coquito / Caribe Hilton 
There’s nothing like the festive season in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The holiday festivities begin on Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve where locals feast on authentic eats like pork, rice, beans and, of course, coquito. Meaning “little coconut” in Spanish, coquito is a traditional Christmas drink that originated in Puerto Rico and is a staple during the holiday season. While Caribe Hilton’s claim to fame is inventing the iconic piña colada, the property also serves a delicious coquito during the holiday season. Made with a creamy, coconut base and rum, it’s often referred to as Puerto Rican eggnog.
Ingredients:
  • 12oz Coconut Milk Unsweetened
  • 12oz Evaporated Milk
  • 12oz Coconut Cream
  • 12oz Condensed Milk
  • 4 cups Barrilito Rum
  • 3 tbls Ground Cinnamon
  • 5 ea Cinnamon Sticks
  • 3 tbsl Vanilla Extract

Directions: Mix all ingredients together except the rum and slowly bring to a simmer, mixing constantly. Let cool until room temperature is reached and then add rum. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve cold in a shot glass. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and cinnamon powder.

(Naughty) Hot Chocolate /  Hotel Ranga | Iceland
A Christmas Eve tradition in Iceland is to give/receive books (called a “book flood” ) and to spend the evening curling up with a new read and a cup of hot chocolate. While the 13 Yule Lads (instead of Santa) will deem whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you can decide how you want your hot cocoa at Hotel Ranga after a day of arctic adventures. Using the cream instead of just milk makes the consistency of the hot chocolate thicker, because you’ll need that extra layer for an evening of stargazing or awaiting the Northern Lights.
Ingredients:
  • 1 oz Stroh
  • Hot Chocolate A La Hotel Rangá (recipe below)
  • Lightly whipped cream
  • Chocolate flakes
Hot chocolate A La Hotel Rangá
Ingredients:
  • 1 c milk
  • 1 c cream
  • 2 c dark chocolate
  • ½ c sugar
Directions: Boil milk and cream in a pot until it starts boiling. Set aside. Add 300 gr dark chocolate and 100 gr sugar. Mix in with the milk until all the chocolate is melted. Add a shot of Stroh to make it naughty, or don’t to make it nice. Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle chocolate flakes on top.
The Snowflake Martini / Hyatt Centric Las Olas 
Despite the warm, sunny weather, getting into the holiday spirit in South Florida doesn’t have to be as tough as you think. This holiday season, Harborwood Urban Kitchen & Bar inside Hyatt Centric Las Olas is serving up a menu of five different festive cocktails guaranteed to put guests in the holiday spirit including the Snowflake Martini. The holiday season can be a little hectic, so treat yourself and unwind with this holiday libation.
Ingredients
  • 1.5 oz Absolute Vanilla Vodka
  • .5 oz Peppermint Schnapps
  • 1 oz White Chocolate Liqueur
  • 1 pump White Chocolate Sauce
  • 2 oz Heavy Cream
Directions: Combine ingredients with ice, shake and strain. Sugar the rim and garnish with a mini candy cane.
The Spiced Apple Pie at Hilton Aventura Miami 
Deck the halls or ring in the new year with the help of the new and luxurious Hilton Aventura Miami. Opened in March 2021, the hotel’s stunning skyline views, elevated pool deck with cabanas and wait service, fitness studio, and robust culinary program serve as the crown jewels of the area for both guests and locals. This season’s holiday programming at the hotel includes a limited edition signature cocktail, called the Spiced Apple Pie. Take some of Hilton’s holiday magic home with you with this incredible recipe, to warm your hearts and lift your spirits.
Ingredients:
  • 1.25 oz Apple Pie Moonshine
  • .25 oz spiced cinnamon-chili syrup
  • 2 oz Broski Crisp Cider (local)
Directions: Shake 20x Strain in coupe glass. Garnish with a dehydrated apple slice.
Curaçao Pistacho Ponche Krema Eggnog
Curaçao’s blend of over 55 different cultures makes for a colorful, distinct and unique holiday season! Locals take Christmas very seriously, with a big emphasis on family and large meals shared with loved ones. Every traditional Christmas dinner in Curacao includes Ponche Krema de Pistacho, or locally made pistachio eggnog spiked with rum! With latin influences hailing from Venezuela, just 50 miles away, local chef Désirée Da Costa Gomez’s Ponche Krema is made with sweet flan mix and traditional condensed milk. Meanwhile, the pistachio flavoring is unique to the Dutch-Caribbean island recipe. And whereas American eggnog is usually spiked with brandy, Curaçao’s iteration uses rum – a Caribbean cocktail staple.
Ingredients:
  • 1 (77 gram) package Royal Flan
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (88 gram) package instant Pistachio Pudding and Pie Filling
  • 1/2 (395 gram) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup rum
  • 1 tsp white vanilla
Directions: Add 2 cups of milk to the flan mix in a saucepan, stirring to keep the mixture smooth. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full bubbling boil. Remove from heat
and let cool for about 15 minutes. In a blender, combine flan mixture, instant Pistachio Pudding and Pie Filling package, sweetened condensed milk, rum and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour the eggnog into a glass bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve. Shake well and serve over ice. ±4 cups.
Red Pearl Fizz / Bonaire
The rainbow colored architecture, palm trees and cacti of Bonaire draped in twinkling lights make this warm weather Dutch Caribbean island a magical destination to spend the holidays. Inspired by the season, Eddie Trenidad, the owner of Bonaire’s newest and chicest bar, Tiki & Co. created the Red Pearl Fizz. Made with Worthy Park Rum, egg whites and cranberry bitters, this stunning, holiday-colored cocktail is flared out like a Christmas Tree with aromatic rosemary, a snow-sprinkled blackberry and of course, not without the tropical tiki touch of a Bonaire-blue umbrella. Follow the annual evening of Christmas shopping along the main street of Kralendijk paired with live entertainment, a parade and the Festival De Bari, with this treasure of a nightcap at Tiki & Co.
Ingredients:
  • 50 ml Worthy Park Select Rum
  • 25 ml St. Germain Elderflower liq.
  • 10 ml Black Cherry Syrup
  • 20 ml Lime Juice
  • 15 ml Pineapple Juice
  • 3 dash of Cranberry bitters
  • Egg white                         
Directions: Add all ingredients in a shaker. Dry shake without ice first, then add ice in the shaker. Shake again. Double strain in a wine glass. Garnish as you please.
Ponche Aruba / Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino 
Aruba’s signature holiday drink, Ponche Aruba, holds all the festive feels in one sip. Comparable to eggnog, Ponche Aruba is the perfect cocktail to indulge next to a warm fire pit, a nice restaurant, or even at home. Needing only three main ingredients, Ponche Crema Liqueur, Spiced Rum, and Amaretto, curating this drink is fast, simple, and a go-to when entertaining friends and family. This cocktail is enjoyed best at the beachfront Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, though can be seamlessly recreated at home for a tropical holiday treat.
Ingredients:
  • 2 oz Ponche Crema Liqueur
  • 1 ½ oz Spiced Rum
  • ¾ oz Amaretto
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large glass over ice. Garnish with grated cinnamon and a cinnamon stick.
Guavaberry Colada / St. Maarten
Spreading holiday cheer in St. Maarten means going caroling… and being thanked with rum! Guavaberry rum, now known as the island’s national liquor, was originally considered a holiday drink, such as the equivalent of eggnog. Around Christmas time, church choirs, families and other groups would unite and go door-to-door serenading their neighbors and local businesses with their favorite holiday tunes, and as a token of appreciation, often receive a shot of Guavaberry in return. Made from oak-aged rum combined with cane sugar and locally hand-picked guava berries, the popular rum is luckily now available year round and is best served in a Guavaberry Colada — fruity, refreshing, and perfect for a tropical holiday.
 Ingredients:
  • 2oz Sint Maarten Guavaberry
  • 1oz Coconut Cream
  • 3oz Pineapple Juice or Pieces
  • Ice

Directions: Put ice in a blender, add Sint Maarten Guavaberry, Cream of Coconut, pineapple pieces or juice. Blend well. Garnish with pineapple, toasted coconut & fresh nutmeg. Option to add a Guavaberry floater on top.

Bimini Evergreen / Resorts World Bimini
A tropical holiday getaway is unlike any other in Bimini, the closest Bahamian island to the coastal U.S. and home to Resorts World Bimini — an oceanfront complex that encompasses a chic Hilton hotel, spa, world-class casino, marina, and a brand new day club. The hotel’s signature Bimini Evergreen cocktail is a delicious mix of gold and coconut rums, fruity flavors and a touch of rosemary and cranberry — quintessential holiday ingredients that make for a perfect refreshment under the Bahamian sun. Guests can choose from three pools on property to sit back and sip, including the hotel’s ground floor lagoon pool, rooftop infinity pool, or recently-opened RW Bimini Beach — a 4.5 day club that blends laidback luxury with unrivaled ocean backdrops and vibes similar to beach clubs found in Mykonos or Tulum. All pools have bars that serve specialty cocktails and local bites to pair with your Bimini Evergreen drink. Cheers!
Ingredients
  • 1 oz. Gold Rum
  • ½ oz. Coconut Rum
  • 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • ¾ oz. Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
  • 1 oz. Rosemary Syrup
  • 2 oz. Club Soda

Directions: Make the Rosemary Syrup by combining equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Add 3 sprigs of Rosemary and bring to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes prior to using. Mix the drink: In a cocktail shaker, combine the first five ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into a 12 oz. glass filled with ice and top with club soda. Garnish with Maraschino Cherry and whole Cranberries.

“Ron Ponche” / The Santa Maria Panama, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Golf Resort, Panama City

An urban oasis in the heart of Panama City, The Santa Maria, Panama, a Luxury Collection Hotel keeps things festive around the holidays. The property is known for its fabulous Sunday brunch, which features Panama’s star holiday drink —Ron Ponche, made with local Ron Abuelo. A world-class golf course, incredible spa and sprawling infinity pool round out offerings that make The Santa Maria the best place to celebrate the holidays in style.

Ingredients
  • 5 pasteurized eggs
  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • 1 cup of condensed milk
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup of Ron Abuelo
Directions: Combine the condensed milk, whole milk, heavy whipping cream eggs and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the mixture to a pot over medium heat until it begins to foam. Remove mixture from the stove and let cool. Once cooled, stir in the Ron Abuelo and keep refrigerated until ready to be served.