When Ginger Snapped
Created by: Dimitri Lewis
Submitted by: Jackie Carlton
Company: Smashing Grapes Kitchen & Wine Bar
Location: Gambrills, MD

When Ginger Snapped Recipe:
1.5 ounces Captain Morgan
.5 Domaine De Canton Ginger Liqueur
.25 ounce Half & Half
.5 ounce Vanilla Ice Cream
.5 Simple Syrup
1 egg white liquid

Christmas In The Andes
Created by: John Marsh
Company: Ellen's
Location: Dallas, TX

Over the holidays last year, one of my colleagues, Buster, challenged me to a "Nog-Off." She and I each made batches of our eggnog recipes to taste and judge. Her nog was clearly superior to my own. When I heard about Tripleseat's Sip-Sational Cocktail Challenge, I knew I had another opportunity to kick her ass. I usually use Bourbon and Aged Rum in my eggnog but for this I wanted to do something unique. One of the things I associate with Christmas is candy canes. I wanted to do something with peppermint to reflect that association. The flavors of the Peppermint Eggnog I came up with reminded us of Andes Mints so we decided to reflect that in the name, but subtly. Eggnog is a holiday go-to, but we hope this take on an old favorite reminds you that traditions can be dusted off and freshened up. Buster, who loves to judge, agrees that this is a winner.

Christmas in the Andes Recipe:
8 Eggs, separated
3/4 cup Sugar
1 quart Whole Milk (preferably organic)
1 pint Heavy Cream
8 ounces VS Cognac (Claude Chatelier)
6 ounces Tempus Fugit Creme de Menthe
4 ounces Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao
Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Block

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thickened and the color has lightened.
Stir in the milk, cream, Cognac, Creme de Menthe, and Creme de Cacao.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the other bowl's contents.
Serve in a coupe. Top with more of the egg whites, if desired.
Grate the Callebaut chocolate over the finished drink.

The Sugar Plum Fairy
Created by: Rachel Markoja
Company: Hopmonk Tavern
Location: Novato, CA

My cocktail is based on my love for the play "The Nutcracker". My Nana and I had a tradition of seeing the play every year around the holidays. Whenever I think of winter and the giving season, I think of the Nutcracker and the fond, loving memories I have of the story. I named the drink after my favorite character, the Sugar Plum Fairy. My Nana passed away 2 years ago, and now that I am a mom I have started the tradition with my son. This cocktail is very special to me and I hope you love it as much as I do!

The Sugar Plum Fairy Recipe:
2 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1 oz spiced Plum syrup
.75 oz fresh lemon
1 egg white

Add ingredients to cocktail tin and dry shake (without ice) vigorously. Add ice and shake again. Double strain into coupe glass. Garnish with snow dusted rosemary, edible flower and star anise. Sprinkle with fairy dust (edible glitter)

Scoma's Vintage Egg Nog
Created by: Scoma's Restaurant
Submitted by: Melissa Amato
Company: Scoma's Restaurant
Location: San Francisco, CA

Made with rum, cognac, sherry, creme anglaise, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, Scoma's Vintage Egg Nog is aged for a year with a flavor that can't be beat. This San Francisco favorite sells out every year and is a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

Scoma's Vintage Egg Nog Recipe: Rum, cognac, sherry, creme anglaise, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg

MC'S Elegant Eggnog
Created by: Wesley James
Company: Casati's
Location: Chicago, IL

I have always made eggnog every year and was inspired to make an upscale version of that. So this is in honor of my grandmother. MC is my grandmother, which is where the name came from.

MC'S Elegant Eggnog Recipe:
"1.25 oz spiced simple syrup (see recipe below)
1.5 oz E&J VS Brandy
1 oz Watershed Barel Aged Nocino
.5 oz Heavy Cream
1 egg
-combine ingredients in shaker tin.
-dry shake
-add ice
-shake for 10 seconds
-double strain into a coup glass
- garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and 1 star anise.

Spiced Simple Syrup
1 star anise
5 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup hot water
1 tsp of vanilla extract
-Combine ingredients except vanilla. Let sit for two hours. Strain. Add sugar equal to weight of spiced infused water and add vanilla extract. "

Caribbean Snowball
Created by: Courtney Wright
Company name: 1487 Brewery
Location: Plain City, Ohio

The Founder of our brewery is in love with Bumbu Rum products. We wanted to make an elevated dessert drink that not only he would enjoy, but when he chats up the guests over cigars by fire pit in the wintertime, the guests could look at him drinking it and immediately inquire about it. It looks great and has a unique great taste and was released for our Winter Holiday party season. The name comes from it being a rum imported from the Caribbean and a play on winter.

Caribbean Snowball Recipe:
1.5 oz of Bumbu Creme
.5 oz of Bumbu Rum
.5 oz of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Whipped Cream
Sprinkles

The Reindeer Games
Created by: Jason McKinney
Company: The Brink Lounge
Location: Madison, WI

The original drink was a very popular during this last winter cocktail list that I created. I went back to the drawing board and tweaked it to make the cocktail have a more diverse flavor profile.

The Reindeer Games Recipe:
1.5oz Belvedere Vodka
0.25oz Lime Juice
0.75oz Mulled Cranberry Simple Syrup
3 dashes Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters
1 slice (3/4") Ginger Root
Cinnamon Sugar (3:1)
Maraschino Cherry
2 Rosemary Sprigs

Prepare a tumbler by rimming the glass with cinnamon sugar and add ice. Muddle ginger root in an empty cocktail shaker tin. Add vodka, lime juice, simple syrup and bitters into the shaker tin and add ice. Shake for 15 seconds and then double strain into the tumbler glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a pick in the front of the drink and the 2 rosemary sprigs on either side.

Mulled Cranberry Simple Syrup Recipe:
4 cups Cranberry Juice
2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 cup Water
1 cup Granulated Sugar
2 slices Lemon
1 Orange, sliced
3 slices Ginger Root (1/2"") thick
1 Clove
2 Star Anise

In a medium saucepan, add all ingredients except for the water and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Continue to simmer until the resulting liquid is reduced by half. Turn off heat and then add the water and granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Strain final mixture into a container and let cool to room temperature.

White Elephant
Created by: Andrew Pollard
Submitted by: Michelle O'Hala
Company: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Location: Las Vegas, NV

The ‘White Elephant’ is intended to be served with a gift box and surprise QR Code ‘Gift’ that can be redeemed

White Elephant Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
1 1/2 oz. Ocean Spray White Cranberry Juice
1/2oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2oz. Monin Caramel Apple Butter Syrup
1/2oz. Campari
1 1/2 oz. Remy Martin 1738 Cognac

Garnish:
Powdered Sugar ‘Snow’, Rosemary Sprig, Grapefruit Twist

Glassware:
Coupe

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin filled 2/3 with, shake vigorously and doublestrain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish and Serve.

Cocktail DNA:
Sidecar, Holiday Seasonal ‘Christmas in a Glass’, Warm, Comforting, Complex

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Beer
Created by: Zach Fromm, Events Lead Bartender
Submitted by: Kati O'Brien
Company: Hotel Tango Distillery
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Hotel Tango is traditionally known for innovative and elaborate cocktails, but during the holiday season, we host an over-the-top Holiday Pop-up bar called Salute to Santa to help support The Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots Program! Salute to Santa features super over-the-top decor, limited edition Holiday cocktail menu and themed snacks.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Beer Recipe:
2oz BOURBON
1oz CARMEL
1oz BUTTERSCOTCH
2oz CREAM SODA

ADD ALL INGREDIENTS IN A COCKTAIL TIN WITH ICE
STIR AND STRAIN INTO A CUP OF YOUR CHOICE
TOP WITH WHIPPED CREAM & DRIZZLE BUTTERSCOTCH & CARMEL SYRUP

The Negligent Reindeer
Created by: Tony Hicks
Submitted by: Anna Sargent
Company: Trophy Club
Location: Sacramento, CA

At Trophy Club, we pride ourselves on our creativity. That extends itself beyond just our menu, but to our ability to discern your palate through conversation. Our ever-evolving, thoughtfully curated spirit list guarantees we will always have the pleasure of showing you something new.

Tony Hicks on his holiday cocktail creation:

"I've always been obsessed with the flavor profile of almonds and cherries, and recently brought in a liqueur I absolutely adore that contains that essence beautifully. When this competition was brought to my attention, I knew I had to include Tempus Fugit Noyaux for it's aforementioned character. All of those flavors flowed so well with baking spice & marmalade, which are staples of the Glenmorangie Distillery line. I used the X because it was created by bartenders for the sole purpose of creating a fantastic Scotch designed to elevate cocktails. With the primary structures in place, I added some bitterness and citrus, smoothed it out with an egg, and voila! And as for the name, I just felt that perhaps the reindeer who ran over grandma was an avid fan of cocktails themselves."

The Negligent Reindeer Recipe: "2oz Glenmorangie X
.75oz Tempus Fugit Noyaux
.5oz Galliano Aperitivo
.75oz Lemon
.86oz Cinnamon syrup
4 dashes Sarsaparilla bitters
Egg white

Combine all ingredients into a shaker; use preferred egg white shake method (mine is a NY shake), strain into a coupe

Garnish: Tarragon spring, cherries, Angostura bitter art

Mistletoe Margarita
Created by: Rob Day, Beverage Director
Submitted by: Megan Fightmaster
Company: Richard Sandoval Hospitality
Location: Denver, CO

As a Latin company, the margarita is our best selling cocktail. We created this drink specifically for our featured cocktail on our Holiday Event Menus and it's been a fan favorite ever since.

Mistletoe Margarita Recipe:
1 ½ oz. Blanco Tequila
½ oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Lime
1 oz. Cranberry/Rosemary syrup* Shake, Double Old Fashioned glass, salt rim, add frozen cranberries or pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig

*Cranberry/Rosemary Syrup = 1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, 6-8 sprigs of rosemary, 1 L white sugar, 1 L water. Combine ingredients in a pot, bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain into a clean container, label. *

Borracho Noël
Created by: Evans Horn
Company: RMD Group
Location: San Diego, CA

Whilst I did not grow up in a Latin home I have always loved spiced hot chocolate and it has become a favorite for the holidays. Boozy and rich it is just what is needed to survive the holidays.

Borracho Noël Recipe:
Melt chocolate into a mixture of milk/half and half using 50/50 bittersweet or dark and milk chocolate (approx 1qt)
when hot add:
4oz reposado tequila (corralejo repo for the red bottle)
4oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida for the green bottle)
4oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur
2oz Licor 43
2oz Coinntreau
2 tablespoons grated cinnamon
2 tablespoons chili powder

Pour into 4 warmed mugs and top with marshmallows/marshmallow fluff and shaved chocolate and cinnamon"