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Cocktail History
The Under The Mistletoe is a Christmas cocktail that was created at Big Bar in Chicago, Illinois. Essentially a fancier version of a Cranberry & Soda, the recipe muddles the holiday flavors of tart cranberry and zesty orange in simple syrup before topping them off with splashes of gin, cranberry juice, and fizzy water to make a light, easy sipper great for Christmastime.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
London Dry Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, alcohol, and water that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. I used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin.
Cranberry Juice: This is the liquid juice of cranberries. I used Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Club Soda: This is water that is carbonated through CO2 injection and infused with minerals. I used Polar Premium Club Soda.
Cranberries: This is a small red fruit. I used fresh cranberries.
Orange Slice: This is a slice of an orange that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Thyme Sprig: This is an herb.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is used to catch any ingredients that are spilled. I used the Highball & Chaser 18×12 Bar Mat.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. I used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used open circle pick from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
Highball Glass: This is used to hold the cocktail. I used a vintage Dorothy Thorpe Highball Glass.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Bright red-pink hue with an ombré effect
• Aroma: Orange, cranberry, and rosemary
• Taste: Straightforward cranberry-tart taste that’s accented with herbal gin
• Finish: Some sweetness from the syrup and cranberry for balance
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “This drink was described to me as something I could order in a dive bar year-round, and that’s pretty much exactly the phrase I’d use too. There’s nothing super surprising or complex about it, which means it’ll probably go over very well with gin drinkers, especially since the recipe will taste radically different depending on the brand you use. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite of the Christmas cocktails I have tried over the years, but the Under The Mistletoe gets a solid three stars from me.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Under The Mistletoe
The Under The Mistletoe is a Christmas cocktail that was created at Big Bar in Chicago, Illinois. Essentially a fancier version of a Cranberry & Soda, the recipe muddles the holiday flavors of tart cranberry and zesty orange in simple syrup before topping them off with splashes of gin, cranberry juice, and fizzy water to make a light, easy sipper great for Christmastime.
Ingredients
Method
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Add four cranberries, orange slices, and simple syrup to a highball glass.
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Muddle gently for 5-7 seconds.
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Add gin, cranberry juice, and cubed ice to glass.
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Top with club soda.
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Stir gently for 3-5 seconds.
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Garnish with remaining three cranberries and thyme sprig.
