Dry January is fast approaching an end, which can only mean one thing… it is time to crack out the cocktail menu again! When Christmas feels like a distant memory and that vow you made to stick to mocktails has already been done away with, you may find yourself trying to come up with new and exciting combinations to try in the new year! Whether you want to seriously impress your next dinner guests or surprise your host with a newfound bar-tending talent, read on to find out the best cocktails to try this year!
Cocktails, the perfect mix of elegance and flavour with endless opportunities for palate-pleasing combinations. Whether you are after a refreshing hit of a minty Mojito or a sickly-sweet Pina Colada, a cocktail is sure to hit the spot. Not only are cocktails culinary creations, they have increasingly become artistic pieces to marvel in their own right, it takes one scroll through your Instagram feed to find cocktails adorned with flower arrangements or covered in a cloud of candy floss, therefore if you want to make it in the cocktail game these days you have to either strike a chord of flavour combinations, that stand on their own two feet or have an artistic flare to bring the most basic Moscow Mule to life! This does mean that by perfecting your cocktail menu you can seriously impress your dinner party guests, leaving them begging for your recipes. Luckily for you, we are here to help, running down the best cocktails to serve up at your next dinner party!
A perfectly balanced sweet, sour and bubbly combo originating from Mexico, the Paloma is a classic that combines zingy flavours of grapefruit, balanced by the smooth sweetness of Tequila, and topped off with a sprinkle of salty club soda. Thought to have originated from the 1860 Spanish folk song ‘La Paloma’ meaning ‘The Dove’ in English, it is sure to make the palates of your dinner party guests’ soar straight to flavour paradise, as the agave syrup sweetens this zesty and fresh cocktail perfectly. Try this cocktail out from November to June when grapefruits are in season to get the freshest cocktails possible!
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Shaken not stirred….. but with a spin. Whilst Bond was known for surveying the scene whilst sipping on a Martini, Bond author Ian Fleming named this drink after a double-crossing agent, Vesper Lynd, in the 1953 classic Casino Royale. This mixture of gin and vodka is finished off with a floral-flavoured white vermouth and finished with a classic strip of lemon zest for style. Use this drink at a Bond-themed dinner party to immerse your guests in the experience or use it as a talking piece to get the trivia conversation going, either way, we are sure you will feel as sleek as Bond himself.
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Taking it back to basics, this explosively refreshing, classic Cuban cocktail will have your dinner party guests dancing the salsa in your back garden all night long! The tropical sweetness of the white rum and cane sugar is perfectly complemented by the star of the show, the mint! Top the pitcher off with a healthy glug of soda water and you have a centrepiece for your next dinner party table that is sure to go down a treat. Perfect for the summer weather but equally good as a winter pick-me-up to help with those cold winter evenings! Why not mix up the flavours and add some fresh strawberries or raspberries for a different take?
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This 1920s classic drink is amongst one of the earliest cocktail hits in the history books named after an Army captain who travelled in a motorcycle sidecar attachment in the First World War. Made with spicy Cognac, citrusy triple sec and topped up with a smash of lemon juice, you can dip the rim in sugar to balance the flavour profile to be attractive to a sweet-loving dinner guest! This citrusy cocktail pairs perfectly with a charcuterie board full of creamy cheeses and chutneys to complement the tart flavours of this cocktail, luckily for you, we have detailed exactly how to put together a charcuterie board to create the perfect appetiser course for your next dinner party!
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Transport your dinner party guests to the cobbled streets of Padua Italy with this Italian sunset in a glass. Indulge in the classic Italian tradition of an aperitif to elevate your dinner party experience and get the conversation flowing with a light and aromatic blend of Prosecco, Aperol and Soda. Why not have this cocktail as part of an Italian-themed dinner party with a Nomad Chef to prepare you an authentic Italian meal?
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Born out of Prohibition era when bathtub gin was well in fashion, its botanical and spiced flavour is intertwined with the floral sweetness of honey that earns this cocktail its name. A sweet cocktail that is perfect served as a dessert option following a light and refreshing spring-themed meal made with fresh and seasonal ingredients by our Nomad Chefs. Better yet, this cocktail is easily made in large quantities, so why not make it in advance and serve it in a pitcher with some fresh lemon slices at your next outdoor dinner party or barbecue whilst our Nomads grill up on storm on the grill?
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One of New Orleans's most famous cocktails, this drink is a showstopper to impress your dinner party guests and gain the title of best bartender of the group! Requiring a bit of elbow grease to shake up the zesty lemon juice and orange blossom water flavours into the gin, the presentation is taken to the next level when the single cream and pasteurised egg provide a creaminess and fluffy texture to the mix. Whilst you may crack a sweat making this cocktail it is definitely worth it and we reckon your guests wouldn't even notice because they’d be mesmerised by the magnificent appearance of this show-stopping cocktail!
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If you are planning on throwing the dinner party of the century in 2023, then playing bar tender may just be on the cards for you sometime soon! But if that sounds daunting and you don’t know your Daiquiris from your Mojitos, then you may want to dedicate your time to mastering this newfound skill and leave the cooking to someone else! Our Nomad Chefs would be delighted to help you pair your cocktail choices to the menu that they will expertly prepare and delight you and your guests with, from what cocktails will complement the seasonal ingredients of the meal, to how to spiral your lemon zest swirls! That way, you can sit back and sip your cocktail, looking cool as a cucumber in front of your guests!
