Festive drinks have been around long before we came a-caroling

Mulling it over

Long associated with the holiday season, mulled wine may not spring to mind as a go-to festive beverage, but Nicole Caylor of Aftermath Cidery & Winery in Valparaiso says an updated version of the drink — Aftermath’s Rudolph Red Mulled Wine — can still deliver the goods, warming the heart and tummy like a good winter spirit should.

Simply heat (but don’t boil) a bottle in a crock pot for about 20 minutes, add cinnamon sticks and orange slices (and, if you’re so inclined, a shot of your favorite bourbon) and enjoy.

“Rudolph Red Mulled Wine is the perfect festive drink while completing all your fun holiday tasks,” she says. “Our proprietary blend of wine and spices immerses you in all the smells and tastes of the holidays.”

Pouring it on

Bars and restaurants throughout Southland will continue the long tradition of serving satisfying and celebratory holiday cocktails this season — some by turning to tried-and-true classics and others by aiming for something a little more novel or offbeat. In either case, revelers can expect a little more peppermint, maybe a few more cranberries and, of course, an abundance of good cheer. Here are a few ideas to sample from a handful of local places while you’re out and about this holiday season — or to mix yourself while entertaining at home.

Girl in the Park

Orland Park

Just as they do throughout the year, the crack mixologists at this longtime favorite try to take a less predictable approach to their holiday specialties — and bartender Daniel Gonzalez (a Southland’s Best winner for Best Male Bartender in 2023) says guests can’t seem to get enough of them. That said, the exact recipes are considered house secrets, so a trip to Orland Park may be in order this holiday season.

The Mistress

Ingredients

Ketel One grapefruit rose

Pomegranate liqueur

Rosemary syrup

Lemon juice

Golden Ticket

Ingredients

Old Forester 1920

Simple syrup

Cherries

Chocolate bitters

Winter Sky

Ingredients

Pea Flower infused gin

Violet liqueur

Maraschino liqueur

Lemon

JBD White Horse Inn

New Lenox

There’s nothing terribly complicated or exotic about the seasonal cocktails at this New Lenox staple — just classic holiday flavors blended into concoctions that somehow wind up tasting like Christmas in a glass.

Snowflake Martini

Ingredients

3 ounces vanilla vodka

1 ounce cream of coconut

Shake and pour into glass rimmed with chocolate and coconut pieces.

North Pole

Ingredients

3 ounces raspberry vodka

1 1/2 ounce Kahlua

2 squeezes of chocolate syrup

Creamer

Pour into glass rimmed with chocolate and top with whipped cream.

Chocolate Peppermint Martini

Ingredients

2 1/2 ounces peppermint vodka

1 ounce Rumchata

2 squeezes of chocolate syrup

Shake and pour into glass rimmed with chocolate and pieces of peppermint.

Union Bar & Grill

Tinley Park

Bar manager Alyssa says the crew at Union experiments with holiday drinks every season, making tweaks here and there to nail down a couple of winners. This year’s Christmas Cookie Martini, for example, took some time to take its current popular shape. “It began last year as a shot and was such a hit we decided to take it to the next level as a martini,” she says.

Christmas Cookie Martini

Ingredients

Whipped cream vodka

Butterscotch liqueur

Disaronno Amaretto

Sugar Cookie Cream

Pour into glass garnished with a vanilla frosted rim and cover in festive sprinkles.

‘Tis the Season

Ingredients

Casamigos blanco tequila

Cointreau orange liqueur

Homemade simple syrup

Freshly squeezed lime

Cranberry juice

Pour into a glass with a sugary rim and add fresh rosemary.