This cocktail from Will Green at The Hoot in Columbia, S.C., skillfully utilizes Cheerwine Holiday Punch’s fruity and gingery notes, balanced with rye and bitters to curb the sweetness. Citrus adds aroma and a touch of bitterness, while pear and blended ginger enhance the body and spice, creating a cocktail with a velvety texture, warm ginger kick and a burst of fresh fruit aroma complemented by the soda’s foundational flavor.
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 20 oz Bulleit rye
- 24 oz Cheerwine Holiday Punch
- 16 oz fruit blend
- 10 dashes Bittermens Hellfire Shrub
- 5 dashes Peychaud Bitters
Fruit Blend
- 3 whole mandarin oranges
- 2 ripe pears (seeded and stemmed)
- 4 inches peeled ginger
Instructions
Cocktail
Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl. Float large chunks of ice with sections of mandarin frozen inside. Garnish individual glasses with spirals of mandarin zest.
Fruit Blend
In a blender/food processor, add 3 mandarin oranges (whole), 2 ripe pears (seeded and stemmed) and 4 inches peeled ginger. Add 8 oz Cheerwine Holiday Punch and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve.
