Zach’s Holiday Ruse de Guerre

Pineapple Ink Tavern
Bartender: Zach

This one hits different. It tastes of nostalgia + sentiment. Sweet with the slightest hint of avant-garde bitterness. The gin is pronounced, and the spicy aquavit + well-rounded fruity vermouth with a spritz of orange provide seamless richness. Of course, I would expect no less than a bracing drink with such complexity from Zach.

Fair Mary

Arsenal Tap Room + Kitchen
Bartender: Meghan & Driftin

Meghan + Driftin collaborated to make this sophisticated cocktail. Consisting of aquavit, sweet vermouth, ginger liqueur, grapefruit juice + soda, a few aggressive stirs give this potent + lightly spicy + botanical drink a lovely chill. Laced with a nose of soft sage sourced from the owner’s herb garden, the eyes rest easy on its color, reminiscent of an heirloom bauble on a tree.

Boozy Peppermint-Chip Milkshake

Farmhaus Burger
Bartender: Alyssa

Boozy Peppermint-Chip Milkshake, because chocolate. And peppermint ice cream. And booze. One sip of Alyssa’s elfin magic and visions of sugar plum fairies danced in my head. Two sips and eleven lords a leapin’ joined in. By the third sip, they were all doing the can-can with the Rockettes. (Booze-less shakes are available, as well.)

Calvin’s Winter Wonderland

Craft & Vine
Bartender: Calvin

Ghost Coast Spiced Rum + Five Farms Irish Cream + Housemade Coffee Liqueur (from local Buona roasted coffee), all poured in a stately martini glass, tastes like a sweet + creamy kiss under the mistletoe. I’m a big fan of mistletoe + smooches. If you’re also a fan, now you know where to find them. If you’re not, you can just go away.

Rosemary Gimlet

2nd City Distilling Co.
Bartender: Cara

Cara crafts her Rosemary Vodka Gimlet with Second City vodka, rosemary simple (from her personal garden) + a bright pour of lime juice. She then gives it a few gentle shakes and pours it into a chilled glass. Before garnishing she gingerly presses the rosemary to release its fragrance. This cocktail is flirty + fun like a first date with your crush. The rosemary assures you that not only is your crush fun but also suave.

Prancer’s Peppermint Mocha

Metro A Coffeehouse
Bartender: Grady

Decadent + wintery + cozy like a scarf, Grady’s espresso drink with Van Gogh Chocolate Vodka should be on your winter survival list. It’s the perfect end to a day of shoveling snow from your driveway, making snow angels, enjoying 1 of the 3 days of winter we get in Augusta. It’s a warm, chocolatey hug with a happy ending. Who doesn’t like that? (soy milk subs available)

Holiday cocktails feed my spirit this time of year. They rank up there with Jimmy Stewart + Buddy the Elf + claymation stop-motion specials. If you need someone to guide you on this tour, I’m available. Just give me enough time to put on my lipstick + hire an Uber and we’ll be on our merry way. Because no matter if you identify as naughty or nice this holiday season, we all need some help feeling less Scrooge-y.