The days are getting cooler and holiday season is here, so this is the perfect time to switch up your cocktail game and even perfect a drink for entertaining. You might be ready to hang up the summery sips and dive into warmer spirits and in-season ingredients like cranberries and pomegranates. As for beverage experts, they aren’t just excited to experiment with what’s in season, but also to dive into trending spirits and even go back to basics.
Casa Lumbre’s brand ambassador, Cesar Sandoval, for one, is ready to see more Sotol-based cocktails. “They are understated yet vibrant,” he says. “This spirit brings Mexico’s rich tradition to the bar in a whole other dimension.” As for Cassandra Womack, general manager of the newly opened Francis Hall cocktail bar in Alexandria, Virginia, she says classic shots like green tea, Jagermeister bombs, and the Washington Apple are making a major comeback with some drinkers.
Whether you want something seasonal, simple, or a suggestion for a party-worthy batch cocktail as we get closer to Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving festivities, see what the experts suggest below based on your zodiac sign.
Aquarius, you’ve seen and done it all, and you’re most likely no stranger to tequila or mezcal. But try their Mexican cousin, Sotol, which has more subtle floral notes compared to tequila’s spice.
We still have a few more weeks left in apple season, so kick things up a notch with an apple cider sangria or margarita. This can be your go-to batch cocktail for your holiday party or something you sip on after a long day of being the empathetic creature you are.
A pickle 75? That’s a bit of a bold choice and departure from a classic French 75, but who better than an Aries to be ambitious? The combo of gin, lemon juice, sugar, champagne, and the brine of pickle juice makes it a drink to remember.
“I want to say that a stable Taurus is perfectly content with an ice-cold PBR and two fingers of their favorite well bourbon,” says Max Curzon-Price, bar manager at Vancouver’s SUYO. It’s “consistent and reliable.”
The chatty Gemini probably doesn’t need another espresso martini, says Curzon-Price. Instead, “Maybe we’ll open a bottle of Rioja Reserva for them to slow their roll.” It’s a solid choice for a wind-down wine.
It’s never too early to start Dry January, and Womack actually recommends a fun mocktail for Cancers. “They come in peace and don’t want any problems, most of them.”
“Leo here,” Sandoval says proudly. “A Piña Colada’s my vibe or any variation of it. It’s refreshing, warm, and brings the sunshine vibe wherever it goes. Just like a true Leo.”
And on the other end of the spectrum, our cool, calm, and collected Virgos can never go wrong with a gin and tonic according to Sandoval. “Simple, refined, and elegantly reserved.”
Get the best of both worlds (hello, balance!) with a simple cranberry or pomegranate vodka spritzer. A little sweet fizz goes well with the tartness.
“I feel like Scorpios would be found perched at the bar, enjoying the sting of raicilla, Jalisco’s agave spirit. It’s unapologetic and feisty – I won’t say if I mean the spirit or the person,” says Curzon-Price.
A free-spirited, adventurous Sag should stick with a “party or fun cocktail,” like a Hurricane, Grenade, or tiki drink, says Womack. “It’s all fun and games until you’re on number three and trying to run for safety.”
“Tequila resonates with us,” Womack says of her fellow Capricorns, who she compares to the aging process of the spirit that goes from a blanco to reposado or añejo. “Just give us time. We age like fine wine and glow up.”
