Hosting a Christmas party this December? Not sure about what cocktails to serve to impress your guests? Fear not, BACARDÍ Brand ambassadors Shev Shahbazkhani and May Kongsrivilai are on hand to give their top tips on making great-tasting cocktails that will get the festive cheer flowing at any party!
May and Shev
Know your rum
It's important to choose the right style of rum for the type of cocktail you are making, as different rums will greatly change the flavour of a cocktail.
Light rum: For light, floral, crisp style cocktails - works with more delicate flavours, citrus and simple sugars - such as pink grapefruit, vanilla, and caster sugar. For example use the UK's favourite white rum, BACARDÍ Carta Blanca which has distinctive vanilla and almond notes.
Gold rum: For cocktails with a bit more body and tropical fruit flavours such as pineapple and passion fruit. BACARDÍ Carta Oro has rich flavours of vanilla, buttery caramel and sweet banana, it's just the ticket for gold rum based cocktails.
Dark rum: For richer cocktails, you can be braver with types of ingredients as this rum will hold its own and can stand up to bolder flavours such as ginger, spice tropical fruits. Try BACARDÍ Carta Negra, with its intense, rich flavour profile.
Big punch recipes for a big get together
Create a punch cocktail for parties as you can prepare this is advance. It will ensure you have impressive drinks, but you can spend more time being a great host rather than in the kitchen having to keep making drinks.
Keep it simple
Use ingredients that are easy to get hold off you so you can spend more time getting ready, rare ingredients doesn't always mean better cocktails! Also save time and money by using a maximum of 5 ingredients.
Dress to impress
Make an effort with garnishing and serving your drinks to make sure they look as good as they taste. The simple addition of fruits and quirky straws will give your drink the added wow factor.
Ice
Make sure you stock up on enough ice to top glasses and chill down drinks - you can never have too much ice for a party!
Drink & punch vessels
Buy quirky disposable glassware to minimise mess and washing. There are so many options from durable plastic champagne flutes to tropical patterned paper cups. Consider quirky ways to serve up punch from vintage punch bowls, hollowed out fruit or if you're feeling particularly ambitious, a small garden fountain?
Serve them hot
Hot drink serves are great for winter evenings or after dinner drinks and can be batched in a large pot, making it easy to serve.
Here are a couple of impressive punches for partiesto get your creative juices flowing, the most important part is having fun when making cocktails!
New Year's Revolution
25ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca
15ml St Germain
15ml Lemon
15ml Sugar syrup
25ml mineral water
Pour into Champagne flute
Topped with Martini Prosecco
Garnished with discarded lemon zest
Red nose rum punch
45ml BACARDÍ Carta Fuego
15ml Lemon Juice
Christmas spice mix (4 cloves , small pinch of white pepper)
150ml Cranberry Juice
50ml red wine
25ml mineral water
Garnish with mint leaves and red currants
Gift of Gold
40ml BACARDÍ Carta Oro
100ml Cloudy Apple a juice
100ml Dry cider
25ml mineral water
Pinch of mixed winter spices (cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves)
Can be served hot (heated over the hob) or cold (built long over ice)
Tagged in Christmas