The first 3-day weekend of the year is a reason to kick back or have an adventure – and here are cocktails to accompany the ride!

The  year has started with a bang and now we are rolling into the first 3 Day weekend – ending in the presidential inauguration.  Skiing, hiking, travel, chilling or politics…what better way to compliment the activity than with something tasty. Here are the best cocktails for this winter 3 day weekend.

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Original Sin

What better way to start a 3 Day weekend and Inauguration weekend then with a little indulgence in with the original sin. The drink has multiple recipes – including one iwth absinthe, but this one should be easy, tasty and a perfect way to kick off the weekend.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces chilled champagne
• 1 ounce brandy
• Splash of triple sec
• Splash of grenadine
• Orange twist for garnish

Create

1. Combine ingredients in a brand snifter
2. Stir and add ice cube to chill to taste
3. Garnish with orange twist

The Americana Cocktail

Wha better way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with an all American drink and a vision of a better tomorrow.  This drink is tasty and potent.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar cube (we prefer a demerara sugar cube)
• 4 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 ounce bourbon
• 2 ounces Brut Champagne
• Orange slice for garnish

Create

1. Coat the sugar cube well with the Angostura bitters – approximately 4 dashes
2. Drop the sugar cube into a chilled flute
3. Pour the bourbon over the sugar
4. Top up with the Champagne.
5. Garnish with an orange slice

Whiskey Smash

Why not try something different. You might not want to get smashed this weekend, but this cocktail can trace its origin back to the late 1800s. Tasty, refreshing and easy to make.  Great way to delight your taste buds.

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Frostbite

Weather skiing, hiking, road tripping or hanging out in DC – chances are the weather is going to be nippy. Why not lean into it and have this spicy frostbite to feel cozy and warm on the inside?

Ingredients

• 1 ounce tequila
• 1 ounce heavy cream
• 1 ounce white crème de cacao
• 1/2 ounce white crème de menthe
• Cocoa powder for garnish

Create

The new year is starting with a bang – here are some cocktails to take off the edge.

The new year is coming in hot – back to work policies, the LA fires, snowstorms and just having to work is killing the 2025 start buzz.  Now drinking your problems away isn’t a good or healthy solution, but sometimes a nip of something does help. January is already known as a bit of depressing month due to the post-holiday blues, cold weather, shorter daylight hours, and the potential for increased financial stress after the holiday spree. Here are the best cocktails to get you through the week.

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Paloma

What better way to start the year with a semi healthy drink. The Paloma with tequila and juice is somewhat healthy. Good tequila is low calorie, low body impact coupled with a big dose of vitamin C helps make the dark days a little brighter.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 4 ounces Grapefruit soda, chilled, to top
• Pinch of salt
• Garnish: lime wheel

Create

1. Add the tequila, lime juice, and pinch of salt to the glass, and fill with ice.
2. Top with grapefruit soda, and stir briefly and gently to combine.
3. Garnish with a lime wheel.

The Spaghett

While beer drinking is down as people switch to California sober, it is still highly popular. Why  now merge it with a favorite (Aperol Spritz and beer) for a refreshing and low alcohol treat?  Try it, you will like it.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces light beer, such as Miller High Life
• 1 ounce Campari

Create

1. Take a big sip of chilled beer, about 1 ounce
2. Pour campari into beer bottle
3. Enjoy

Cucumber Cleanse

While friends talk about Dry January, Damp January, winter arc, and more – you can brag you are doing a cleanse. The lemon and cayenne juice cleanse is popular, you are just adding a lpersonal twist so it fits into happy hour or a tailgate. For the ginger syrup add 4 oz peeled while making simply syrup ginger and let it steep for 30 minutes.  Strain and use.

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Dirty Shirley

Like the actress, the Shirley Temple cocktail was sweet, wholesome and popular.  But why not have the adult version of the beverage to start the year out breaking the norms?

Ingredients

• 2 ozs gin
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grenadine
• Orange slice

Create

Once seen only in black and white movies, sherry has now become a star in the craft cocktail scene.

Once seen only in black and white movies, sherry is becoming a thing again. From the fortified wine from Spain’s Jerez region, it is experiencing a renaissance in North America, particularly among younger consumers and wine enthusiasts. This resurgence is reshaping the perception of sherry and driving growth in the market.

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The sherry wine market is showing promising signs of growth. Projections indicate a growth rate of 10.2% from 2025 to 2030. This growth is attributed to various factors, including the increasing popularity of sherry as an accompaniment to meals and its perceived health benefits.

If you want to try sherry, here are some tips. The correct way depends on the type: dry sherries like Fino and Manzanilla should be served chilled in a small glass, while sweeter sherries like Pedro Ximénez can be enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warmed;generally, a white wine glass is preferred to fully appreciate the flavors, and it’s best to serve sherry with food, particularly tapas for drier styles and richer dishes for sweeter options.

Chef Justin Khanna has worked in some of the top restaurants in the world and keeps his fingers are trends shared “Enjoying a well-made Sherry with food feels like spending time with most interesting person at a party. The versatility too makes it a stand-out as an ingredient in a cocktail, featured as part of a wine pairing in a tasting menu, or simply sipped over ice at the start of a meal. It’s high time that Sherry gets a rise in popularity, especially without the hefty price tag of other spirits.”