Check Out Our Thanksgiving 2024 Cocktail & Drinks Roundup

Thanksgiving is here, and along with all of the shopping, cooking, traveling, and last-minute work wrapups, people are going to need something great to sip on with their lavish meals. For Thanksgiving 2024, we’ve got a nice selection of drinks and cocktails below that you can add to your menus. Thanksgiving is a time for families, friends, and loved ones to come together and share their gratitude for all they’ve earned over the year. For others, the day is an opportune time to take a load off, kick up your feet, enjoy copious amounts of food, and relax while watching sporting events. One thing that is also true is that a lot of folks want to partake in these activities with a beverage in hand. In this roundup, the emphasis, as is the Spirit.Ed way, is on cocktails but there are some RTD options and even a couple of mocktail choices for those who wish to stay booze-free but festive.  In future roundups, we’ll focus more on the individual spirits themselves, along with one-on-one chats with brand ambassadors, and hopefully come up with some creative cocktails to share with readers on our own.

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If we missed you in this roundup and would like to be considered for future ones, please be sure to reach out to D.L. Chandler via email at dchandler@bhmdigital.com. Happy Thanksgiving to all! Writer’s Note: I will be updating this post with a dozen or so more cocktails. Pausing to handle some technical issues. Stay tuned! — Photo: Getty

1. A Hint of Spice in Manhattan

Ingredients:
1.5 Parts The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
0.5 Part Amaro di Angostura
0.25 Part Ancho Chile
0.25 Part Allspice Dram

Method:
Add all ingredients to a rocks/old fashioned glass. Add ice, stir briefly, then garnish with fresh ground black pepper.

2. Apple Pomegranate Cocktail

Ingredients:
1.5 oz CÎROC Apple
 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz Fever-Tree ginger beer
1 oz fresh pressed apple juice
1 oz POM pomegranate juice
Lemon slice
Pomegranate seeds
Glassware: Rocks
Garnish: Lemon and pomegranate

Preparation: Add crushed ice to a rocks glass. Add all the ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain into the rocks glass. Add garnish and serve.

3. Autumn Aurora

Created by Jeffrey Naples, Reyka Vodka Ambassador

Ingredients:
8 – 10 parts Reyka Vodka
4 Cups Apple Cider
1 can Apple Pie Filling
5 Cinnamon Sticks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange zest (optional)
Clove or star anise (optional)
Red wine to top

Method:
Heat all ingredients except for vodka and wine in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes and stir until ingredients are combined. Add 1 part Reyka Vodka to 4 parts batch cocktail mixture. Serve warm and top with 1 part red wine. Garnish with apple pie filling, sliced apple, or sliced apple wedges.

4. Basil 75

Ingredients:
1.5 parts Basil Hayden
3/4 parts fresh lemon juice
3/4 parts simple syrup
Prosecco

Method:
Add Basil Hayden Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake! Strain into a chilled elevated coupe glass over 1 large ice cube. Top with Prosecco and serve.

5. Blue Swift Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
2 parts Martell Blue Swift
0.25 parts Simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Orange peel

Tools and Utensils
1 mixing Glass/ 1 strainer/ 1 stirrer/ 1 jigger/ Ice cubes

Serving tips:
Add all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add Ice, stir, and pour into a rocks glass over ice.  Garnish with orange peel. 

6. Bushmills Irish Coffee

Ingredients:
1 part Bushmills® Original Irish Whiskey
.5 part Demerara Syrup
4 parts Sumatra coffee
Fresh whipped cream

Method:
Pour whiskey and demerara syrup into a 6 oz Georgian Irish Coffee glass. Stir well to combine.Next, pour in hot Sumatra coffee leaving a ½ inch of room for cream.Top with freshly whipped heavy cream

7. Café Santa Teresa

Ingredients:
1.5 oz ST1796 Arabica Coffee Cask Finish
0.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
1 oz Espresso
0.25 oz Simple Syrup
2 Dashes of Orange Bitters

Method: Shake with ice, then strain into chilled glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.

8. Calvados Sidecar

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Boulard Calvados VSOP
0.75 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz Lemon Juice

Instructions:
Pour the orange liqueur with lemon juice and calvados in a shaker.
Shake with ice and strain into a glass.
Garnish with orange zest.    

9. CHANDON Garden Spritz

CHANDON Garden Spritz is a ready-to-serve (RTD) sparkling cocktail that pairs CHANDON’s brut with the brand’s bitter-orange liqueur. Just pour in your favorite glass and enjoy. — D.L. Chandler

10. Citrus Herb Sangria

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
1 lime, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1-2 oranges, sliced
½ grapefruit, sliced
4 sprigs rosemary
5 sprigs thyme
¼ cup sugar
1 750 ml. bottle Woodbridge Chardonnay
1/2 cup brandy
2 oz orange liqueur
1 cup sparkling water
Optional Garnish: rosemary and lime or lemon slices

Directions:
Place sliced fruit, herbs and sugar in a large pitcher. Gently crush with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds. Pour in wine, brandy, and orange liquor; stir to mix. Refrigerate mixture for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to meld together. Mix in the sparkling water and serve over ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and lime or lemon slice; enjoy.

11. Classique Añejo

Ingredients:
1 oz DeLeón Añejo
0.5 oz Sweet French Vermouth
0.25 oz Herbal Liqueur
2 Dashes Mole Bitters
Glassware: Coupe
Garnish: Lemon Twist

Preparation: In a shaker, combine DeLeón Añejo, sweet french vermouth, and herbal liqueur, and mole bitters. Pour into a rocks glass and serve.

12. Count Your Blessings

Ingredients:
2 ½ oz Jeptha Creed Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon
1 oz Spiced Simple Syrup (Made with Cinnamon, Cardamom, & Clove)
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 ½ oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Apple Brandy

Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. Shake thoroughly. Strain into highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with apple slices and freshly grated cinnamon. Enjoy!

13. Eggnog

Ingredients:
1 oz. Dos Maderas 5+5 Rum
1 oz. Gran Duque d’Alba Brandy
.5 oz. Williams & Humbert Dry Sack Sherry
1 oz. Milk
.5 oz. Cream
1 egg

Instructions:
Chill a punch cup/ Add all ingredients to your shaker. Add 2-3 solid cubes of ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds or until you can’t hear the ice anymore. Strain into your chilled cup Garnish with some freshly grated nutmeg.

14. Espresso Martini by Seedlip

Ingredients:
2 oz Seedlip Spice 94
2 oz Cold Brew Concentrate
0.5 oz Sugar Syrup
Glassware: Coupe Glass
Garnish: Three Coffee Beans

Preparation: Add Seedlip Spice 9, Cold Brew Concentrate, and sugar syrup into a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with three coffee beans.

15. Fireside Rye

2 parts Redemption Rye Whiskey  
½  part Cantera Negra Café  
2 dashes Orange Bitters  

Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled and diluted. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with an orange or lemon peel. 

16. Friendsgiving Rum Punch

Ingredients:
3 Cups (24 oz.) Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
2 (12 oz.) Bottles Ginger Beer, cooled
⅓ Cup Honey
12 Whole Cloves
8 Cups Apple Cider, divided
4 Cups Cranberry Juice, chilled
Sliced Green Apples, Oranges, or Lemons for Garnish
Rosemary Sprig, for Garnish

Method:
Combine honey, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and 2 cups of cider in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, stirring often, until honey is dissolved and mixture is fragrant with spices, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool and steep 15 minutes. Discard spices.

Combine spiced cider mixture, cranberry juice, spiced rum, ginger beer, and remaining 6 cups apple cider in a large punch bowl. Garnish with sliced citrus and apples. Serve over ice.

17. Happy Thursday's Strawberry Spritzer

18. Haku Yuzu Martini

19. Harvest Spice by Tequila Don Julio

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Añejo
2 oz Apple Cider
0.25 oz Agave
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
Dash of Cinnamon Powder
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Garnish: Dried Apple

Preparation: Add Tequila Don Julio Añejo, apple cider, agave, lemon juice and cinnamon powder to a shaker with ice and shake. Strain contents into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with dried apple.

20. Hendrick’s Apple Mule

Ingredients:
2 parts Hendrick’s Gin
1 1⁄2 parts Apple Cider
1⁄2 part Lemon Juice
1 1⁄2 part Ginger Beer

Method:
Build all ingredients in a rocks glass over ice, stir well
Garnish with apple slices and mint

21. Hornitos Merry Margarita

Hornitos Merry Margarita
(Make this drink how you would normally make your margaritas, which is shaken over ice — D.L. Chandler)
1 1⁄2 or 12 PARTS HORNITOS® PLATA OR REPOSADO
3⁄4 or 6 PARTS RASPBERRY LIQUOR
3⁄4 or 6 PARTS POMEGRANATE
1⁄2 or 5 PARTS LIME

22. Hudson Calvados Cask Rye Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
2 parts Hudson Calvados Cask Rye
Barspoon Maple Syrup
Barspoon Apple Butter
2 dashes Fee Brother’s Cardamom bitters
Grapefruit peel
 
Method:
Stir and strain ingredients over ice into rocks glass. Express and discard grapefruit peel. Garnish with a dried apple chip.

23. Irish Cactus

(serves 2)
Ingredients:
4 oz Baileys Cinnamon Churros Irish Cream Liqueur
2 oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Garnish: Cinnamon Stick

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into two rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

24. Lagavulin to Blackcurrant

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Lagavulin 16 Year Old
0.75 oz Crème de Cassis (Blackcurrant)
1 oz Lemon Juice
0.25 oz Simple Syrup
Glassware: Coupe glass
Garnish: Grated nutmeg

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake for 8 to 10 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish.

25. Leonor

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Mezcal Amarás Verde
0.5 oz Hibiscus Syrup
0.5 oz Ginger Syrup
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and lime wheel to add an elegant, holiday-inspired touch.

26. Malibu Bay Punch

27. Maple Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
2 oz Four Roses Small Batch
½ oz Maple Syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
Garnish: Orange Peel

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice. Stir for thirty seconds or until the cocktail is properly diluted and well-chilled. Strain over a rose ice. Express orange peel. Garnish.

28. New Fashion

Ingredients:
1 oz Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
.5 oz elderflower liqueur
Splash of soda
2 orange slices
Cocktail cherry
Glassware: Rocks glass
Garnish: Orange slice and Brandied Cherry

Preparation: Add Blade and Bow and elderflower liqueur. Muddle one of the orange slices. Add ice, stir, and top with a splash of soda. Garnish with an orange slice and brandied cherry.

29. Peach "Coffeecake" Espresso Martini