The History of the Holiday Cocktail

For all the reasons to love Canada, for us, there’s one reason that stands out above all others – the beauty of a true north winter. Long crisp nights fade into sunny mornings when it seems like every branch of every tree is coated with thick, fluffy frosting. The newly-risen sun glistens off of last night’s snowfall and shines beautifully. It’s like magic, and there may not be a better way to start the morning.

Truthfully though, a lot of the time the holiday season is not as stress-less and carefree as Disney movies show. In fact, for a lot of us, the holidays can bring extra stresses that you don’t have at any other point in the year. You make detailed plans, buy last minute stocking stuffers, and rush to make sure dinner is on the table exactly on time. For a time that is meant to be relaxing and full of festive bliss, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming, and it can be difficult to fit in time for yourself. You deserve some downtime when you can kick up your feet, watch a Christmas movie (or two!), and cuddle up with someone special.

We at Heretic Spirits want to make sure that you get the break you deserve. You work all year long for a few short weeks during the holidays that can be yours. A time when you can really unwind. What better way to do that than with a short, potent and incredibly smooth cocktail. We recommend one of our festive originals, the Miracle on Hume Street.

Cranberry, cinnamon, mint and, of course, our premium quality gin give you a cocktail that’s both merry and delicious. It’s jam packed with a bouquet of festive flavours and scents that’ll keep you warm all winter long. We like to think of this cocktail as a guilty pleasure. Your life may be a little hectic, and it may seem like there’s too much going on, but enjoying one of these on ice will make all that pressure seem less significant. We assure you, there is no better cure for the holiday hangover than the Miracle on Hume Street.

We consider this cocktail to be a nightcap, so we thought it was appropriate to pair it with late-night holiday snacks. A fresh batch of extra chocolatey brownies combine beautifully with the Miracle on Hume Street. The cranberry and cinnamon are great compliments to the chocolate, and Heretic Gin acts as the perfect palate cleanser to wash it all down. Want to make sure you’re on the nice list this year? Ditch the milk and cookies, and instead leave out a batch of brownies and a Miracle on Hume Street for Santa.

TIP:
Moisten a small piece of rosemary with a lemon wedge and lightly sprinkle fine, white sugar over it. This will give the appearance of a pine tree branch on Christmas morning after a fresh snowfall.

TIP:
DO NOT try to replace the cinnamon syrup with ground cinnamon. Ground cinnamon does not mix in this cocktail and will only overpower the flavour and irritate your tastebuds. If you don’t have cinnamon syrup, or do not want to make it, replace it with 0.5 oz of plain simple syrup.

Happy Holidays!

Cinnamon Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar (darker sugars like Demerara and Turibnado are preferable but plain granulated sugar works as well)
5-6 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

Bring water to a boil
Reduce heat to medium
Add sugar and stir until fully dissolved
Add cinnamon sticks
Let simmer for 10-12 minutes
Strain into container

Will last 2 – 3 weeks when refrigerated.