New Year’s Eve is here and what a year it has been for the CASSIUS team, the men’s division of iOne Digital, and the Urban One, Inc. family. To celebrate the wins of the past 365, we’ve put together a nice collection of sips for New Year’s Eve and beyond.
New Year’s Eve is usually the last night of revelry for many who imbibe, especially with Dry January being widely celebrated with folks abstaining from adult beverages. We’ll be covering some Dry January options for next month, along with some low-ABV options in a Damp January roundup.
I intend to join the festivities today myself and the collection of drinks below should cover most needs. This year, some may have noticed I didn’t get a Christmas roundup going and I was just super swamped with other projects and life in general. So apologies to all my agency friends who help supply the material for me to create the Spirit.Ed column to the level I have over the past few years.
Not to get all sappy, but I’m so honored that my company gives me space to cover what started as a serious hobby to a world where I want to become known as a trusted voice among the other great writers and reporters who cover the beat. I’ve had a lot of fun sipping and sampling and we’ve got big things planned in the coming months along with our usual roundups.
I hope all of you have a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve and a better first of the year. See you all in 2025! And, as always sip safely and surely.
—
Photo: Getty
1. Avid Vines
Source:Avid Wines
Owned by David Aferiat, Avid Vines is the stateside importer of Andre Tixier et Fils.a champagne brand with a rich and storied history.
Learn more here.
2. Apres Tree
Source:Santa Teresa 1796
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Santa Teresa 1796
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Cranberry Syrup
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Method: Combine all ingredients into a tin. Fine strain in coupe glass. Garnish with lemon zest
4. Blue Baburu
Source:Hpnotiq
1oz Hpnotiq
.5oz Japanese Whiskey
.5oz Lemon
4 Dashes Peach Bitters
3oz Brut Champagne
Glassware: Champagne Flute
5. Blueberry Sparkler by Astral Tequla
Source:Astral Vodka
Created by Mixologist Izzy Tulloch
Ingredients:
1 oz Astral Tequila Blanco
0.25 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.25 oz Simple Syrup
1 Bar Spoon Blueberry Puree
Champagne to top
Glassware: Champagne Flute
Garnish: Lime Twist
Preparation: Shake Astral Tequila Blanco, simple syrup, fresh lime juice and blueberry puree with ice. Strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne and garnish with a lime twist.
6. Cuervo Nuevo
Source:Jose Cuervo
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Cuervo Tradicional® Plata Tequila
½ oz Elderflower liqueur
2 oz Brut Champagne
2 oz Club soda
Garnish: Edible gold glitter
Glass: Coupe
7. Devil’s Mule
Source:Devil's Reserve
Ingredients
2 oz Devil’s Reserve
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Top with Ginger Beer
Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Lemon Wheel
Directions: Add Devil’s Reserve and lemon juice to a rocks glass with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a lemon wheel.
8. Double Down
Source:Martingale
2 parts of Martingale Cognac
1 part fresh lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
4 parts Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Long spiral lemon twist for serving
In a shaker, combine 2 parts Martingale Cognac, 1 part fresh lemon juice, and 1 part simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain and pour the mixture into a glass. Top with 4 parts Champagne or Sparkling Wine. Garnish with a long spiral lemon twist.
9. Elysian Brewing’s Space Dust IPA
Source:Elysian Brewing
Elysian Brewing has one of the most impressive beer lineups in the game and I can personally recommend the company’s Space Dust IPA. If the name is giving you pause, the flavor from this perfectly hopped and quaffable beer will ease fears.
Learn more here.
10. Let’s Get Nutty
Source:Barito Tacos & Cocktails
Ingredients
2oz Chica~Chida
1 bottle Mexican Coca-Cola
1 scoop of French Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Add Chica~Chida and Mexican Coca-Cola to a tall glass then stir. Top with a scoop of ice cream.
11. Midnight Kiss
Source:Hudson Whiskey
Ingredients:
1 part Hudson Whiskey Bright Lights Big Bourbon or Short Stack
.5 part triple sec
2 parts apple cider
3 parts chilled Champagne
Method: Mix the whiskey, triple sec and cider in Champagne flute and top with chilled Champagne. Garnish with apple slice.
12. Midnight Pear-secco
Source:Reyka Vodka
Ingredients:
2 parts Reyka Vodka
1 part pear syrup
2 parts prosecco or sparkling wine
Edible gold dust
Pear slices
Method: Add Reyka Vodka, pear syrup, and edible dust to a shaker. Shake to combine and strain into a coupe or champagne flute. Top with chilled prosecco or sparkling wine.
13. Mission Cocktails
Source:Mission Cocktails
Mission Cocktails, founded by Amit Singh and Marcin Malyszko, has a fitting name for their company. The California-based brand sources its ingredients within 100 miles of where the product is put together and features pre-batched cocktails such as the Mai Tai and Old Fashioned.
Learn more here.
14. Noche Buena Highball
Source:LALO Tequila
Ingredients
1 ounce LALO Tequila
1 teaspoon Luxardo Maraschino
1 dash orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
Tonic water (to top)
Garnish: rosemary sprig and pomegranate seeds
Method
Add LALO Tequila, Luxardo, and bitters to a highball glass with ice. Top with tonic water and stir gently. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and pomegranate seeds for a festive touch.
15. Old Cuban by BACARDÍ
Source:Bacardi
Ingredients
2 oz BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Rum
2 1/2 oz MARTINI & ROSSI® Prosecco
4 Mint Leaves
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Lime Juice
2 Dashes Bitters
16. Pink Velvet
Source:Disaronno
Ingredients:
50 ml Disaronno Velvet
10 ml Disaronno Originale
25 ml Red Bitter
Pinch of sea salt
Directions: Mix all the ingredients and pour the liquid in a glass with ice. Finish with a pinch of sea salt.
17. Red Bottoms (Aspen Vodka)
Source:Aspen Vodka)
Credit: The Hooch, Aspen, Colorado;
2 oz Aspen Vodka
.5 oz lemon
.5 oz Lime
.75 Sparkling Rosè Syrup
5-10 pieces of Mint
4 -5 Raspberry
2 dashes lavender bitters
Directions: Combine in a shaker tin. Fill tin with ice and shake for 5-10 seconds. Double strain into a Coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with a fresh raspberry.
Pboto Credit: High West Studios
18. St-Germain Midnight Spritz
Source:St-Germain
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz St-Germain
3/4 oz Grey Goose Le Poire
1 1/2 oz Sparkling Brut
2 oz Sparkling Water
Method: Build over ice
Garnish: Mint, lemon wheel, and grated cinnamon
19. Sunshine Punch
Source:Sunshine Punch
Sunshine Punch is an inventive ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail made of orange creme, rum, and vodka that we really enjoy over ice but can be added into some great cocktails too.
Learn more here.
20. Winter Mule
Source:Sagamore Rye
Ingredients:
1.5oz Sagamore Rye
1oz Cranberry Juice
.25oz Lemon Juice
.25oz Organic Maple Syrup
2oz Ginger beer
Sage leaves for garnish
Directions: Fill a highball glass with ice. Add Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey, cranberry juice, lemon juice and maple syrup. Top with ginger beer and give a slight stir to combine. Garnish with a sage leaf.
21. Winter Rosé Sangria
Source:Hampton Water Bubbly
INGREDIENTS:
1 bottle (750mL) Hampton Water Bubbly
6 oz Orange Liqueur
16 oz White Cranberry Juice
2 Apples, Chopped
2 Pears, Chopped
1⁄2 Cup Fresh Cranberries
DIRECTIONS:
In a pitcher, combine the Hampton Water Bubbly, Orange Liqueur, and White Cranberry Juice. Add the chopped apples, and pears to the pitcher. Toss in the fresh cranberries for added color and flavor. Stir gently to mix the ingredients together.
Allow the sangria to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2-4 hours, or ideally, overnight, to let the flavors meld. Before serving, add some ice to the pitcher to chill the sangria further. Pour the Sangria into individual glasses, making sure to include some fruit in each serving. Optionally, you can garnish each glass with a slice of orange or a few cranberries.
