86 Co. Spirits: The Ultimate At-Home Bar Collection this Holiday Season

When it comes to spirited home entertaining this holiday season, The 86 Co. has it all covered. Their selection of spirits includes Fords Gin, Caña Brava Rum, Tequila Cabeza and Aylesbury Duck Vodka. Founded by professional bartenders, Simon Ford, Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas, each of The 86 Co. storied spirits are inspired by the bartender and meticulously designed to shine in any cocktail – essentially creating the ultimate at home bar. It gives the most discerning hosts the opportunity to create any cocktail they wish, ensuring top shelf holiday cheer all season long. To get you ready for the upcoming festivities we rounded up a few of our favorite cocktails mixed by the 86 Co. team.

You can now purchase the 86 Co. spirits as a collection.

General Harrison’s Egg Nog

Adaptation of a traditional variant of an egg nod which used unfiltered apple cider in place of cream.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Caña Brava Rum

4 oz fresh apple cider

1 whole egg

1 ½ tsp. sugar

fresh grated nutmeg, for garnish

fresh grated cinnamon, for garnish

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Mum’s Apple Pie

This drink is a variation of a daiquiri with a little holiday character.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Caña Brava Rum

1 oz apple cider

¾ oz lemon Juice
½ oz demerera sugar syrup

1 pinch cinnamon, for garnish

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cinnamon.

Spirit Carnival

Almost like a mulled wine a la minute.

Ingredients:

1 oz Caña Brava Rum

1 oz Cabernet Sauvignon

1 oz Barenjager honey liqueur

2 dashes fees old fashion bitters

Preparation: Stir, serve up. Garnish with lemon peel studded with cloves.

Boxing Day Pick-up

Silky and bright, with a touch of tannins, this cocktail doesn’t play to the predictable holiday flavors.

Ingredients:

1 ¾ oz Fords Gin

¾ oz black tea syrup (1 part black tea to 2 parts sugar)

¾ oz lemon juice

1 oz hard apple cider

1 lemon twist, for garnish

3 slices apple, for garnish

Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coup and top off with cider. Garnish with lemon twist.

Nerina

A deep dark variation of a Negroni, this cocktail picks up a lot of spice from swapped out ingredients.

Ingredients:

1¼ ounce Fords Gin

1¼ ounce Meletti Amaro

1¼ ounce Punt e mes sweet Vermouth

1 orange twist, for garnish

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.

Yellow Jacket

This spirit only tequila cocktail brings tequila into the cooler months with the marriage of Yellow Chartreuse.

Ingredients:

2 oz Tequila Cabeza

1 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

¾ oz Yellow Chartreuse

1 Dash Reagan’s No. 6 Orange Bitters

1 lemon twist, for garnish

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Paloma Fresca

Most people are not aware that grapefruits start coming into season in the late fall. This might be a the most refreshing cocktail you have all winter. The addition of absinthe adds to the grapefruit allure.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Tequila Cabeza

¾ oz grapefruit juice

¾ oz agave syrup

½ oz lime juice

1 pinch of salt

1 oz soda

¼ oz absinthe

1 grapefruit wheel, for garnish

Method:
Combine all ingredients except for soda in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Pour all contents into a tall glass. Fill with ice and top off with soda. Garnish with grapefruit wheel.

Delancey

This New York special is essentially a vodka old fashioned.

Ingredients:

2 oz Aylesbury Duck Vodka

1 teaspoon rich simple syrup (see note)

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 lemon twist, for garnish

Method:
Combine in old-fashioned glass. Add 2 ice cubes, cracked, and 2 uncracked, stir. Twist a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top to garnish.

*To make rich simple syrup, stir 2 parts demerara sugar with 1 part water over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Duck-Duck-Mule

Rich and refreshing, the addition of red tea warms this cocktail’s flavor profile.

Ingredients:

1¾ oz Aylesbury Duck Vodka

¾ oz red tea syrup*

¾ oz fresh lemon juice

2 oz ginger beer

1 mint sprig, for garnish

1 lemon wheel, for garnish

Method:
Combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a collins glass (or mule mug). Add ice and shake briefly. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with lemon & mint sprig.

*Red Tea Syrup: mix 1 cup warm brewed red tea with 2 cup of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Store in a squeeze bottle.

Cabroni

Literally a tequila Negroni, the Cabroni is exemplifies a sipping cocktail.

Ingredients:

1 oz Tequila Cabeza

1 oz Campari

1 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth

1 orange twist, for garnish

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.

photo: Doron Gild Photography