13 best festive whisky cocktails to drink in December
When the temperature drops and the December calendar fills up, whisky works as the ultimate Christmas spirit (see what we did there?). Its rich notes of vanilla, honey, caramel and gentle oak spice were practically made for seasonal flavours like tart cranberry, fiery ginger, rich dark chocolate and spiced apple cider. Whether you’re creating a crowd-pleaser for a house full of guests, stirring up a polished dinner party aperitif or mixing the final toast, we’ve got you covered with our favourite festive whisky cocktails to make at home with Ballantine’s this December.
Apple Cider Punch
If your Christmas get-together needs a main character, you’ve just found it. This Apple Cider Punch brings together sweet orchard fruit, warming spices and smooth Scotch whisky in one seriously crowd-pleasing bowl.
Flavour profile: Spiced clove, warm cinnamon, sweet apple cider and bright citrus zest.
Ingredients
40ml Ballantine’s Finest
500ml cloudy apple juice
500ml apple cider
Bouquet Garni (1 star anise, 6 cloves, 4 cinnamon sticks, 6 allspice berries)
150ml fresh lemon juice
Juice and zest of 1 orange
50g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 dashes Angostura bitters
To make it, add the apple juice, cider, bouquet garni, lemon juice, orange juice and zest, brown sugar and vanilla extract to your biggest pot. Simmer gently over medium heat until warm and fragrant, then remove from the heat and allow the spiced cider base to cool completely. Add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and Ballantine’s Finest to a tall glass packed with ice. Top up with your spiced cider base, stir gently and enjoy.
Best for: Winter house parties, brunches and casual entertaining.
Whisky Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is good. Hot chocolate with Ballantine’s Finest? Even better. The whisky’s sweet, syrupy notes bring a rich, indulgent twist to this cold-weather classic.
Flavour profile: Velvety cocoa, sweet vanilla and a gentle kick of whisky warmth.
Ingredients
50ml Ballantine’s Finest
Rich hot chocolate (prepared to your taste)
Optional toppings: whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes, or fudge chunks
To make it, whip up a mug of your favourite rich hot chocolate until steaming. Stir in Ballantine’s Finest, top with a generous mound of whipped cream and pile on the treats.
Best for: Fireside evenings, movie marathons and late-night sweet cravings.
Cranberry Christmas Cocktail
Christmas in a glass? This might be as close as it gets. Fruity, spiced and seriously easy to enjoy, this festive serve brings together bright cranberry, sweet pear and warming winter flavours in one perfectly balanced pour. Just add good company.
Flavour profile: Cranberry, sweet poached pear and aromatic winter spice.
Ingredients
Spiced Pear Syrup:
1 ripe pear, chopped
250g white sugar
250ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
Zest of 1/4 lemon
To make the syrup, combine the chopped pear, sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, drop the heat and simmer for 20 minutes before cooling and straining.
The drink:
50ml Ballantine’s Finest
15ml spiced pear syrup
120ml hot cranberry juice
5ml fresh lemon juice
To build the drink, pour Ballantine’s Finest, spiced pear syrup and lemon juice into a warmed glass. Top with 120ml hot cranberry juice, stir gently and serve under the mistletoe.
Best for: Tree-side sipping and festive aperitifs.
Chocolate Old Fashioned
Even a timeless classic deserves a festive twist. This drink blends Ballantine’s Finest with rich chocolate bitters and sweet orange zest for a short, festive-forward drink that feels tailor-made for dark December nights.
Flavour profile: Festive-forward, dark cocoa, toasted oak and citrus oils.
Ingredients
60ml Ballantine’s Finest
1 tsp simple syrup
2 dashes chocolate bitters
1 dash orange bitters
To make it, add simple syrup, chocolate bitters and orange bitters to a rocks glass. Pour in Ballantine’s Finest, add a large ice cube and stir patiently for 20–30 seconds until well chilled. Garnish with an orange twist and a chocolate orange slice.
Best for: Intimate celebrations, after-dinner drinks and late-night hosting.
Festive Cranberry Serve
You don’t need a pantry full of ingredients to make a great Christmas drink. This festive serve keeps things refreshingly straightforward: rich Scotch, tart cranberry and plenty of ice. Easy to make, even easier to enjoy.
Flavour profile: Crisp red berries, honeyed Scotch and a sharp citrus edge.
Ingredients
50ml Ballantine’s Finest
150ml cranberry juice
To make it, fill a tall glass to the top with fresh ice. Pour in Ballantine’s Finest, top up with cranberry juice and stir gently. Garnish with fresh cranberries or an apple slice.
Best for: Low-maintenance hosting, quick party fills and bright winter sipping.
Hot Toddy
When the weather outside is frightful and one blanket turns into three, it’s Hot Toddy time. This timeless classic relies on simple ingredients done right – honey, lemon, spices and a generous pour of whisky to soothe the winter chill.
Flavour profile: Soothing honey, tart citrus and warming cinnamon spice.
Best for: Freezing December nights, slow evenings and instant comfort.
New York Sour
Anything named after the city that never sleeps has got to be epic, right? A classic whisky sour topped with a dramatic float of red wine, the New York Sour looks incredible in the glass and tastes even better.
Flavour profile: Bright citrus, silky whisky and a dry red wine finish.
Ingredients
50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Sugar Syrup
Egg White
Red Wine (float)
To make it, add Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel, lemon juice, sugar syrup and one egg white to a shaker and shake. Then add ice and shake again. Strain in a short glass over ice and add red wine to the top.
Best for: Dinner parties, stylish toasts and festive celebrations.
Christmas Whisky Sour
The Whisky Sour has been a staple for over 150 years, but every legend deserves a fresh spin. Swapping plain syrup for rich maple and adding a dash of ground cinnamon gives this zingy favourite an instant holiday upgrade.
Flavour profile: Zingy lemon, rich maple sweetness and warm cinnamon.
Best for: Cocktail hour, aperitif hour and dinner hosting.
Whisky Milkshake
Who says whisky has to stay serious? Somewhere between an indulgent cocktail and a frozen dessert, the Whisky Milkshake refuses to stay in its lane. Ice cream, liquid chocolate and smooth Scotch come together for pure holiday decadence.
Flavour profile: Creamy vanilla, rich chocolate sauce and honeyed oak.
Best for: Unapologetic sweet treats and holiday party showstoppers.
Honey & Cinnamon Highball
Fancy all the comforting spices of a hot toddy without the heat? Consider this your new go-to. This chilled highball pairs honey, lemon and cinnamon with fiery ginger beer for a drink that’s cool, crisp and full of character.
Flavour profile: Fiery ginger, zesty lemon, sweet honey and woody cinnamon.
Ingredients
40ml Ballantine’s Finest
20ml fresh lemon juice
10ml cinnamon syrup
1 tsp honey
2 dashes aromatic bitters
100ml ginger beer
To make it, add all ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice. Stir gently to mix without losing the fizz. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and candied ginger.
Best for: House parties, casual hosting and refreshing winter highballs.
Flat white Christmas
No holiday lineup is complete without a coffee serve. Rich espresso meets Ballantine’s Finest in this whisky iced coffee, creating a smooth, bittersweet balance that’s right at home during the festive season.
Flavour profile: Bittersweet espresso, velvety milk and smooth vanilla oak.
Ingredients
50ml Ballantine’s Finest
30ml fresh espresso (cooled)
15ml sugar syrup or coffee liqueur
30ml whole milk or cream
To make it, add whisky, cooled espresso and sugar syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake hard and strain into a glass over fresh ice. Top with a splash of milk or cream for a silky finish and garnish with three coffee beans.
Best for: Post-feast caffeine hits.
Apple Cider Slushie
Not every Christmas celebration happens in the snow. If you’re hosting in warmer climates or just keeping things lively indoors, this frozen serve keeps the seasonal vibes high without the extra heat.
Flavour profile: Tangy citrus, crisp apple cider and an icy slushie bite.
Ingredients
30ml Ballantine’s Finest
20ml fresh lemon juice
20ml sugar syrup
100ml apple cider
To make it, add lemon juice, sugar syrup, apple cider and ice into a blender. Blend on high until smooth and slushy. Pour into a chilled glass, drizzle Ballantine’s Finest right over the top and garnish with an apple slice.
Best for: Daytime entertaining, garden gatherings and sunny celebrations.
Peanut Butter Hot Toddy
Peanut butter might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of festive drinks, but one sip of this comforting mug will make you a believer. Trust us.
Flavour profile: Creamy peanut butter, warming nutmeg, honey and toasted grain.
Ingredients
50ml Ballantine’s Finest
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
150ml hot milk (or oat milk)
Pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
To make it, whisk hot milk, peanut butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat until completely smooth. Pour Ballantine’s Finest into a heatproof mug, top with the warm peanut butter milk and stir. Finish with a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Best for: Fireside drinks and dessert lovers.
FAQs
Blended whiskies with soft honey, vanilla and gentle spice notes are exceptionally versatile. Ballantine’s Finest is an ideal all-rounder for highballs, sours and fruit-forward punches, while Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel brings added caramel and oak depth to stirred or spiced drinks like an Old Fashioned
Absolutely. Batching punch bases or cider mixes in advance is a game-changer for holiday hosting. Mix your bases, keep them chilled in the fridge, and add the whisky just before your guests arrive. If your recipe includes sparkling mixers like ginger beer or soda, hold off and top those up at the last second to keep the fizz going
It all depends on the setting! Hot toddies, warm ciders and hot chocolates are unbeatable for cold nights and outdoor gatherings. Chilled highballs, sours and frozen slushies bring a bright, refreshing contrast to crowded rooms or daytime celebrations.
Simply multiply the single-serve ingredients by your number of guests. For large batches, start slightly lighter on fresh citrus and syrups, stir well, and taste as you go so you can adjust the balance before serving.
And there you have it – 13 reasons to pour something a little more exciting into your glass this December. Whether you’re hosting a full-blown house party, batching a punch for family, or just wrapping yourself in three blankets with a Hot Toddy by the fire, there’s no wrong way to do it. So, grab a bottle of Ballantine’s, pick a recipe and start a few new traditions of your own.
