Cocktail Cadre

There are certain traditions that just stick.

Since 2015, April 15th has meant one thing for me: a Death & Taxes. I first had this at a sadly long-gone restaurant in Pasadena (RIP Trattoria Neapolis), but I did make it over to Kings Row Gastropub and asked my favorite bartender to put one together.

It’s one of those drinks that feels right for the day: a little bitter, a little reflective, and something you don’t rush through.

I’m curious if anyone else has small traditions like this tied to a specific date. Not big holiday stuff, just those personal rituals that somehow become permanent.

NO ICE.

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To celebrate Fat Tuesday 2026, I poured some of my dad’s barrel-aged Sazerac. A split of 50% Sazerac Rye Whiskey and 50% Haut de Vigne Cognac VSOP, aged about six weeks back in 2023.

Per his instructions on the bottle: two dashes Angostura bitters, three dashes Peychaud's bitters, rinse the glass with absinthe, and express the oils of a lemon over the top and then discard.

I have a little left in the bottle and I think I'll save this for Fat Tuesday every year for as long as it lasts as a fun and memorable way to honor my dad.

🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails, Day 25

The final cocktail of this year’s series is A Stranger in the Alps, a Negroni-style drink built around Braulio.

Gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, and a touch of Braulio. I used Beefeater instead of the recommended Junipero, and ended up blending Carpano Antica with Cocchi di Torino when I ran out mid-measure. It turned into a happy accident and a good reminder that home cocktails are about adapting and experimenting.

The recipe suggests rinsing the glass with Douglas Fir brandy liqueur. I didn’t have that either, so I used a Fernet Branca rinse to add a cool, piney, menthol note that plays nicely with the alpine character. It's finished with a lemon peel.

Bittersweet, herbal, and reflective. A fitting way to wrap up the season.

Thanks to everyone who’s followed along with 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails. We’ve been doing this every year since 2022, and we truly appreciate you being part of it.

🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails, Day 24 (Christmas Eve)

Tonight’s drink is my dad’s barrel-aged Manhattan.

He used a split base of Hickory Hill 100 Proof Rye and Bulleit 95 Rye with Dolin Rouge vermouth, aged about six weeks. Per his note on the bottle, I finished it with a dash each of Angostura and orange bitters and a Luxardo cherry.

I don’t have much of this left, which makes Christmas Eve feel like the right time. A quiet, stirred, strong cocktail; the kind he loved, and the kind that invites you to slow down and remember.

🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas Cocktails

Day 23

Tonight’s cocktail is the Pasadena Christmas, a personal riff on the Santa Clara Christmas I first encountered in Imbibe magazine years ago.

The original uses equal parts Tequila, Mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth. I swap the vermouth for Manzanilla Sherry to keep things drier and brighter, then finish the drink with a light Laphroaig Scotch spritz from an atomizer for a gentle layer of smoke.

The intent is pure mood: sitting by a fireplace (or an outdoor fire pit), smoke in the air, and a distinctly Pasadena take on Christmas: warm, relaxed, and quietly festive.

Simple build with an easy orange peel garnish, and best enjoyed slowly.

🎄🍸 25 Days of Christmas The World's 50 Best Cocktails

Day 22

Tonight’s drink is You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, created by Mathias Simonis for Distil in Milwaukee and inspired by the classic holiday film "A Christmas Story."

Made with aged rum, Becherovka, Bénédictine, cinnamon syrup, and Angostura bitters, it’s a warming, spice-forward cocktail that feels right at home in late December. I dialed back the cinnamon syrup slightly to keep it from tipping too sweet and served it on the rocks so I could enjoy it slowly before dinner.

A fun name, but a surprisingly thoughtful and well-structured drink.

🎄🍸25 Days of Christmas Cocktails

Day 21

Tonight’s drink is And To All a Good Night, a cocktail by Tim Stookey from San Francisco. It’s one I usually reserve for Christmas Eve or Christmas night, something stirred, strong, and contemplative to close out the evening.

Made with bourbon, reposado tequila, Cherry Heering, and orange bitters, it’s surprisingly balanced and deeply warming.

After spending part of the day paying respects to my dad on the anniversary of his passing, and the rest navigating last-minute Christmas errands, this felt like the right way to slow things down and reset.

Not every holiday cocktail needs to sparkle. Some are meant to help you exhale.

🎄 🍸 25 Days of , 2025 Edition

Day 20

Tonight I poured myself a glass of this aged eggnog that's been mellowing in our refrigerator since last year. Don't worry - the amount of alcohol keeps the dairy from spoiling and it's a process that's been around for centuries.

This one is based on a "Boulevardier" profile, but swapping Cynar for Campari. It also has Bourbon and Sweet Vermouth and it's exactly what I needed to relax and take a breather tonight.

💬 Tell us what cocktails you're drinking to celebrate the Christmas season!

🎄🍸25 Days of Christmas Cocktails, Day 19

This is a drink I don’t make often, but one that carries a lot of meaning.

Tonight’s cocktail is a Keoke Coffee, made with brandy, crème de cacao, Kahlúa, hot coffee, and whipped cream. My parents discovered this drink back in the 1990s and loved it so much it became a regular part of their holiday season.

It’s not about being flashy or modern. It’s about comfort, familiarity, and honoring the small traditions that stick with us over the years.

Cheers to the drinks that feel like home.

🎄🍸25 Days of Christmas Cocktails, Day 18

Tonight’s drink is a Chimney Sweep, a Boulevardier riff made with Cynar in place of Campari and finished with chocolate bitters. The original recipe includes a small measure of Laphroaig for smoke, but I used a glass smoker with cherry wood instead (a gift from Cadre co-founded Jeff Ferguson) , which gave the cocktail a very bold smoky character.

Garnished with a brandied cherry. Bitter, rich, smoky, and perfect for a winter night.

Have you experimented more with smoky spirits or with smoking the glass itself?