Fall Libation: Hennesy brings winter to Socal

It’s safe to say that if a liquor company has lasted for almost 250 years that they might have a thing or two to tell us about mixing drinks. Started in 1765, Hennessy sells over 50 million bottles per year. That’s a whole lot of springs, summers, falls, and winters that these folks help get us through. Despite the weather edging upwards of 80 degrees and with no cold front in sight, with fall here and winter swiftly approached, we can’t help but get a little nostalgic. You could say that we’re sentimental for a winter wonderland, OK?! Things like ski lodges and those special winter drinks that make us think of cozy date nights and chapped lips that need to be warmed up. Thankfully in LaLa Land, we’ve gotten pretty good at faking it, so if we crank up the AC and check out what Hennessey Master Mixologist Jordan Bushell has to offer, we might almost be worthy of those New England wintery thoughts that these drinks and their ingredients evoke:

The Drink: Winter Vacation

Ingredients: 1 oz Hennessy V.S, 1 oz Velvet Falernum,.25 oz Fresh Lemon juice, 5 oz Hibiscus tea (hot). Garnish: Lemon Wheel and cinnamon stick. Glass: Heat proof glass mug. Method: Add all ingredients to a heat proof glass mug and stir to combine, garnish with a lemon wheel and a cinnamon stick, serve.

The Drink: A Long Night in Madrid 

What It Is:  1.5 oz Hennessy VS, .75 oz Medeira, .25 oz grade A maple syrup, 4 dashes angostura bitters, 1 egg white. Garnish: Coco nib shavings, or dark chocolate. Glass: Coupe or martini. Method: add all ingredients to a shaker tin and shake without ice to activate egg white, then add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a coupe or martini glass and shave coco nib over the top.

The Drink: Old World

Ingredients: 2 oz Hennessy V.S, .5 oz Amaro Nonino, 5 dashes orange bitters. Garnish: Lemon wheel. Glass: Rocks. Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, stir to chill. Strain liquid into rocks glass with fresh ice, garnish with a lemon wheel and serve.

The Drink: Ginger Apple

Ingredients 1.5 oz Hennessy V.S, .75 oz Ginger Liqueur, .5 oz Lemon juice, 2 oz Apple Cider or apple juice, 1 dash angostura bitters top with Soda. Garnish: Apple spear and ginger spear. Glass: Collins. Method: Shake all liquid except soda in a shaker tin with ice. Strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Top with Soda and garnish with an apple and ginger spear.