Whatever the flavour profile—tropical, bitter, fruity or savoury—a big batch of drinks prepared before guests arrive is a winning tactic for hosts. The payoff? Less work, more time to socialize and never breaking a sweat.
Cocktail lore says that the Pisco Sour is South America’s answer to the American Whisky Sour, a short cocktail shaken with lemon juice, served crowned with a foamy egg white and a few drops of bitters. A Peruvian bartender reportedly improvised it, more than a century ago, by using the South American grape brandy called pisco. Another famous pisco-forward cocktail was a punch using pineapple juice. This mash-up drink is blended, making the pineapple juice very foamy. Our Pisco Punch is a tribute to the history of these two famous drinks.
Get this batch-sized riff on a Pisco Sour
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Serve this drink with ceviche (a signature Peruvian dish) and corn or pita chips.
Though it’s strongly associated with hot Southern days and, particularly, the running of the Kentucky Derby, the bourbon-forward Mint Julep cocktail actually traces back to the Arab world, where a cooling elixir was originally made with rose petals. We’ve lengthened the drink with tea for lightly astringent tannins, and brightened and naturally sweetened it with juice and seasonal Ontario fruit. This lighter sipper for Canadian summer is, naturally, spiked with a little Canadian whisky! Keep it authentic to the original Julep by serving it over crushed ice, garnished with aromatic mint leaves.
Try a tea-infused twist on a classic
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Serve this mouth-watering drink alongside summery dishes with barbecue sauce (such as ribs, chicken, burgers or even shrimp).
Our Bartender’s Rootbeer will remind you of a grown-up root beer float, right down to the cherry-kissed vanilla topping! In the same way a certain combination of liquors and ingredients makes Long Island Iced Tea taste like actual iced tea, here the blend of coffee liqueur and vanilla vodka, along with a little botanical bite from ginger, mysteriously evokes root beer. You can choose reduced-sugar or sugar-free cola and ginger syrups for a lower-calorie drink.
Make this spiked summer favourite
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Think soda-fountain or diner food with this fun drink: burgers, hot dogs and flavour-fortified fries.
The key to an elegant fruit punch that’s more than the sum of its juices is a variety of fruity flavours, from sweet to tart or bitter. In this case, the pomegranate is earthy and bitter, apple (pomme in French) is crisp and juicy, and orange is brightly citrusy. Darling Mimosa (made with Ontario sparkling wine), along with apple cider—alcoholic or not, your choice!—provides effervescence. With optional added vodka, each glass will have the equivalent of one standard serving of alcohol; without it, the lightened-up drink packs half the punch—perfect for warm summer days.
Whip up our Pom Pomme Pitcher for your next party
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The robustly fruity profile of this drink complements Middle Eastern flavours, from herbaceous grain or tomato salads to grilled fish and seafood.