While eggnog and hot toddies are the traditional marks of the winter bar, a curated cold-weather cocktail menu contains far more than heavy pours of high-proof spirits. It is a sophisticated shift, as bartenders look past the steaming mug to reimagine cocktails through a seasonal lens. Utilizing a vast vocabulary of classic techniques, they execute thoughtful substitutions that mirror the changing landscape.
By deploying a robust toolkit of oak-aged spirits, earthy botanicals and deep, resinous amari, they recalibrate our palates for colder weather. These drinks aren’t merely “warmed up.” They are structurally rebuilt with the weight and spice necessary to capture the moody, contemplative spirit of the season.
Bernardino’s Bramble at Ecco
The traditional Bramble is a warm-weather sipper, celebrated for its bright gin base and sweet, fresh blackberries. To winterize this classic, Ecco pivots from zesty brightness to the deep, spiced and brooding flavors of the forest. The Bernardino’s Bramble stirs together bourbon, fernet and blackberry for a fruit-filled winter nightcap.
Ecco has 3 locations. ecco-atlanta.com.
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Firewalker at Avize
Bar lead Griffin Hudgins creates a winter landscape in a glass. Firewalker is a savory and bittersweet hearth-worthy treat. Toki’s (Japanese whisky) grain-forward maltiness acts as a clean conductor for heavy, dark flavors. Fat washing with sesame adds a luxurious texture that clings to your palate. Brown, bitter and stirred, this cocktail tastes like velvet and woodsmoke. It’s a slow sipper with tons of earthy depth, topped with a delicious black sesame sweet treat.
956 Brady Ave., Atlanta. 404-879-1713, avizeatlanta.com.
Credit: Sarah Cofer
Credit: Sarah Cofer
10 Below at the Third Door
10 Below is a fascinating exercise in winter minimalism. While the menu description reads like a white Negroni or a martini variation, the ingredients of 10 Below represent a clever shift in cocktail architecture toward the fireside. Toasted marshmallow syrup mimics the charred cozy flavor of a campfire, and white bitter aperitif adds a bracing alpine bite. Vodka and white fortified wine are blended into a viscous, silky texture.
131 Church St., Marietta. 470-361-0370, thethirddoor.net.
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Fred Jerbis Vermut, Islay Scotch, Dry Curacao and Orange at Elise
Out of all the options on the list of vermouth-based cocktails at Elise, I am drawn to the savory-smoky profile in this subtle combination of Islay Scotch and a rich, bitter-leaning Vermut. Dry Curacao offers dark caramelized citrus notes rather than juicy ones. It’s a drink made to linger with as aromatics of smoldering driftwood and salty air conjure winter while the wind howls.
1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-540-7572, elise-atl.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Santo Carajillo at Palo Santo
Palo Santo trades the icy, sharp refreshment of an espresso martini on the patio for a thick, dark and deeply textural beverage suitable for sipping in a leather armchair. Nixta is the secret weapon here. Made from ancestral roasted corn, the liqueur introduces a savory, toasted grain element to Santa Teresa rum. Licor 43 rounds out the bitter espresso edges with golden, honeyed sweetness from 43 botanicals.
955 W. Marietta St., Atlanta. 678-944-8783, palosanto.restaurant.
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Credit: Apple Photos Clean Up
Pera Dorata at Yeppa and Co.
Using the seasonal bounty of late harvest fruit and warming botanicals, Pera Dorata is a winter-friendly spritz. Bombay Sapphire is known for its heavy emphasis on juniper and coriander, evocative of evergreen forests and dry spices. The vapor-infused botanicals bridge the earthy pear notes with the herbal lemon balm tea, creating a crisp, frosty sensation that mimics the smell of a cold winter morning.
306 Buckhead Ave. NE, Atlanta. 706-694-7111, yeppaco.com.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Mint & Cedar at Omakase Table
Stronger winter flavors could be tricky to pair with Japanese seafood; fortunately, beverage director Jeff Banks created Mint & Cedar for Omakase Table’s winter drink menu. Cedar-aged Taru sake is complemented by undertones of mint and tart apple, which linger on the palate. The sipper is force-carbonated for maximum effervescence and served in a long, clear Collins cube. It’s as refreshing as a breath of cold, crisp wintery air.
3330 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta. 470-404-5245, omakasetableatl.com
Douglas Fir at Madeira Park
Bar manager Philip Weltner transforms a basic martini into a winter wonderland in his Douglas Fir. He splits the gin base with Clear Creek’s Douglas Fir eau-de-vie. The distillery adds handpicked Douglas Fir tree buds into unaged brandy and re-distills. The result is a fresh, piney and sappy drink with a bit of Manzanilla sherry and a couple of vermouths to round out the experience. It’s a delightfully unexpected first sip.
640 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-2058, madeiraparkatl.com.
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