Festive Cocktails at Fairmont Empress
As the temperature drops, Fairmont Empress’ festive cocktails can always warm the mood. After all the frantic holiday baking, gift shopping, and travel, gladly take any opportunity to kick back with a deliciously festive holiday cocktail. And, if you don’t have the chance to sit and enjoy them from the historic Q Bar at Fairmont Empress, here’s how to make in the comfort of your home:
No matter where you choose to celebrate, here are the must-have drinks for the festive season. Cheers!
Into the Woods
2 oz Woodford
0.75 Spruce Tip Syrup
4 dash of Rootside Cascadian Bitters
Hickory Smoke
Garnish: Orange Peel
Method: Smoke your glass first. Stir, strain over king cube, light up the woodchips, cover.
Tip: When it comes to smoking cocktails, glass is always is always best. keep the smoking process under two minutes. When it comes to igniting your choice of kindling (we chose hickory), matches or a kitchen blowtorch are the effective. Make sure you have a nice flame going before you put it out so that you can truly put those embers to work for you.
Comet’s Cosmo
1.5 oz Grey Goose
0.75 Triple Sec
0.5 Lime Juice
1 oz Cranberry Rosemary Syrup
1 dash of Rootside Lemon Ginger Bitters
Garnish: Edible Glitter in glass
Method: Put all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well with ice and strain into a glass of your choice.
Tip: Shake the cocktail well to properly incorporate the ingredients and thoroughly chill the contents
Zero Proof Cocktails
The same care go into crafting Fairmont Empress’ zero proof cocktails. They provide plenty of flavour without the punch. “The Free of Spirit Mocktails on the Q Bar Menu are a great way to stay creative while using authentic, quality ingredients” says Doug Chant, Assistant Food & Beverage Director at Fairmont Empress. Q Bar’s alcohol-free mocktails include the Muggle Born a sweet and refreshing drink with spiced honey, lemon, orange and ginger ale and the Secret Garden, a herbal and tart mocktail that includes cucumber, grapefruit, lemon and chamomile. “Whether it be Dry January or another reason a guest abstains from drinking alcohol, inclusivity is key at Q Bar” says Chant.