Juniper in January: Winter Gin Cocktails That'll Warm You Up

I am a firm believer in gin being a year-round spirit. First snowfall? I'm having a negroni. That first real blizzard of the year? Probably a gin and tonic. On the coldest days of winter when the snow looks intoxicatingly gorgeous as the sunbeams dance over the icy streets? A gin martini to warm my bones from the inside. What I'm saying is you don't need to part with your bottle of gin just because the temperature drops. That's just the time when you want to cozy up alongside it, friends. 

Knit one, purl one. And by that, we mean when you cross one winter task off your to-do list — have a golden purl. It's not the quickest way to knit a sweater, but this winter drink will certainly warm you up faster.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 4 ounces honey lemon tea, freshly brewed
• 2-3 dashes apple bitters
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Lemon wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. Warm a mug.
2. In the warmed mug, add gin, honey lemon tea, and bitters.
3. Stir briefly to mix.
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Winter is the perfect time to get fizzy with it. And that's doubly true when you're getting fizzy with some gin when it's getting chilly. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 3 ounces pomegranate juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce orange liqueur
• Ice
• Tonic water to top off
• Rosemary sprig and fresh cranberries for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with tonic water.
5. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and fresh cranberries. 

Ah, the winter of 75. If we were time travelers, we'd bet that anyone shoveling their driveway would happily accept this cocktail. Since that time machine still isn't working, there's more for us. 

Ingredients

• ½ ounce grenadine
• ½ ounce crème de cassis
• ½ ounce gin
• ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice
• Prosecco to top off
• Orange wheel and blackberry for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a Champagne flute.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, grenadine, crème de cassis, gin, and lemon juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Top off with prosecco.
6. Garnish with an orange wheel and blackberry.

Tart cranberry always has a place at the table — and the bar cart — in the winter. Especially for those who love a good feast. You can skip the canned cranberry sauce and enjoy this winter cranberry gin cocktail instead.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces gin
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce crème de mûre
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• Crushed ice
• Blackberies for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, and lemon juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over crushed ice.
4. Add cranberry juice and crème de mûre. Allow to sink, and do not stir.
5. Garnish with blackberries. 

From a member of the clover club in the summer, gin hits the slopes as part of the ski club in the winter. This savory gin cocktail will help you effortlessly handle all the slaloms of winter. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1 egg white
• ¾ ounce clove simple syrup
• ½ ounce raspberry liqueur
• Ice
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add gin, clove simple syrup, raspberry liqueur, and egg white. 
3. Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
4. Add ice to the shaker.
5. Shake to chill.
6. Strain into the chilled glass.
7. Garnish with raspberries. 

You can skip your usual dry gin martini for something that adds a little bit of somethin'-somethin', a little bit of hanky panky to your winter days. Don't balk, the Fernet isn't overpowering, and the gin remains the star.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• ½ ounce orange liqueur
• 2-3 dashes Fernet
• Ice
• Orange peel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, sweet vermouth, orange liqueur, and Fernet.
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with an orange peel.

This isn't the Sex and the City cosmo that's known worldwide. Instead, this juniper cosmo is the solution to those winter blues and those January gray days. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1-2 dashes orange bitters
• Ice
• Orange ribbon for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, lime juice, and bitters.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with an orange ribbon. 

Related: Gin With a Twist: Agave Gin Spirits Could Be Your Next Obsession

When the temperature drops, that's the time to pick up your bottle of gin. So shake off that snow from your shoulders, toss your wet socks and gloves into the dryer, and head for the bar cart: it's time to embrace juniper January this winter. Sounds like the perfect theme party. Don't forget to invite us!