As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us are busy preparing for a day of gratitude and good food. Whether you’re hosting a large gathering or having an intimate dinner with loved ones, no holiday celebration is complete without festive refreshments.

Fine Wine & Good Spirits has you covered with a lineup of delightful cocktail recipes from a punch that serves a crowd to a dessert-like cocktail with ice cream. Let’s raise a tasty toast to the upcoming holiday season!

Chai Old Fashioned (November Cocktail of the Month)

Ingredients

• 2 oz Maker’s Mark Straight Bourbon
• 2 dashes bitters
• 2 oz chai simple syrup*
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• Q Club Soda
• Cinnamon stick, for garnish
• Star anise, for garnish
• Dehydrated lemon wheel, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine first four ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Top with club soda.
4. Garnish with cinnamon stick, star anise and dehydrated lemon wheel.

*Chai simple syrup: Boil 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add 4 chai tea bags, cover and steep 12 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in 1⁄3 cup maple syrup. Boil, without boiling over, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

A Thyme for Thanks (Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 plums, peeled and chopped
• 4 Tbsp thyme simple syrup*
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• La Marca Prosecco
• Plum wedges, for garnish
• Thyme sprigs, for garnish

Directions

1. Muddle the first three ingredients in a shaker; add ice.
2. Shake and strain into wineglasses.
3. Top with prosecco.
4. Garnish with plum wedges and thyme sprigs.

*Thyme simple syrup: Simmer 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add 6-8 thyme sprigs. Simmer for several minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 3 hours. Discard sprigs. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Bountiful Sangria Punch (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 750-mL bottle Dark Horse Sauvignon Blanc
• ⅔ c Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 honeycrisp apple, sliced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 allspice, whole
• Fig wedges
• Pomegranate pearls
• Mint sprig, for garnish
• Cinnamon, for garnish
• Coarse sugar, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large pitcher; stir and refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Rim wineglasses with cinnamon and sugar mixture; add ice.
3. Pour into prepared wineglasses.
4. Garnish with mint sprig.

Chilly Gobbler (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2 oz Disaronno Amaretto
• 2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
• 4 c butter pecan ice cream
• ¼ c milk
• Whipped cream, for garnish
• Caramel sauce, for garnish
• Pecan, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except for garnishes, in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into rocks glasses.
4. Garnish with whipped cream, caramel sauce and pecan.

And always remember to please enjoy responsibly.