The revolution that has swept through the cocktail world over the last 15 years is nothing short of remarkable. Once regarded as a largely conservative sphere, today’s emphasis on story-telling and sensory drinks would certainly surprise any time-traveling mixologist from the 1960s. So too would the sophisticated execution and design of modern cocktail concepts; the trailblazing creativity; the number of menus that aspire to be a work of art – all of which have exploded onto the world’s bar scene. For Millennials, standard classics such as the Old Fashioned and Manhattan simply won’t cut it anymore.

Yet at the very heart of all great cocktails is both a respect for tradition and an overriding focus on the quality of Ingredients. In this regard, Champagne cocktails have few peers. Elegantly decadent, building a cocktail around the world’s finest sparkling wine is surely a guaranteed recipe for success – if the bartender is well-versed in his or her craft, of course. Tradition dictates that Champagne cocktails are the ultimate Christmas and New Year’s Eve party staple, and it’s certainly true that there is something quintessentially celebratory about a hedonistic mix of liquor, bitters, and juice dressed up with bubbles.

However, this selection of bespoke Champagne cocktails and long-established classics are (we hope!) perfect for every occasion, and not just the holiday season. We’ve interviewed several bartenders to bring you the best of their signature creations – from white chocolate and strawberries to cherry blossom and chill, the following are a mix of the traditional and brave reinventions. Leading bartender Christophe Chilard – based at the Royal Automobile Club in London – offers this top tip when making these yourself: “Be sure to pour the Champagne very slowly when you top up the glass, as it reacts with the base and bubbles up more than you might imagine. Cheers!”

Bespoke cocktails

Champagne Dawn

Source: Royal Automobile Club, London – Jelena Mariseva

Sweet raspberries, sharp lemon and a drop of Champagne make this elegant pink cocktail perfect for any occasion. A handful of ripe raspberries popped into a bottle of vodka and left for at least three days will give you the perfect result.

Ingredients

• 2cl home-infused raspberry vodka
• 2cl limoncello
• 1cl gomme syrup
• 4-5 raspberries
• 10cl Champagne

Method

Muddle and shake the first four ingredients. Double strain into Margarita glass. Top up with Champagne and place one raspberry on the surface.

Golden Rush

Source: Royal Automobile Club, London – Naveen Dias

A punchy reinvention of the classic Champagne cocktail. A mix of mild bourbon contrasts nicely with the dry spice of The King’s Ginger and bitters. Opposites attract indeed!

Ingredients

• 2.5cl Bourbon
• 2.5cl The King’s Ginger
• 1 sugar cube
• 4 drops of Angostura Bitters
• 0.5cl maple syrup
• 8cl Club Champagne

Method

Soak the sugar cube with Angostura Bitters and drop it into the Champagne flute. Add the rest of the ingredients. Top up with Champagne and present with a long orange twist.

Stolen Orchid

Source: Royal Automobile Club, London – Luna Gomes

When Luna Gomes first created this stunning pink cocktail, she couldn’t help feeling something was missing. An orchid caught her eye in one of the Club’s flower arrangements and she snuck it back to the bar to adorn her creation. It’s a criminally good Champagne cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2.5cl vodka
• 1.5cl lychee liqueur
• 1cl lime juice
• 1.5cl elderflower liqueur
• 1cl vanilla syrup
• 3 drops of rosemary bittersweet
• 2 lychees
• Rose Champagne

Method

Muddle and shake ingredients. Double strain. Pour into Champagne flute. Top up with rose Champagne. Garnish with edible flowers. Enjoy.

The Lovers

Source: Voodoo Reyes, Geneva – Katalin Bene

Arguably Switzerland’s finest bartender, Katalin Bene’s signature Champagne cocktail is called “The Spirit of Love”. It’s a very refreshing, uplifting, floral drink with sorbet and bubbles and is her take on the French 75.

Ingredients

• 50ml Elderflower & Clary Sage infused gin
• 10ml Fresh Lemon juice
• 10ml Roasted fennel seed honey
• 1/4 spoon of finely ground Asparagus powder

Method

Shake the ingredients with ice, fine strain into a large flute glass over a scoop of cucumber sorbet and top up with 50ml Brut Champagne.

After adding the champagne gently slide a spoon down to the bottom of the glass and then, gently, lift it up. The shaken ingredients will mix with the champagne and the sorbet will float up to the top of the drink. Sipping the drink through the sorbet is fun as you get different flavors and textures and some lovely bubbles too. Divine.

Old School Classics

Grand Royal

They say the old ones are the best – this heady concoction is guaranteed to start any celebration on a high note.

Ingredients

• 3/4 parts Grand Marnier
• 4 parts Champagne

Method

Simplicity itself: add the Grand Marnier to a champagne flute, then top with champagne. Garnish with an orange twirl.

French 75

Gin is very much the spirit du jour – “It’s the versatility that makes gin such a brilliant spirit,” enthuses bartender Christophe Chilard. “The possibilities are endless.” But gin’s versatility doesn’t begin and end inside gin and tonics. French 75 takes the best parts of Champagne and the inimitable white spirit to forge something far greater than the sum of its parts.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 tsp superfine sugar
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 5 oz Champagne

Method

Mix the gin, lemon juice, and sugar well with cracked ice in a chilled cocktail shaker. Strain the mixture into a martini glass half-full of cracked ice and top off with champagne. Formidable!

Black Velvet

It doesn’t get any easier or more festive than mixing a Black Velvet on New Year’s Eve.

Ingredients

• Stout
• Champagne

Method

Half-fill a Collins glass with stout and top up slowly with Champagne. Stir gently to perfection.

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