The festive season is the perfect moment to come together with loved ones and share both stories and time together, but of course, this can always be improved with a holiday tipple or two. At Breckenridge Distillery, this essence of the festive season is embraced wholeheartedly and it is renowned for creating the ultimate immersive guest experiences. And, of course, if you feel like 'Brecking the Halls' for the holidays, you can enter the distillery's latest competition here to be in with a chance of winning a VIP getaway!

The distillery itself was founded in 2008 and is the "World's Highest Distillery", known for its inventiveness and award-winning whiskeys. As well as offering its visitors a truly unique adventure at the distillery, you can also dine at its restaurant, enjoy show-stopping cocktails, and learn all about its spirits with an in-depth tasting, to name a few. New to the distillery, guests have the opportunity to blend their own whiskey as they learn the inner workings of whiskey production.

If journeying to Colorado is a little too far for you right now, worry not, you can enjoy a taste of Breckenridge from the comfort of your own home. Here you will find the ultimate array of cocktails to suit every palete this holiday season, from Port Cask finished Old Fashioneds to Whiskey Mulled Wine, Breckenridge is here to show you the way to elevate your cocktails to another level.




Breckenridge Distillery’s top five festive tipples
Fireplace Tipple

Breckenridge Bottling: Bourbon Whiskey, 86 Proof



The high-rye Bourbon is aged for a minimum of three years in charred, new American oak barrels, then blended together to create a unique Bourbon.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey


• 1 oz smoked grapefruit shrub*


• 1 oz grapefruit juice


• ½ oz lime juice


• 12 elderberries 


• Garnish: Smoked sage, citrus, elderberries

METHOD

• In a shaker tin, muddle elderberries. Add all other ingredients with ice. Shake and strain over ice.


• To make the smoked grapefruit shrub: Over low heat, add 1 cup pink grapefruit juice, 6 oz Turbinado sugar and 2 oz honey. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat, let cool and add 1 oz grapefruit balsamic vinegar. Stir to incorporate. Add shrub into a sealable container. Smoke with a Smoking Gun or Cylinder using applewood chips. Seal and refrigerate. *Smoking is optional. Smoking guns or cylinders can be found on Amazon.

Photo Credit: Breckenridge Distillery, Fireplace Tipple

Pleasant Fig Persimmon Pucker

Breckenridge Bottling: PX Sherry Cask finish , 90 proof  



From the Andalusia province of Spain, a luscious dessert wine is produced from the shriveled raisins of the Pedro Ximenez (PX) grape. This highly viscous, syrupy, wine is aged in ancient solera barrels for decades before release. Breckenridge Distillery acquired a selection of retired PX barrels from a solera hundreds of years old and filled them with its rich and spicy Bourbon Whiskey.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-1/2  oz Breckenridge Sherry Cask finish


• 1/2 oz Black Mission Fig shrub*


• 1/4 oz fresh lemon juice


• Garnish: dehydrated persimmon slice

INGREDIENTS

• Shake all ingredients with ice. Serve up or on the rocks.


• *Black Mission Fig shrub: over low heat add 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 4 mission figs quartered and muddled. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 4 oz Black Mission Fig vinegar.  Let rest an hour. Let cool and strain. Refrigerate.

Obi-Wan Old Fashioned

Breckenridge Bottling: Port Cask finish , 90 proof



The distillery’s award-winning Bourbon is finished in 59-gallon Tawny Port casks, creating unique and vibrant expressions.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ oz Breckenridge Port Cask finish


• ½ oz raw simple syrup (see below)


• 2-3 dashes barrel-aged bitters or Angostura bitters


• Garnish: Luxardo cherry, orange peel

METHOD

• Stir all ingredients with ice, and strain into a glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with cherry and orange peel.


• To make raw simple syrup: Over medium heat, combine 1 cup sugar in the raw and 1 cup water. Stir until dissolved, then let cool, bottle, and refrigerate.

Horseshoe “Punch” Bowl
Serves 8 – 12

Breckenridge Bottling: Rum Cask finish , 90 proof



For this expression the distillery takes its signature Bourbon and allows it to soak up the charm of its own aged Colorado Rum casks.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bottle Breckenridge Rum Cask finish


• 8 oz allspice-cardamom-clove syrup (see below)


• 8 oz lemon juice


• 2 oz orange juice


• 12 oz ginger beer

INGREDIENTS

• Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl and stir to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over large punch size cube. Garnish bowl with orange and lemon slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, mint, and shaved nutmeg.


• To make allspice-cardamom-clove syrup: Over medium heat, add 1 cup water, 1 cup turbinado sugar, 1 Tbsp. muddled allspice berries, 1 tsp muddled cardamom pods, and 3 cloves. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, strain, bottle, and refrigerate.

Whiskey Mulled Wine
Serves 6 – 7

Breckenridge Bottling: Spiced Whiskey, 82 proof



For this festive treat, Breckenridge Bourbon is infused by hand with a careful selection of whole roots and winter spices.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz Breckenridge Spiced Whiskey


• 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon


• 1 oz honey


• 1 oz turbinado sugar


• 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, muddled


• 3 star anise


• 2 cinnamon sticks


• 6 cloves


• Peels from two oranges


• 1 lemon, sliced

METHOD

• Over low-med heat, combine all ingredients and stir to incorporate. Keep on this heat for 20 minutes, then turn to low and cover for 30 minutes. Taste, and strain when you have the balance you like.


• Return to low heat and serve in individual heat-proof cups, garnished with an orange slice, cinnamon stick, and star anise.