6 Super Simple Cocktails for Entertaining at Home

Entertaining at home is a joyous occasion, but nailing the welcome drink can sometimes feel daunting. You want something sophisticated and visually appealing, yet you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen all night playing bartender. Fear not! The Tasting Class has collaborated with The Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer to bring you a curated list of six super simple, low-maintenance cocktails perfect for your next gathering.

Bourbon Sweet Tea
Start your soirée with a touch of Southern charm with this refreshing Bourbon Sweet Tea. You probably already have all the ingredients in your home, and you can make a big batch to serve from a pitcher, making it easy to serve. Here’s how to whip it up:

– Prepare 10 cups of tea and mix in 1 cup of sugar while it’s still hot.
– Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
– Add 3 cups of Bourbon.
– Garnish with lemon and mint.

We recommend using Side Hustle Straight Bourbon Whiskey from The Bottle Store. This is a new offering from The UAE’s first and only beer company, Side Hustle. An independent brand that operates with the utmost integrity in its commitment to creating excellent quality and great value beverages. Check out our video.

Paloma
Transport your guests to sunny Mexico with the zesty Paloma cocktail. This drink is in the highball family, meaning you can build the ingredients into the glass and serve it. Plus, for tequila lovers, it is a bigger drink than a margarita, so it lasts a little longer, all helping to speed up the bartending and slow down the drinking so the host can relax a little, too. Here’s a quick recipe:

– Salt rim a glass and fill it with ice.
– Add 1.5 oz of Siete Leguas Tequila.
– Top with 3 oz of grapefruit soda and a splash each of fresh grapefruit and lime juice.
– Garnish with a vibrant slice of grapefruit.

There are lots of grapefruit sodas entering the market now, but we like Waitrose grapefruit soda. It’s sugar-free, so it’s a great choice for the calorie-conscious. We were so happy to find the Siete Leguas Blanco Tequila at The Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer. This tequila has serious clout for being additive from and using traditional tequila production methods that lead to maximum romantics. Check out our video.

Spritzer
For a lighter option that’s perfect for daytime gatherings, consider the Spritzer. Here’s how to make it:

– Mix 2 oz of vermouth with 3 oz of soda water or prosecco.
– Add a squeeze of citrus juice.
– Garnish to your liking and serve.

We loved this Ferdinand Rosé Vermouth from the Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer. It is uniquely made from Riesling grapes from Germany’s Mosel region and infused with native herbs like rhubarb, elderflower, and summer berries.

Batch Negroni
Simplify your bartending duties with a pre-batched Negroni. As it’s only three ingredients, which are all alcohol and stable, your cocktail won’t go off if you make it up far before service. So prepare a jug in a fancy decanter then serve it over ice when the time is right. This one works great as an after-dinner cocktail.

– Mix equal parts gin, vermouth, and amaro in a large batch.
– Store the mixture until you’re ready to serve.
– Serve over ice and garnish with an orange zest.

We suggest using Black Tomato Gin for a distinctive twist on this classic cocktail. It comes from a fishing village in Holland and has been developed to taste great with its seafood-centric cuisine. It contains juniper, pepper, black tomato, basil, and seawater, and it is available from The Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer.

Bloody Mary Bar
Turn your gathering into a DIY cocktail extravaganza with a Bloody Mary bar. Then, you don’t need to make cocktails at all, and your guests will have a blast developing their signature drink. Prepare a service station with essential ingredients like vodka, tomato juice, lemon wedges, tobacco, Worcestershire sauce, salt and celery stalks.

Then add additional alternative. For salt I’ve put out black charcoal salt and celery salt too. I added Clamato juice as an alternative to tomato. As a sauce alternative, I suggest wasabi or buffalo sauce.

And for the skewered garnishes, some ideas include crispy bacon, cheese cubes, salami, pickles, olives, or even chicken wings. Be creative. If you can skewer it, you can use it as a garnish.

As this drink has only one spirit, we suggest using a premium one, like the Haku from The Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer. It is a super smooth Japanese rice vodka filtered through bamboo charcoal.

Pro tip: Ensure your glasses have a sturdy base to support the weight of the garnishes.

Pina Coladita
Pina Coladas look and taste great, but they can be messy with the coconut cream and a vibe-killer with the blender running loudy at your party. But, if you want that taste of the tropics at home, try the lighter, Pina Coladita. We chose the Spirited Union rums from The Bottle Store in Al Ghadeer, which are not artificially flavoured. Instead, high-quality ingredients are infused into them to create subtle and authentic flavours.

– Mix 1 oz each of Spirited Union Queen Pineapple & Spice Rum and Spirited Union Organic Coconut Rum with 1 oz of pinapple syrup, and 1 oz lime juice.
– Shake well and serve over packed crushed ice.
– Garnish extravagantly for that tropical flair.

Check out our video.

With these super simple cocktail recipes, you can entertain with ease and impress your guests without spending all night behind the bar. Cheers to stress-free entertaining at home!