If you’re throwing a party this holiday season, before you think about sending out the invites and stuffing the stockings, it’s time to stock the bar.
There’s no need to include everything. The secret is to build your bar inventory strategically, with a selection of distinctive, high-quality products that will inject fun and flavor into the cocktails you serve. The best way to distinguish the quality of your menu is to let liqueurs do the work.
When pouring to impress, look no further than iconic Italian producer Luxardo, which symbolizes legacy and luxury. Over hundreds of years, the same family has made traditional liqueurs using homegrown and carefully sourced ingredients to show off well honed craftsmanship as true marks of quality.
From sophisticated herbal elixirs to their trademark Maraschino cherry liqueur, Luxardo is a one-stop brand for the celebratory season. Ahead of the festivities, here are seven staples to have on hand for carefully planned events and spontaneous get-togethers, alongside quick and easy recipes designed to let the liqueurs shine.
Party Like It’s 1821 With Maraschino Originale
The story of Luxardo begins with Maraschino Liqueur — specifically, an obsession with perfecting it. And 200 years after the distillery’s founding, Luxardo is still using the same formula founder Girolamo Luxardo developed in 1821.
Each batch of Maraschino Originale is a product of patience, using marasca cherries (Luxardo’s own variety) that are cultivated in Northeastern Italy and infused with alcohol in wooden vats, along with the trees’ leaves and branches, for up to three years before distillation and bottling. The result is worth the wait. Originale offers a bold cherry flavor balanced with a distinct nuttiness, offset with warmer, decadent notes of vanilla, chocolate and orange marmalade. (In the cocktail below, it’s beautifully balanced by the earthy and elegant Luxardo Del Santo, a botanical liqueur crafted from a thoughtful blend of herbs and roots.)
When it comes to a garnish (or a great hostess gift), just grab a jar of plump, juicy and — thanks to Luxardo’s careful candying process — surprisingly crisp Maraschino cherries. Beyond a jolly-bright burst in your cocktail, a spoonful of the syrup-soaked fruit instantly elevates any dessert (even just a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream), so you spend less time in the kitchen and more on the dance floor.
Try it in the Last Word
Ingredients:
- ¾ ounce Luxardo London Dry Gin
- ¾ ounce Luxardo Maraschino Originale Liqueur
- ¾ ounce Luxardo Del Santo
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- Garnish: Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherry
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker, shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with the Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherry.
Drink Your Dessert With Amaretto
No disrespect to figgy pudding, but after a heavy dinner we’d much prefer a long pour of Amaretto di Saschiro.
Amaretto doesn’t get its flavor from almonds, but oils from the pits of stone fruits such as peaches, cherries, and apricots. With distinct nuttiness and toasty notes of vanilla caramel, a serving of this classic Italian liqueur is a sweet finale to a long meal with family and friends.
It beats fruitcake any day.
Try it in an Amaretto Sour
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Garnish: lemon zest
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker, dry shake (without ice) all ingredients.
- Add ice and shake again until well chilled.
- Double strain into a rocks glass over ice.
- Garnish with lemon zest.
Ring in the New Year with Espresso Liqueur
Hosting New Year’s Eve? Kick off the night with a cocktail that’s buzzy in every sense of the word: an espresso martini, made with Luxardo’s Espresso Liqueur.
While the caffeinated cocktail has been on the come-up for the last few years (hitting the U.S. Top 10 list in 2023), all espresso liqueurs are not created equal. Because cocktail and coffee connoisseurs alike know that the quality of the beverage begins with the bean, Luxardo’s is made from carefully selected varieties from across the globe. And this isn’t instant coffee. Like all of Luxardo’s products, the infusion process takes time: 30 days, to be specific. (Which is a lot longer than most of those New Year’s resolutions will last..)
Try It in an Espresso Martini
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce freshly brewed espresso
- Garnish: 3 coffee beans
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker, shake all ingredients with ice until cold and foamy.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with the coffee beans over the foam.
Put a Twist on Tradition with Bitter Bianco
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From decorating gingerbread houses to trimming the tree, holidays are a time for beloved traditions — but when it comes to the bar, it’s okay to think outside the box.
Luxardo’s Bitter Bianco is made from the same bitter herbs, fragrant plants, and bright citrus as the original, along with that recognizable hit of wormwood. However, where the traditional is ruby red, Bianco’s presentation is more of an alabaster, adding an unexpected visual dimension (a white Negroni!) to surprise your guests and spice up the design of one of the most classic of cocktails.
Try It in a Bianco Negroni
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Luxardo Bitter Bianco
- 1 ounce Luxardo London Dry Gin
- 1 ounce Bianco vermouth
- Garnish: Grapefruit twist
Directions
- Fill a beaker with ice. Add all ingredients except garnish to beaker and lightly stir.
- Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Especially stressed for time? When the holiday rush hits, you only need one ingredient and two minutes. Simply shake with ice and double-strain two ounces of Bitter Rosso — Luxardo’s original family recipe — for a cocktail the brand has dubbed the Shakerato.
With Luxardo liqueurs in your bar cart and these recipes at the ready, you’ll always be ready to start the party and wow the crowd. You can shop all of Luxardo’s liqueurs at the link here. Holiday entertaining has never been easier — or more fun. Cheers!
This article is sponsored by Luxardo USA.
