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Spritz the most wonderful time of the year - winter spritz cocktails

Easy Cocktails
Author: The Bar Team
A close up shot of a spritz cocktail in a glass, filled with fruit slices

Ah, the spritz. Usually the telltale sign that we’re in the throes of summer. The soft hiss of bubbles coming to the surface. The sound of melting ice clinking against glasses, just as we too melt into our sunloungers and look forward to a light, bubbly sip of a spritz.

A lovely image, we can all agree, but one that, dare we say, does a disservice to the supreme spritz. It’s an act of cocktail gatekeeping that denies us all of the easy-but-effective elegance of a spritzy drink as we move into the colder months.

While there are plenty of indulgent dessert-like drinks to enjoy as the nights draw in and the layers bulk up, there’s still something to be said about the simplicity of a seasonal spritz. They’re full of flavour and bubbles, a perfect lunch treat before a day spent before Christmas shopping or a lighter, effervescent drink to round off a Christmas meal with friends.

Tips for building a winter spritz cocktail

The reason a spritz - be it a bitter spritz or a fruity pour - is such a foolproof favourite is that they follow an easy formula. And the good news is this doesn’t need to be reinvented to give the cocktail a seasonal makeover.

A classic spritz recipe follows a 3-2-1 ratio: three parts Prosecco or similar sparkling wine, two parts bitter liqueur or aperitivo, and one part soda water or other soft fizz.

We’ve got plenty of expertly-crafted winter spritz recipes coming your way, but if you want to experiment with your own, keep the 3-2-1 principle in mind and consider the following tips.

Winter spritz in a large wine glass
Pick a base
In summer, this is typically something like a vodka or a gin - light, neutral spirits that lend themselves to plenty of fruits and herb flavours. For winter, you can still stick to a clear spirit, but you can also consider a rum, whisky or tequila. These might be stronger in flavour for some of the typical summer pairings, but they will blend so well with seasonal spices and cold weather crops.
Bring in the bitters
Instead of the usual bitter liqueur or apertivo flavours associated with the spritz (you know the one we’re talking about, starts with an A, ends in perol), consider bringing in something like a rich vermouth or even a dark fruits liqueur, like cherry.
Add the sparkle:
Prosecco might be the obvious choice, but swapping this out for a red sparkling wine or even a high-quality ginger ale or a spiced tonic water adds more wintry, spicy flavours.

Winter Spritz recipes

The Blood Orange

You’ll need:

To make:

  • To prepare your syrup, heat equal parts water and sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and steep 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary for 30 minutes, then strain

  • Next, in a wine glass or tall glass, combine the gin, blood orange juice, and rosemary syrup

  • Add a couple of blocks of ice and gently stir

  • Once mixed, top with Prosecco.

A light pink spritz cocktail with slices of dried fruit inside, as seen from underneath the glass

Johnnie Walker Seasonal Strider

Whisky and winter nights - what could be better? How about bringing together the honeyed notes of a whisky with bitter, citrus notes for a drink that’ll be perfect for any palate. Not too sweet. Not too bitter.

Adam Hussein, Johnnie Walker’s ambassador and maestro behind this mixology masterpiece, explains that this drink “truly covers a variety of citrus bases and lets you mix flavours in the most fantastic way.”

You’ll need:

To make:

  • Fill a highball glass with ice

  • Add Johnnie Walker Black Label, yuzu sake, lemon juice and honey syrup to a shaker tin

  • Give a short sharp shake, approx. five seconds.

  • Pour small amount of soda water (approx. 20ml) into the tin

  • Strain into your highball over ice.

La imagen muestra un vaso con un cóctel preparado con whisky Johnnie Walker, con limones dispuestos alrededor.

Autumn No. 10

The Autumn No. 10 combines the botanical elegance from the citrus heart of Tanqueray No. 10 with the vibrant blood orange juice and the warm, sweet spiciness of cinnamon.

You’ll need:

  • 50ml Tanqueray No. 10

  • 35ml Blood Orange Juice

  • 15ml Cinnamon Syrup

  • Top 100ml Fever-Tree Blood orange soda

To make:

  • Fill a wine or coupa glass with ice

  • Add Tanqueray No. 10, blood orange juice and cinnamon syrup to the glass

  • Top with Fever-Tree blood orange soda and give a gentle stir

  • Garnish with a blood orange wheel and cinnamon stick (optional).

A light pink cocktail in a coupa glass with a blood orange wedge garnish

Black Forest Sloe Spritz

Taking inspiration from the rich, dark fruits and slight bitterness of a Black Forest Gateau, this spritz is a sophisticated serve for the season.

You’ll need:

  • 30ml Gordon's Sloe Gin

  • 15ml Cherry Liqueur (Kirsch or a high-quality Cherry Brandy)

  • 10ml Sweet Vermouth

  • Prosecco

  • Angostura bitters

To make:

  • In a wine glass or champagne flute, combine the sloe gin, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and a dash of Angostura bitters

  • Give the mixture a short, gentle stir

  • Fill the glass with chilled Prosecco.

Sloe gin with prosecco in champagne glasses

Alcohol-free spritz recipes for winter

Whether you’re moderating your intake this party season or you just want to prove you’re the host with the most and have a range of options for every guest - including those not drinking alcohol - an alcohol-free spritz offers an elegant and exquisite alternative.

Seedlip Refresher

The Seedlip Refresher is a fantastic cocktail for the colder months because it embodies the season's transition with its mix of fresh, crisp flavours and warming elements. The herbal notes from Seedlip Garden 108 and the sweetness of maple syrup evoke the essence of a garden in harvest, while the ginger kombucha adds a warming, spicy touch that is perfect for the cooler weather. This non-alcoholic option encapsulates the spirit of the changing season.

You’ll need:

  • 60ml Seedlip Garden 108

  • 30ml Apple Juice

  • 15ml Lemon Juice

  • 15ml Maple Syrup

  • Ginger Kombucha to top

  • Cucumber ribbon to garnish

To make:

  • Fill a highball glass with ice

  • Add Seedlip Garden 108, apple juice, lemon juice and maple syrup to shaker tin

  • Carefully place cucumber ribbon in glass

  • Shake and strain into highball over ice

  • Top with ginger kombucha.

Seedlip Garden 108 Alcohol Free Spirit served with garnish in a cocktail glass
The Bar
About the Author

The Bar Team

The Bar Team is a group of behind-the-scenes writers, bartenders and drinks lovers who share tips, trends and easy how-tos. We mix real bar experience with a love of great drinks to help you try new ideas, learn and get inspired.
About the Author

The Bar Team

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