Cocktail of the Week: The American Bar Eggnog from The Savoy

The American Bar — London’s oldest existing cocktail bar — offer a nutmeg-dusted, rum-soaked spin on the traditional Christmas Eve cocktail…

Needless to say, silly season hasn’t gone as planned for anyone this year. Partying is off the cards again, and many millions of us are stuck indoors once more, wondering how we did it the first three times. Still, Omicron can’t get in the way of binging on pigs in blankets or feel-good films, and it certainly can’t get in the way of drinking at home in your PJs.

Cue the American Bar at The Savoy in London, a bastion of style and class since 1893, which has kindly shared a recipe for peak festive consumption. When we asked their new Head Bartender Shannon Tebay (who, incidentally, is the first American to ever actually run the bar) for a Christmas Eve cocktail to lift our moods, there was only one thing for it. Eggnog.

Not what you were expecting from a World’s 50 Best bar, perhaps, but bear with us. the medieval ‘egg punch’ has kept people’s Christmas spirit alive through plagues, world wars, rationing and more. It’s a yuletide tipple which, despite its rich and creamy texture, never fails to delight young and old. Advocaat is as close as you can come to a commercial version, but nothing beats a ladleful of the homemade stuff.

Naturally, The Savoy have added a fancy twist to classic eggnog, using an Earl Grey infused bourbon and decorating the top with stencilled cinnamon stars for a bit of pizzazz. Whether or not you can be bothered to do this is up to you. Better times are coming, but for now all you need to do is put your feet up and drink eggnog. Trust us, you need it.

How to make The American Bar at The Savoy's Eggnog

Ingredients:

  • 45ml Earl Grey infused Bourbon or Whisky
  • 15ml Rum
  • 15ml Vintage Port
  • 60ml Whole Milk (chilled)
  • 30ml Double Cream (chilled)
  • 30g Caster Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • Grated Cinnamon or Nutmeg to garnish

Method:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice and give a good shake.
  2. Strain into footed port or sherry glasses equally, finishing each with a little of the foam.
  3. Decorate the top with some grated cinnamon or nutmeg, and drink immediately.

Want more cocktails? Here’s how to make The London No.1 Gin ‘Blue Martini’…

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