Spike your eggnog with these expert-recommended bottles.
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Christmastime is synonymous with all things sweet and boozy. A party might be satisfactory with Christmas cookies and pies, but you can't forget about the eggnog. There's no other time of year where it's appropriate to drink such a rich concoction of cream, egg yolks, and booze.
We went to the experts—bar managers and bartenders from around the country—to provide their picks for the best liquors for eggnog. “The holiday season is filled with delicious drinks. Perhaps no drink is more iconic than the traditional, but often confusing, eggnog," said Drew Garison, bar manager at Brass Ram in Dallas. "At its core, eggnog is a variation on the classic flip, combining egg and cream around a dark spirit. The luscious texture of the drink is enhanced with seasonal hard spices, typically nutmeg and cinnamon."
While you may typically reach for a bottle of rum or whiskey for eggnog, amaro and tequila are also good options. Some people who use reposado tequila in their eggnog like to complement it with an Amontillado sherry. Read on for bottle recs from experts, and if you can't get enough eggnog, check out our recipes for eggnog French toast and eggnog truffles.
Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, Hernan Trujillo, head bartender at J. Bespoke in New York City, knows all about coquito, a Puerto Rican holiday beverage similar to eggnog and spiked with rum. When it comes to eggnog, Trujillo also uses rum. "When choosing a rum, I personally find a spiced rum to be the best for the flavors incorporated in eggnogs," he said. "Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum is best for its quality and flavor profile.”
When crafting a spiked eggnog, Garison often reaches for bourbon because of its warm spiced vanilla notes. One of his favorite recipes uses Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon. "Known for its additional time in barrel, this bourbon shines because of its increased baking spice aromatics and a creamy, marzipan-like mouthfeel," he said.
Garison also adds Italian brandy for fruity notes and Fernet Branca for an herbaceous undertone. "This eggnog is best sweetened with high-quality maple syrup, tying into the richness of the Woodford.”
"Rum is such a perfect pairing with eggnog," said Rena Long, bar lead at both Selva and Fora in Chicago's The Hotel Emily. She recommends Ten To One Dark Rum: "The hints of baking spices really shine through in the eggnog."
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Mr Black Coffee Amaro
Long also likes to mix eggnog with amaro, such as Mr Black Coffee Amaro or J. Rieger Caffè Amaro. She recommends using both rum and amaro with eggnog. "The subtle notes of baking spices and the coffee are perfect to make an after dinner eggnog co*cktail," she said.
“We make an eggnog variation based on popular Portland bartender Jeffrey Morganthaler’s recipe," said Laura Unterberg, head bartender at Nashville's The Fox Bar & co*cktail Club. "Instead of brandy, it is built around rich aged tequila and nutty Amontillado sherry.” Espolón Reposado Tequila is Unterberg's pick.
“I love a boozy eggnog," said Madison Barker, bar manager at Down & Out in New York City. "I go for reposado tequila because it has these really nice vanilla notes that come through in this drink, and my favorite to use is Casa Noble."
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In addition to the tequila, Barker likes to add an Amontillado sherry. "It ties it all together and adds these beautiful nutty flavors to the drink that are absolutely delish!"
Allison Arnold
Associate Editor
Expertise: food & culture (Sustainability, Health, Travel)
Education: M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University, B.S. in Information Science (User Experience Design) from the University of Michigan
About Me: As the Associate Editor at Delish, Allie is a writer, reporter, and producer of features at the intersection of food and culture. Before Delish, Allie worked for publications including Apartment Therapy and Insider. She even spent time working in restaurants and breweries. Allie has dumpster-dived in NYC to expose food waste, reported on the invasive lionfish you can eat, and wrote about the growing trend of weed weddings. Her health and nutrition stories on hydration culture, bananas, and coffee have generated nearly 2M combined views. She loves traveling, running, and eating her way through new places and even has a thorough Google Maps ranking system for her favorite restaurants and bars! When not writing about food, she's planning her next trip, lifting weights, or training for a race.
