New Orleans_AdoreHoliday2017.indd

Three local bartenders share seasonal cocktails of their own creation By missy wilkinson Spirits HOLIDAY THE By missy wilkinson | Photos by joshua brasted

T rim the tree, wrap the gifts, and roll out the bar cart—cocktails are the ideal vehicle for the season’s scents and flavors. “Holiday drinks are super special, because they’re tied to nostalgia,” says Abigail Gullo, head bartender at Compere Lapin. “It’s a wonderful thing to make these drinks for people, because you give them a taste of home.” Here are three unique holiday cocktails created by bartenders at the city’s finest watering holes. Mix up a drink (or all three), and have yourself a merry little time.

ADORE • HOLIDAY 2017 1 535 Tchoupitoulas St CompÈre Lapin

S pearmint and pine needle flavors mingle in a sweetened, blended sherry that tastes the way a ski lodge feels after an afternoon on the slopes. Though this alpine scene might seem foreign to New Orleanians, Drew Gosslin created the drink with nods to the Vieux Carre—which includes the name. “Maison Blanche is the classic, iconic department store on Canal Street that created the Christmas legend for New Orleans,” Gosslin says.

48