http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/24/dining/a-christmas-eve-cocktail-the-american-25.html 2014-12-22 19:35:39 A Christmas Eve Cocktail, the American 25 Conjuring the anticipation of Christmas Eve with applejack, Scotch and a burst of effervescence on the tongue. === Sometimes I wonder whether holiday drinking traditions endure because the beverage in question has proved popular generation after generation, or because long ago people figured out that coming up with something new that’s as good is just too difficult. Such thoughts drifted through my mind as I stood in my kitchen, surrounded by liquor bottles and dirty coupe glasses. I was well into my third night of trying to conjure up a drink to match the particular magic of Christmas Eve, a time when many of us cluster with our closest friends and family for a quiet toast, or at least a quick cup of cheer between the last-minute shopping and dinner. I have nothing against the old Christmastime standbys. I grew up with mugfuls of eggnog and So I decided to create a Christmas Eve cocktail that somehow felt old and apt. Early on, I focused on apple brandy. I wanted the drink to have a Yankee feel, and few spirits are more American than applejack. Many of these early efforts were sours, matching the apple brandy with other spirits and lemon juice. Some combinations showed promise (Cynar); others didn’t (banana liqueur). But most tasted like something I’d had before, and none seemed to especially fit the occasion. During one what-the-heck moment, I grabbed a bottle of Peat Monster, a blended Scotch with lots of smoky peat flavor, and mixed a spoonful into a shot glass of apple brandy. The two were natural partners, playing beautifully off each other. To evoke the anticipation of Christmas Eve, I wanted the drink to taste like a prelude to fun, to pop and fizz on the tongue. A few days later, I was browsing a liquor store for inspiration. My answer was on the other side of the shop, in the wine section. What communicates the kickoff of a celebration better than Champagne? Moreover, Champagne is as well suited to the gathering of a few intimates — a clinked glass for each and all — as to a large crowd. People never fail to stock up on bubbly for New Year’s Eve, but they seem to forget it exists the week before. I grabbed a bottle and headed back to the drawing board. The cocktail I finally chose is a very simple variation on a classic Champagne drink, the It’s bright and effervescent, the strong, aromatic characters of the apple brandy, Scotch, Champagne and lemon twist all awakening the attention of your nose, then your palate. Hopefully, it’s a spirit that will make other spirits bright, as they ought to be on Christmas Eve.