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Nothing says the holidays quite like eggnog. The creamy, old-fashioned drink has been a staple for generations. Take one sip of the mix of seasonal spices and kick of booze, and it’s easy to see why.
Getting your hands on this festive drink isn’t always as easy as heading to the grocery store. Most fans of this Christmastime beverage agree that homemade eggnog is far superior to store-bought varieties — but even if you want to make eggnog at home, it can be tough to know where to start.
Most eggnog consists of the same basic ingredients: eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and cozy spices like nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Making that rich, frothy base with baking spices is easy. It’s adding a little spike of booze for some extra holiday cheer that can leave you staring blankly at your bar cart, wondering which bottle to choose.
Whiskey, rum, brandy, and Cognac are among the popular spirits to add, but there are plenty of other options as well. When Liz Kelley, lead bartender at New Orleans’ Cure, crafted the bar’s slate of holiday drinks, she opted to include eggnog made with bourbon and chicory liqueur because the barrel-aged bourbon has enough roundness and depth to stand up to the richness of the cream and egg base, while the chicory liqueur offers an unexpected buzz.
Eggnog is all about balance. So while many recipes tap a velvety Cognac or spicy aged rum, Kelley says the best versions of this holiday drink don’t rely on just one bottle. “Eggnog is a great opportunity to add complexity with a blend of spirits,” says Kelley. “Try Cognac with an aged Jamaican rum, or bourbon paired with amaro. If you know your crowd, there’s a lot of room to have fun with holiday drinks.”
If you’re planning to supply a cup of cheer this holiday season, here are eight expert-approved bottles to use in your next batch of eggnog. Each one is sure to make spirits bright.
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
Food & Wine / Teeling Whiskey
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey is a versatile pick that you may already have on your bar cart. It’s the house spirit at New York City’s The Dead Rabbit, filling up everything from boozy Manhattan variations to the bar’s famed Irish coffee. And it’d be great in eggnog as well, says beverage director Aidan Bowie.
This blended whiskey is first aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in Central American rum casks, imparting spicy notes of caramel and toffee that pair perfectly with the frothy seasonal libation. “It also has a higher ABV at 46%, so that gives it a little more strength, which you need in a drink like eggnog,” says Bowie. “Plus, all those baking spices pair really well with cream and eggs.”
Boann Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Marsala Cask
Food & Wine / Boann Distillery
Another great pick for eggnog is Boann’s Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, which is aged first in bourbon barrels to create a backbone of honey and vanilla flavor. The spirit is then finished in a selection of the finest French oak Marsala casks used by a famed Tuscan winery, Cantine da Vinci. The resulting whiskey has a bit of spiciness, perfect for cutting through heavy eggnog. “It’s stunning,” says Bowie. “Marsala is used a lot as a cooking wine in rich dishes, so it would work really well in this type of drink.”
Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
Food & Wine / Santa Teresa
Known for its warming flavors, rum is another favorite among bartenders to spike a batch of eggnog. Nihat Cam, director of bars at Florida’s The Tampa EDITION, looks to Santa Teresa 1796 because its unique production makes for an especially smooth bottle.
Santa Teresa 1796 triple-ages each bottle of rum, resulting in a depth of flavor that many believe is unmatched. “The rum’s elegant dryness, hints of cacao and spices, and subtle character cut through the richness of the dairy and eggs, creating balance instead of heaviness,” says Cam. “Eggnog with rum becomes more layered and refined, almost like a holiday dessert with structure. For me, it elevates the drink from nostalgic to truly crafted.”
Reposado Tequila
Food & Wine / El Tesoro, Casa Dragones, Tequila Corrido
While spirits like Cognac, rum, and whiskey are most commonly used in eggnog, you can look deeper into the bar cart for some interesting additions. Cam recommends reaching for a reposado tequila because it offers warm notes that complement eggnog just as well as any other barrel-aged spirit. “Reposado tequila brings a little vanilla, a little caramel, and gentle oak that elevates the whole flavor profile, and it also rounds [out] the profile,” says Cam. “Reposado gives a true character that is comforting.” Try swapping in your favorite bottle or look to these bartender-recommended reposado tequilas for inspiration.
Gonzalez Byass Sherry Vermouth
Food & Wine / González Byass
While most of these recommendations could stand on their own and make a delicious eggnog, many bartenders recommend blending a few different spirits for the most nuanced flavor. Marshall Minaya, partner and beverage director of Madame George, Valerie, and Lolita in New York City, likes to add a bit of sherry vermouth. The unexpected bottle brings roundness to the final product and complements whichever other spirits you pour in. “Gonzalez Byass Sherry Vermouth has a beautiful texture and warming spice aromatics,” says Minaya. “Packed with cinnamon and allspice notes, it is one of the best complements to your brandy, whiskey, rum, or whatever base spirits you are using in your eggnog (if not all of them).”
Macallan 12-Year Single Malt Scotch
Food & Wine / The Macallan
Adam Griggs, the food and beverage director at Cimera in Denver, also recommends working with multiple bottles for the ultimate eggnog, starting with Macallan 12-year Single Malt Scotch. One of the best single malt Scotch whiskies, Macallan’s 12-year offers complexity with notes of cinnamon and gingersnap cookies, which Griggs says “lends a malty backbone and almost an orange marmalade characteristic to the mix that provides the baseline flavor profile.”
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
Food & Wine / Ferrand Cognac
Cognac brings a fruity, warm flavor and a velvety mouthfeel to eggnog, which is why Griggs likes to pour Pierre Ferrand 1840 into his batch during the holiday season to make it even richer. The high-proof bottle was specifically designed by the brand in partnership with cocktail historian David Wondrich to be used in cocktails to mimic 19th-century versions of the spirit. Its expressive nature and strong flavor profile help balance the other strong spirits, while adding a bit of brightness, says Griggs.
Valdespino Tio Diego Amontillado Sherry
Food & Wine / Tio Diego
A bit of sherry can make your eggnog even more complex, putting those store-bought versions to shame. With nutty notes of almond and hazelnut, caramel, and aromatic citrus, Valdespino Tio Diego Amontillado Sherry is a well-rounded pick that gives a burst of holiday flavor. Even a small amount combined with other spirits in eggnog can take it to the next level, says Griggs. “The nuttiness from the sherry adds depth and complements [a sherry barrel-aged whisky like] The Macallan,” he says. “This Amontillado also pairs well with nutmeg — an essential finishing touch on top of any eggnog.”
