Made with cranberry juice, pear liquor and SirDavis Whisky, this is the only Christmas whiskey cocktail I'll be enjoying this holiday season.
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If there are three things I love in this world, they are my family, Beyoncé and a killer cocktail. That makes me a very lucky bee this year, because Beyoncé’s whiskey brand, SirDavis, has introduced me to the Sleigh Bell, a tangy, boozy holiday cocktail that I’m going to be sipping on at every festive fete this season.
Launched in 2024, SirDavis is an American rye whiskey that’s distilled in Beyoncé’s hometown of Houston, Texas. The whiskey is named after her great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, who was an avid moonshiner during Prohibition.
This whiskey is more than a nice story and a pretty face (though the bottle is gorgeous). It was developed in collaboration with Moët Hennessy and master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden, and is double-aged in American oak barrels and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
The resulting liquor has a silky-smooth mouthfeel with notes of spice, stone fruit and citrus. In true Beyoncé fashion, it has a bit of a kick that mellows out to caramel and just a touch of vanilla. I recommend drinking this whiskey neat the first time you try it for the full experience, then trying it in your favorite classic cocktails, like a whiskey sour, sazerac or hot toddy.
The Sleigh Bell combines fresh cranberry and lemon juice with pear liquor, honey syrup and, of course, SirDavis for an impressive whiskey cocktail that’s surprisingly easy to mix up. Garnish the finished cocktail with a few cranberries and a sprig of rosemary to complete the party-ready look.
If SirDavis isn’t available in your area, you can sub in a bottle of rye from our picks for the best whiskeys.
Add all the ingredients to a coupe, martini or punch glass and top them with ice. Stir the cocktail with a bar spoon until it’s combined and cold.
Garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary.
Editor’s Note: It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Queen Bey opts for honey syrup instead of simple syrup in her cocktails. To make your own, combine two parts honey with one part water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has fully dissolved. Allow the honey syrup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will last for up to two weeks.
The Sleigh Bell perfectly balances the tartness of the cranberry juice and lemon and the sweetness of the honey syrup and pear liquor. It makes the cocktail incredibly easy to sip on—even if you’re not certified BeyHive. To maintain that balance, I recommend sticking with pure cranberry juice instead of cranberry juice cocktail, which can be mouth-puckeringly sweet.
What makes this cocktail especially great for a Christmas dinner or holiday party with friends is that it can be scaled up easily, so the host isn’t stuck mixing this drink all night. To make a batch big enough for 10 cocktails, grab your punch bowl and add 2-1/2 cups of whiskey, 1 cup of cranberry juice, 3/4 cup of lemon juice, 3/4 cup of pear liquor and 1/3 cup of honey syrup. Give it a good mix, then garnish the bowl with a handful of fresh cranberries, rosemary sprigs and plenty of ice. While you’re at it, you might as well fully stock your bar for the holidays.
Though the garnishes and name of this cocktail just scream Christmas, its flavor profile is versatile enough for it to be served from Thanksgiving through the New Year. In the meantime, I’ll be sippin’ on the Sleigh Bell while blasting 8 Days of Christmas and wrapping a small mountain of gifts.
