Martini, Your Maj? Queen’s Favourite Festive Tipple Revealed

You might think the Queen would be all for the Champers or even a Snowball come Christmas, but according to a new documentary, Her Majesty loves a martini.

Royal expert Ingrid Seward said on Channel 5′s Inside Sandringham: Holidaying with the Queen: “I think the Queen likes a martini, other people would rather have Champagne.”

The Queen and Prince Philip aren’t big drinkers, Seward said, according to The Mirror. But when they do fancy a bevvy, their drinks are “very strong” – she suggested that guests “would be knocked out by these drinks”.

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A classic martini recipe involves mixing gin or vodka with dry vermouth and a bit of ice – either stirred or mixed in a cocktail shaker. The contents are strained into a chilled martini glass and served with an olive on a cocktail stick or a twist of lemon peel.

If you like your festive tipples to taste a little more Christmassy, here are four suggestions to try this year.

Swiss Chocolate Espresso Martini

Basically a grown up advent calendar chocolate, in alcohol form.

Ingredients:

• 30ml vodka

• 25ml freshly ground espresso

• 17.5ml gomme syrup

• 25ml chocolate liqueur

Method:

• Place a few ice cubes in your glass and place in the fridge until very cold

• Pour the gomme, vodka, espresso and chocolate liqueur into a cocktail shaker, add a handful of ice directly from the freezer – you do not want to dilute the liquid, only mix and froth so direct from the freezer is best.

• Shake vigorously over your shoulder for 20 seconds, hopefully smashing up the ice in the process.

• Take the lid off the shaker and then pour the liquid through a strainer to avoid any ice getting into the drink.

• Add three coffee beans and fresh shavings of chocolate to finish.

Irish Coffee

Made properly, it’s warming and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 40ml Irish whiskey

• 80ml coffee (filter coffee is best)

• 2-3 teaspoons demerara sugar

• Double cream

• Nutmeg

Method:

• Make your coffee.

• Add two teaspoons demerara sugar per shot of whiskey, stir until dissolved.

• Top with cold double cream on top and add a festive finish with a grating of fresh nutmeg.

Pine And Apple Cocktail

A Christmas tree twist on the classic treacle cocktail.

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Ingredients:

• 40ml of dark rum

• 30 ml apple brandy liqueur

• 10ml of pine cordial

• Cubed ice

Method:

• Stir together the dark rum, apple brandy liqueur and pine cordial with cubed ice

• If you’d rather put your Christmas tree to good use, make your own pine cordial: brew 10g of pine in 500ml water, simmer with 250g of sugar and 5g of malic acid for 10 minutes.

• Strain into a chilled glass.

Midnight Rambler

The perfect spiced Christmas cocktail. Served warm, it’s a lighter twist on a hot buttered rum.

Ingredients:

• 30ml cider brandy

• 30ml ginger wine

• 5g spiced butter mix

• One teaspoon gomme syrup

• 2 drops vanilla bitters

• 80ml hot water

Method:

• Add the room temperature butter mix to a warmed glass

• Pour the hot water over the butter and stir to melt.

• Make your own spiced butter mix by blending together 250g softened butter, 2 tsp ground allspice, 2 tsp ground ginger and 2 tsp ground cinnamon.

• Add rest of ingredients and stir to mix.

• Pour into a glass teacup and garnish with a clementine wheel.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.