Black Cow Christmas Spirit and warm cloudy apple juice make one of the easiest festive cocktails you will ever pour. This Black Cow Mulled Apple is ready in 3 minutes and tastes like all the spiced fruit of a holiday pudding in one mug.
What Is Black Cow Christmas Spirit?
Black Cow is a West Dorset producer that makes its vodka from milk. The whey left over from cheesemaking is fermented and distilled, which is where the base spirit gets its soft, rounded texture. For Christmas Spirit, that vodka is macerated with brown sugar, cloves, currants, figs, raisins, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla. It is bottled at 37.5% ABV and sips like a spiced fruit liqueur with a vodka backbone.
That ingredient list is the reason this drink works so beautifully. Almost everything in the bottle is already a natural partner for apple.
Why Cloudy Apple Juice Is the Right Match
Cloudy apple juice keeps its pulp, so it tastes fuller and fruitier than the clear kind. Cinnamon, clove, and orange zest are classic apple companions, and Christmas Spirit brings all three. Warm the juice gently so it stays bright and fresh. Boiling is the one thing to skip.
What to Expect in the Glass
Expect sweet-tart apple up front, then dried fruit from the raisins, currants, and figs, with cinnamon and orange peel in the aroma and a soft vanilla finish. The orange twist and cinnamon stick are not just for looks. They perfume every sip.
More Ways to Serve Black Cow Christmas Spirit
Black Cow suggests a few simple serves for the bottle:
- Neat over ice, as an after-dinner sipper
- Topped with champagne for a festive sparkler
- Splashed into hot coffee
- Mulled in hot cloudy apple juice, which is today’s cocktail
For another bubbly option with a holiday twist, try the Cocchi Panettone Spritz.
More Warm and Festive Drinks
If this one has you in a spiced, cozy mood, these are next on the list:
- Mother Root Hot Not Toddy
- Talisker Campfire Hot Chocolate
- Metaxa Sunny Christmas
- Sugar Plum Old Fashioned
- Smoked Apple Bourbon Smash
- Advocaat Posh Snowball
Looking for more drinks with a British accent? Our roundup of 10 easy British cocktails is a good place to wander next.
Where to Find Black Cow Christmas Spirit
Black Cow sells Christmas Spirit on its own website, and a number of UK retailers stock it too. It is a seasonal bottle, so availability can change.
Black Cow Mulled Apple FAQ
What is Black Cow Christmas Spirit made from? It is Black Cow’s milk vodka macerated with brown sugar, cloves, currants, figs, raisins, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Is Black Cow Christmas Spirit a vodka or a liqueur? It starts as vodka and is then infused with fruit, spice, and sugar, so it drinks somewhere between the two.
What kind of apple juice works best? Cloudy apple juice. The pulp gives the drink more body and a fruitier flavor.
What glass should I use? A mulled wine glass or any heatproof mug. Our guide to glassware for your home bar has more ideas.
Why Lush Life Loves It
Two ingredients and a few minutes are all it takes to fill the room with the scent of cinnamon, orange, and baked fruit, which makes it a delight for a quiet night in or a gathering with friends. It also shows off what Black Cow does so well, turning a spirit made from milk into something that tastes like a holiday table. If you want a festive drink that feels special without any fuss, this is the one to pour.
Here is the recipe
Black Cow Mulled Apple
Ingredients
- 50 ml Black Cow Christmas Spirit
- Cloudy apple juice
- Orange twist
- Cinnamon
Instructions
- Add Black Cow Christmas Spirit to a mulled wine glass
- Heat up the apple juice so it warms but does not boil
- When warm, top up the Black Cow Christmas Spirit
- Garnish with an orange twist and a cinnamon stick