I was really excited when Templeton Rye came to me and asked me to create a punch.

For my punch, I was really thinking about the holiday season and how to incorporate some of the classic holiday flavors with the Templeton Rye. However, I wanted to keep it classic and true to vintage punch, as well as something you could drink year round. By adding pomegranate, clove, bitters, and ginger — I feel like I was able to do just that. Try it this holiday season and let me know what you think!

Ritual & Crafts’s Templeton Rye Pomegranate Punch:

2 cups Templeton Rye Whiskey

Juice of 4 lemons (5 if lemons are small – about 3/4 cup)

1 cup pomegranate juice

1/2 cup Barsmith Honey Ginger Cocktail Syrup (you could also make your own honey ginger simple syrup — but I am a busy woman these days)😉

1/2 cup Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1 teaspoon Hella Bitters Aromatic Bitters (any aromatic bitters would work)

Club Soda

Fresh Nutmeg

Fresh Cloves

Lemon Twist

To Make:

• In a pitcher, combine Templeton Rye, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, honey ginger syrup, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, aromatic bitters, and 5 (or so) fresh cloves. Mix well.
• Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to let ingredients combine and chill.
• Pour punch into your punch bowl (having a beautiful punch bowl is mandatory! I got my beautiful and smaller crystal punch bowl from Boozetique in Salt Lake City).
• Add ice, more fresh cloves, and freshly grated nutmeg.
• Serve in punch coupes over ice, top with sparkling soda, and garnish with lemon twist and full star anise.

This punch is flavorful, wonderful, inviting, and fresh.

The Templeton Rye and pomegranate are perfect together and the garnish and fresh spices really do add that holiday aroma and flavor. The lemon keeps the punch bright and fresh and the bitters pull everything together. I also really love the slight addition of ginger in the syrup – it adds just a little bite.

Also, the punch is strong, so adding the ice to dilute it just a bit is important while not watering it down. Be sure to not add the ice or the soda until you are ready to serve. You can keep the original mixture in the fridge for a few days as well if you don’t use it all at once. For example, we drank this punch over the course of a few days and it kept its integrity. It also kept us super happy.