MAKE A SPLASH!

Our resident bartender deconstructs the perfect communal cocktails for your year-end party.

- Jason O’Bryan

There was a time, not so long ago, when a shared bowl of drinks was practically illegal.

Like so much missing from the past two years, this is a part of life we’re here to reclaim. There is a promise in punch and a conviviality; it’s a throwback to the fellowship of a bygone era. Starting with a distinctive punch sets the tone of your gathering and exercising care in its creation is practically a love language. A good punch has to be a lot of things: cold but not watered down with ice; interesting but not too esoteric; flavourful but not too intense. It may seem easy, but there’s an art to getting it right.

Start with the right ingredients and some clever techniques (freeze a giant piece of ice with garnishes inside to keep the punch cold in the bowl without making it watery, for one), and you’ll find punch is among the best and most elegant ways to begin your event. Its simple magic is that the preparation is done beforehand, allowing you, once the party starts, to focus on greeting your guests without worrying about drink orders. With that in mind, here are five options, each a foolproof way to start your party perfectly.

 GREEN & BUBBLY

Pisco is a brash young spirit, and so vodka here acts as a kind of chaperone, taming and stretching out the high peaks and reducing the intensity. This pairs with Chareau, a new-ish liqueur made from aloe, melon, spearmint and cucumber, which tastes like how a spa feels. Combine them all with lavender and champagne, and you have a broad, cooling, beautifully floral way to greet your guests.

8 limes

3/4 cup sugar

6 oz lime juice

9 oz vodka

9 oz pisco

1/2 oz Chareau