From Sophia’s Bar at the Charles Hotel in Munich, this recipe for glühwein (mulled wine) is a Christmas classic. Warm, aromatic and with a spicy kick, it’ll suitably warm your Yuletide guests this season. If you’re hosting a party, the delicious Christmas Cocktail with rum and mulled wine will be sure to add some sparkle to the proceedings.
Glühwein
INGREDIENTS
750ml dry red wine
250g vanilla sugar
1 vanilla pod
6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 oranges
METHOD
1) Peel the skin off one orange and cut the other orange in slices.
2) Combine the sliced orange, orange skin and all other ingredients together in a big pan. Heat gently so that the sugar dissolves.
3) When the sugar is completely dissolved, let the wine cool down and place it in a cool, dark, dry place to rest.
4) After a week, strain all the spices and fruits out, heat up the wine and serve it in a warm mug.
Christmas Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
60ml Pyrat XO Reserve rum
75ml apple Juice
35ml fresh lemon juice
30ml mulled wine syrup
20ml egg white
Mulled wine syrup:
1 Part mulled wine
1 Part sugar
METHOD
1) To make the mulled wine syrup, heat both ingredients in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool so you get a thick syrup.
2) Add all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker over ice, shake very well and strain into a cocktail coupe.
3) Garnish with dried orange slices.
The festive season brings its own kind of sparkle - a flurry of celebrations, feasts, and time with those who matter most. To make gifting simple, we’ve curated a selection of bespoke experiences to delight everyone on your list. From candlelit dinners and Italian wine tastings to tranquil spa escapes and moments devoted to yourself, each experience thoughtfully crafted to offer moments of joy.
Preparations were in full swing at the North Pole - ribbons tied, sleigh bells polished, and lists checked twice - yet Father Christmas kindly agreed to pause his busy schedule for an interview. We met him at SCOTCH at The Balmoral, just as the famous clocktower struck 12:03 - it stands watch over Waverley Station, running three minutes fast, so no one ever misses a train. Settled into a deep armchair with a favourite dram in hand, he shared his most treasured places to pause, indulge and unwind across Europe every festive season.
As the world turns ever faster, the more we crave moments that feel timeless. In an age of novelty, amid the noise of constant ‘connection’ and the short-lived churn of the new, many are choosing something rare: nostalgia. Comfort is found in the familiar, meaning in memory, and beauty in places that feel lived-in. Nostalgia has emerged as the new expression of luxury, not as a retreat into the past, but rather a graceful refusal to let its traditions and heritage fade away.
