3 nutty cocktails to try this winter

Just like food fads, drink trends come and go. However, as imbibers who have long enjoyed classic tiki-tipples like a mai tai, Fog Cutter or Scorpion will tell you, using nuts in drinks is not new. Almonds, more specifically orgeat (almond syrup), are a common ingredient not just in drinks inspired by the tiki revival of the past decade, but also in pre-Prohibition recipes. Nuts can add savory elements, complexity and unique depth of flavor to drinks. Today’s bartenders are going further by utilizing varieties of nuts in bespoke ingredients like homemade nocino (walnut liqueur), milks, infusions, syrups and foams.

Mr. Carver at Juniper
Peanut-infused cola pairs well with the bright tropical fruit and ripe banana notes of El Dorado 5-year rum in this carbonated and bottled spin on the time-honored Southern treat of a bag of salty peanuts dropped into a bottle of Coke.
Juniper, 4101 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 314.329.7696, junipereats.com

Winter’s Respite at BC’s Kitchen
This modern iteration of hot buttered rum is finished with pecan foam. The foam, with a base of pecan syrup, finds depth from cognac, amaretto, cinnamon and mace. Warm and inviting, Winter’s Respite is a great example of how a modern mixology technique can complement a comforting classic.
BC’s Kitchen, 11 Meadow Circles Drive No. 400, Lake St. Louis, 636.542.9090, billcardwell.com

Almond Milk Punch at Tree House
Almond milk lends a lighter body and texture to this frothy, rum-based milk punch while preserving its vegan classification. Notes of fruit, spice and maraschino complement the almond milk.
Tree House, 3177 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.696.2100, treehousestl.com