So, what of 2025? While many unknowns lie ahead, there are some predictable trends we feel are here to stay. To start, low- and no-alcohol will surely kick off the year. Come gin season, people will first look to the hometown favorites while holding some space for the spectrum of worldly bottlings the aisles have to offer. As sure as the seasons will change, so too will the thirst for spirits produced from agave, sotol, sugarcane and the countless mixers and modifiers that have brought these spirits centerstage at our neighborhood bars, restaurants, and retailers. And what can we say? America LOVES American spirits, especially those that begin their lives in newly charred American oak. While Skurnik boasts one of the finest selections of brown and boozy from around the world, look for many to stand united in their tastes for value-driven domestic standards in times of volatility.
Cheers to a new year of spirited adventure!
—Adam Schuman, Spirits Portfolio Director
James Pellingra—Spirits Portfolio Manager, Whiskey
As we enter 2025, I’m feeling the pull to return to the roots of American Whiskey. With the category evolving in so many directions, it feels like the perfect moment to refocus on timeless cocktails that showcase the spirit’s true character. Classics like the Manhattan and Boulevardier have become my go-to choices.
My bar cart reflects this back-to-basics approach. It’s currently stocked with Tumblin’ Dice Rye, Pinhook Cask Strength Bourbon, and Starlight Applejack Brandy, alongside a rotating selection of amari and vermouth. These staples offer versatility and depth, making them ideal for crafting elegant, balanced drinks.
The act of creating something classic yet personal has become a creative outlet for me. It’s a ritual that alleviates stress and reminds me why I fell in love with whiskey in the first place. Whether it’s the bold simplicity of a well-made Sazerac or the precision of a perfectly stirred Boulevardier, these cocktails bring a sense of tradition and satisfaction to my glass.
In 2025, I’m raising a toast to the enduring appeal of the classics. Cheers!
Justin Lane Briggs—Spirits Portfolio Manager, Mexico
In 2025, I think the exciting trend of embracing high proof tequilas and mezcales will continue to grow—which I’m looking forward to!
But I personally also plan to explore increasingly creative Margarita variations. Beyond simply adding different fruit flavors, exploring a wide range of unique modifying liqueurs (starting with the diversity of orange liqueurs and building from there) offers us a vast universe of possibilities. To start, amaro margs all around!
Flor Amargo-rita
- 1.5 oz Amatiteña Tequila Reposado
- 1 oz Caffo Amaro Vecchio del Capo
- .5 oz lime juice
- 1 tsp Giffard Wild Elderflower Liqueur
- Pinch of salt
Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a lime wedge.
Jared McGuire—Spirits Portfolio Manager
Blink and you may have missed Pasquet’s quiet return to our portfolio this fall, which was as soft and subtle as its flagship Cognac. Now a Skurnik direct import, the L’Organic 04 occupies the same space as our most value-driven spirits in the category. A crisp and candied nose of Welch’s White Grape Juice, Green Apple Jolly Rancher, and torn ripe peach skin is gently supported by a frame of woodsy oak, which hums long and low, like a single cello note. Additive-free Grand Champagne fruit, certified organic on both sides of the Atlantic, and priced for cocktailing, it’s everything an entry-level Cognac should be.
Jake Cahill—Spirits Specialist, Hudson Valley
Ditch the Sour…Pisco Power!!
In 2025 I vow to drink (even) more pisco cocktails. I had the immense pleasure and privilege of visiting Peru with the founders of SUYO Pisco earlier in 2024. While there, I learned many a thing about the country, the culture, and of course, pisco. Seeing the process from grape to glass was an eye-opening experience for sure, but nothing altered the way I look at pisco quite like seeing how well it was being mixed in cocktails. From farms to the fanciest restaurants, I was exposed to the lowest and highest brow of drinks that this amazing spirit can be used for. Below are a couple of my favorites that are on the classic side of things in Peru. This just scratches the surface of what pisco can do, but hopefully, it helps open some eyes to its versatility as a base spirit.
Capitán
- 1.5 oz SUYO Pisco ‘No.1 Quebranta’
- .5 oz Antica Torino Vermouth Rosso
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a coupe or over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a green olive (Castelvetrano for the WIN).
El Piloto
- 1.5 oz SUYO Pisco ‘No.1 Quebranta’
- .5 oz Giffard Crème de Violette
- .25 oz Caffo Maraschino Liqueur
- .5 oz fresh lime juice
- .25 oz simple syrup
Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a coupe. Express lime peel for aromatics.
Cliff Oldfield—Spirits Specialist, Northern NJ
When I was younger, I used to get upset if my mom came home and forgot to bring apple juice. While that was a long time ago, and I like to think I can handle my emotions a bit better now, I’m still a fan of drinking apples and plan to do so more in 2025! While we are lucky to have many great apple distillates in our ever-expanding spirits portfolio (Neversink, Lemorton, Camut), one of my favorite producers is Domaine de Montreuil and their amazing Pays d’Auge Calvados. Starting from cider that has been fermented in tonneaux for a year before a double distillation in a former Cognac copper alembic pot still, their “Selection” has a minimum 2 years of age and is a perfect fit in cocktails. The “Reserve” bottling is special and one of my favorites. It’s aged 6–9 years, and you can’t go wrong here. This bottle is amazing with dessert, or as a dessert all its own, with baking spice, vanilla, and green apple—it’s a real treat. If you’re like me and enjoy drinking your apples, these are not to be missed. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2025!
Demario Wallace—Spirits Specialist, Metro New York
I’m stoked to drink more El Guapo non-alcoholic bitters and syrups in 2025! This brand is one of the most innovative on the market, and as Skurnik celebrates an official January launch on the East Coast—the cocktail capital of the world—I can’t wait to taste the unique cocktails that will be shaken and stirred all over town, both zero proof and high proof! I can imagine sipping on Sweet Potato Mai Tai’s and having my Dirty Martinis doused with Crawfish Boil Bitters.
Rich DePascale—Spirits Specialist, Long Island
Anything from Nashville Barrel Company is what I’m drinking in 2025. This relative newcomer to the bourbon space, and new to New York, is pumping out some of the best offerings in the category. Owners James Davenport and Mike Hinds are not messing around with their ability to hand-select the best possible barrels at a minimum of five years of age, if not more, to blend into their releases. James, NBC’s chief blender, is a self-proclaimed “Barrel Samurai,” and it’s a well-deserved title!
Keep an eye out for this brand in 2025, and if you see a bottle of it out in the wild, BUY IT! You won’t regret it.
Aidan Kassel—Spirits Specialist, Southern California
Towards the end of this year, I fell back in love with the highball. It’s a timeless drink that gets exponentially better the older I get. These days, the sugars and acid in cocktails make it hard to enjoy a few drinks in one night. I find that something light and lower in ABV makes having a drink just more enjoyable. So, if there’s one drink I can see myself opting for more of in 2025, it’s a highball. As long as you have cold soda water with enough bubbles, a frosty glass packed with ice, and a quality spirit, the options are endless. Here are a few of my favorite spirits to mix with soda:
Although it gets a ton of hate for being literally the most basic cocktail on the planet, a Vodka Soda is one of the most popular for a reason! I usually steer away as I find them to be just a little boring flavor-wise, but the OKA Yuzu Vodka adds a great layer of citrus and is distilled from rice, which gives some great texture and reminds me of a higher-ABV Junmai Dai Ginjo.
Akashi Ume makes an incredible highball. It has just a touch of sugar and some tartness from the Japanese plums it’s infused with. Paired with ice-cold soda water, it’s the perfect drink for a warm day. No garnish needed!
If you’re feeling extra indulgent, I highly suggest making a Kanosuke Single Malt highball. One ounce is plenty in this cocktail because of its strength. I find the extra water brings out tons of the whisky’s nuance. It’s smoky, savory, and just straight-up delicious.
Amanda Elder—Spirits Content & Education Manager
The winter holidays may be winding down, but the cold weather is just settling in for the season. This makes me want to drink one thing: Scotch. Nothing feels as cozy and comforting as a neat pour of whisky in a cut and weighty glass as I settle in for the violet hour and the hours after.
In 2024, I was a creature of habit, and my personal bar shelf was consistently stocked with Lochlea ‘Our Barley,” a welcoming dram with a creamy mouthfeel and an ABV of 46% that warms the bones without setting the throat on fire. Importantly, no water is needed to make this farm-to-glass whiskey a sippable balm—just the juice, the vessel, and a mind ready for whatever contemplation the evening has in store.
In 2025, though Lochlea will of course retain its place of honor, I intend to go farther afield. Skurnik has simply welcomed too many exciting new Scotches to the portfolio over the last couple of years for me to rest in routine. Namely, I’m eager to explore Isle of Raasay, an independent Hebridean distiller that continues to build buzz; Wolfburn, the northernmost distillery on Scotland’s mainland; and when I’m feeling a bit feisty, Meikle Tòir, the new range of peated single malts from the lauded crew at The GlenAllachie in Aberlour.
With these options (and more) to choose from, I’ll be well stocked for the crisp, fledgling nights of 2025. If only I had a roaring fireplace! But I suppose a little yule log on the television will work just fine—the whisky will do the rest.
