This Thursday you can stuff your face the old-fashioned way, or you can go boozy. These five concoctions come from our friends at Skyy Spirits — I’m not sure if you want to try for all five this Thursday, but a couple of alcoholic twists on the Thanksgiving feast aren’t going to kill anyone…

Cocktail Hour: We start things off with a classic for cocktail hour. This year, we are thankful for the Negroni and all its variations. The Boulevardier, an American twist of Italian classic, prepares the palate for the Thanksgiving feast ahead.

The Boulevardier
3/4 oz. Campari
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz. Wild Turkey 81 Bourbon

Stir with ice, and strain into a chilled 5 1/2 oz. coupe. Garnish with an orange (or lemon) twist.

Sides: No Thanksgiving is complete without the sides! Cranberry and sweet potatoes are particularly suited to cocktail versions. Aren’t you glad we didn’t try to make a cocktail with stuffing or green bean casserole? We might be creative, but we’re not crazy. For mashed potatoes, we direct you to the classic Old Potato Cocktail, which is 1 oz Apple Jack (another American classic), 1 oz Dry Vermouth, 2 oz Irish Whiskey.

Turkey’s Best Friend
Created by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer
1.5 oz Wild Turkey 81
2 oz apple cider
1 Tbsp cranberry jelly
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh thyme

Muddle sage and thyme with apple cider. Add ice, top with Wild Turkey and cranberry jelly. Shake well, strain over ice in a glass rimmed with turkey jus and breadcrumbs.

Sweet Potato Pie-Eyed
1 ½ oz Skyy Infusions Blood Orange Vodka
½ oz Irish Mist
1 oz fresh lime juice
¼ oz maple syrup
¼ oz molasses
1 tbsp roasted or mashed sweet potato

In a cocktail shaker, combine syrup, molasses and sweet potato. Muddle gently. Add ice and the remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass. Garnish with a sage leaf and garnish.

The Bird: We promise this bird won’t be dry! Thanksgiving 101 is the quintessential classic American cocktail that ridiculously easy to prepare. All you need is a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 and a punch bowl. We provide mixers, such as cola, ginger ale, and soda water for guests to customize their own drinks. Thanksgiving-seasonal garnishes, such as cranberries, rosemary, sage, and cinnamon sticks help add that festive touch. A no-fuss salute to the “American spirit.”

Thanksgiving 101 (a bit of a punt on this one, folks!)
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
Ice
Punch Bowl

Dessert: Finishing off our Thanksgiving feast is a pumpkin pie, of course. Thankfully, there is no word yet of a pumpkin pie filling shortage this year. Where would we be without pie? Guess we’d all be eating cake.

Pumpkin Smash
1 ¼ oz Frangelico
1 ¼ oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Grand Reserve
¾ oz pumpkin purée

Shake hard with ice and strain out into a semi martini glass or small rocks glass. Garnish sprinkle of ground clove or nutmeg. Serve in a martini glass.

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