This holiday season give your friends and family the gift of Cognac punch.

The historic and delicious drink dates back centuries and a big bowl of it can bring a party together like nothing else, since your guests are forced to mingle as they refill their punch cups. 

And to help you get your party started, we asked David Wondrich, the Daily Beast’s senior drinks columnist, to share his personal recipe for London Punch House Punch. It’s a tasty combination of Cognac, rum, lemon juice, sugar and a dusting of nutmeg. 

So watch this quick video now and then whip up a bowl. Cheers & Happy Holidays!

London Punch House Punch

By David Wondrich

Ingredients:

  • 4 Lemons
  • 6 oz (3/4 cup) White sugar
  • 20 oz Hennessy Privilege VSOP Cognac
  • 6 oz Jamaican rum
  • 1 quart (4 cups) Cold water
  • Glass: Punch cup
  • Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

  1. The day before you serve the punch, fill a quart container with water and put it in the freezer.
  2. Peel 4 lemons in long spirals and put the peels into a mason jar with 6 oz (3/4 cup) of white sugar. Seal the jar, shake it and let sit overnight.
  3. Two hours before you serve the punch, unseal the mason jar, add 6 oz (3/4) cup fresh-squeezed, strained lemon juice, reseal and shake until all the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate.
  4. To assemble the punch, unmold the ice block and place it in a 1-gallon punch bowl. Shake the contents of the mason jar and pour it into the punch bowl unstrained, peels and all.
  5. Add 20 oz (2-and-a-half cups) Hennessy Privilege VSOP Cognac and 6 oz (3/4 cup) Jamaican rum. Stir.
  6. Add 1 quart (4 cups) cold water. Stir again and grate nutmeg on top.
  7. Using a punch ladle, drape a few ends of the spiral lemon peels over the rim of the bowl.
  8. Grate nutmeg over the top.