Five cocktails you can only get at the snow

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Cocktails are as much a part of skiing and snowboarding life as sore thighs, uncomfortable boots and chapped lips are. Only better. Much better.

Some drinks just scream apres ski. Take the inevitable shot ski, an actual ski with holes for a row of shot glasses filled with Jagermeister, Tequila or some other high-fuelled potent concoction shared with friends. Then add mulled wine, hot buttered rum and various forms of boozy hot chocolate to the mix of winter warmers.

In Italy it's all about the Bombardino, a warmed potent blend of brandy, advocaat or eggnog and cream and cinnamon. In the French Alps try the genepy digestif made from Alp flowers soaked in alcohol and sugar for 40 days.

Don't stop there though. You can sup on a ski-in ski-out Bloody Mary from the bespoke Bloody Mary slopeside cart at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch or go double fancy pants at Badrutt's Palace "1.2 Carat Cocktail" that comes with a 1.2 carat diamond. No lie.

Swan into Justice Snow's in Aspen and have a cocktail made just for you with their bespoke service where no two drinks are ever alike. Choose your "attributes" from thirty emotive words like sexy, dirty, feminine, complex, bold, spicy and more. Then pick one spirit and choose from Dealer's Choice, neat, up or on the rocks for how you want it served. Let the barman do the rest.

There's even an Apres Ski Cocktail Classic in Aspen every March hosted by the queen of apres ski, The Little Nell hotel, as mixologists from the USA's best ski bars compete for cocktail awards.

Try any of these classic ski cocktails with a twist.

Mitch Morgan, The Oak at Telluride

You'll find the crew at Fat Alley at The Oak in Telluride at the bottom of the ski hill next to the gondola. You'll also find the Mitch Morgan, a shot of premium bourbon with a side of bacon perched on the glass.

Chocolate globe at The Sebastian, Vail

There's hot chocolate and then there's hot chocolate at FROST bar at The Sebastian in Vail. A chocolate and gold flecked sphere sits in clear glass mug. Spiced hot chocolate filled with cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg and clove is poured over the sphere which then opens to reveal Bailey's marshmallows and chocolate crunch pearls that float to the surface. Ten out of ten for theatrics.

100 Manhattan, Little Nell Aspen

The Little Nell is as much a part of Aspen as fur, facelifts and flow yoga is. The only ski-in ski-out hotel on Aspen mountain hosts the world's elite, whether they can ski or not. So it's no surprise that they are home to the 100 Manhattan at the fine Element 47 restaurant. Expect 10-year-old bourbon with a mix of home-made ingredients including vermouth, orange bitters, coffee and coconut cherries and five spice cherries. It will cost you $US100 for the pleasure.

Aspen Crud at Hotel Jerome J Bar

The favoured watering hole of the late Hunter S. Thompson, the J Bar was once a soda fountain bar during prohibition with under-the-counter shots of bourbon thrown into the milkshakes. Channel your inner XXX and try the Aspen Crud, inspired by back in the day with bourbon, vanilla tea, cinnamon syrup, cream and nutmeg.

S'Mores Martini, Montage Deer Valley

The Montage is already known for their free s'mores fireside buffet every apres afternoon with home-made marshmallows in a plethora of flavours. Think of the S'Mores Martini as the buffet for grown ups with Baileys, Stoli vanilla vodka, chocolate, marshmallows and a crushed Graham cracker rim. You'll have to pay for being a grown up though, nothing's free once alcohol is involved.

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Thanks to Ski Max Holidays, we're giving you the chance to win a ski and snowboard trip to Whistler Blackcomb for you and a friend. You will fly from Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne to Vancouver, have two nights at the harbourside five-star Pan Pacific Hotel and take in the city's sights, including the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and FlyOver Canada. Then you'll spend five nights in luxury at the Westin Resort and Spa at Whistler Blackcomb with ski lift passes for two for the week you're there.

All you have to do is hashtag your original Instagram winter-inspired pics with #misssnowitall and #skimaxholidays to enter.

We will publish five finalists each week, with one winner at the end of the season. It's that easy.

Follow Rachael Oakes-Ash on Twitter & Instagram @misssnowitall and on facebook.com/misssnowitall