I’ve made a NY Sour many times before but I enjoy changing it up every now and then with a different wine or whiskey.

Ingredients:

2oz Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Wild Turkey Rare Breed)
1oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice
0.75oz Simple syrup (I used 0.5oz Maple syrup instead)

For float: 1oz Red wine (I used a Lodi Cabernet)
Garnish: Lemon twist ( I used a dehydrated citrus wheel)

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain into a DOF glass with a large rock of ice (preferably). Gently float the red wine over the back of a barspoon over the top of the drink. Add garnish.

Notes:

I usually use WT101 or a Rye for something different. Decided to go with Rare Breed this time. It does exceptionally well in lengthening the drink thanks to the extra proof - makes it taste great till the last sip. The Cabernet also plays its part very well in adding complex fruitiness without overpowering the barrel notes of the whiskey. Maple syrup rounds it of perfectly and a little goes a long way. A great cocktail every time I have it..

There is Red Vermouth (antica formula) and fevertree tonic in the fridge.

I’m slowly building up my home mini bar and would love some feedback on what I should add, what I should replace, and whether there are any bottles I’m overlooking.

For years, my drinking was pretty much limited to bourbon and Coke or blended Scotch and Coke. I’m now trying to expand my horizons and learn to appreciate different spirits and cocktails. I’m still relatively inexperienced, so I’m looking for versatile bottles that will help me explore different styles rather than just collecting bottles for the sake of it.

My current collection:
● Dewar’s White Label Scotch
● Canadian Club Rye
● Tanqueray Rangpur Lime Gin
● Absolut Vodka
● Kraken Black Spiced Rum
● Havana Club 3 Años White Rum
● Espolòn Blanco Tequila
● Cointreau
● Angostura Aromatic Bitters
● Ouzo

My favourite cocktails so far:
● Manhattan
● Gin & Tonic
● Margarita
● Mojito
● Moscow Mule / Mexican Mule

I tend to enjoy drinks that are strong, citrusy, and slightly bitter rather than overly sweet. I’m also interested in exploring more sipping spirits, especially whiskies and herbal or floral liqueurs.

Bottles currently on my wishlist:

For the everyday additions:
Baileys
Aperol
St-Germain
Appleton Estate 8 Year Old

For slightly more premium bottles:
El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Scotch
The Botanist Gin
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whisky
Absente Absinthe

I’m not committed to any of these, though. If there’s something better suited to my collection, I’m happy to reconsider.

One limitation: I’m in a part of Canada where bourbon availability is quite limited. I love Buffalo Trace and Knob Creek 9 Year Old, so I’ll probably pick up some bourbon on my next trip to Alberta. In the meantime, I’m interested in exploring Canadian Rye, Scotch, Irish whiskey, rum, gin, and other spirits that are more accessible here.

A few questions for the more experienced home bartenders here:

1. What essential bottle am I missing that would open up the most new cocktails?
2. Is there anything in my current collection you would replace with a better alternative?
3. Which bottles on my wishlist would you prioritize, and which would you skip?

I’m trying to build a relatively compact but versatile home bar, buying a bottle at a time, rather than accumulating dozens of bottles I’ll rarely use.

Appreciate any suggestions, including unconventional ones. Cheers!

Sinus Rhythm By Daniel Zajic (@anatomyofadrink)

45 ml (1.5 oz) Smith & Cross

15 ml (0.5 oz) Amaro (Daniel uses Melletti)

15 ml (0.5 oz) Coffee liqueur

30 ml (1 oz) Espresso

7.5 ml (0.25 oz) Demerara syrup

2 dashes Tiki bitters

Add all ingredients to a the tin

Shake with ice

Serve into a chilled coupe

One of the most unique espresso variations I've ever tasted.

As I’ve been exploring the world of rum, I make port in Barbados for my first Corn-n-Oil. The first time I heard the name I couldn’t really wrap my mind around it. Now that I’ve tasted it, well, it makes perfect sense.
As the Texas summer winds down I will likely gravitate back to my whiskey cocktails. Ti’ Punch became my go to drink this year and now I wish I’d have tried the Corn-n-Oil earlier. But it will definitely become a staple.
I’m having the Barolo for dinner. I was just too lazy to love the bottle.
Even though I am inside tonight, I am looking forward to the cooler weather and the bird migrations. It will be nice to sit outside and not sweat profusely for a few months.

Corn-n-Oil

2oz Aged Rum (Probitas Green)
1/2oz Velvet Falernum
Lime Garnish

Mix in glad with ice. Serve and enjoy your off day.

Attention any UK-based Buffalo Trace fans. Tesco currently has a special offer on. 700ml Buffalo Trace @ £19 and 1000ml Buffalo Trace @ £25.

Bargain!

IMO yes.

Salt enhances flavours of drinks just as well as it does food.

General consensus?

Little early for coquitos, so i made something to tide me over til xmas.

- 0.5oz coconut rum

- 1.5oz aged puerto rican rum

- 1 barspoon cinnamon syrup

- 1 barspoon vanilla syrup

Stir over a big rock. If i had some id put a big toasted coconut flake as a garnish.

Definitely a dessert drink but it hits the spot. I was torn on what rum to use, originally i was gonna use Coruba, then RL Seale 12, then i landed on Bacardi 8. Im sure theyd all work well.

Gamma Grog

In Germany it is not very common to celebrate Halloween.
But I personally like Halloween and Halloween costume parties.
So I thought, why not do a few Halloween cocktails as well?
I was searching for some interesting cocktails and found the Gamma Grog from vegastikishow on YouTube.
The look got me hooked, and I tried it.
I really enjoyed this cocktail; even without the vanilla rum, I used ¼ oz of vanilla syrup to compensate for this.
Flavor-wise it is not a specific Halloween cocktail, so even if you are not into Halloween, give it a try if it is really worth it.
 
Here is the receipt:

1 Oz White Overproof rum (30 ml)
1 Oz Vanilla Rum (30 ml)
I used 1 ¾ oz Wray & Nephews Overproof Rum (52.5 ml) and ¼ oz vanilla syrup (7.5 ml).
½ oz Falernum (15 ml)
½ oz Midori melon liqueur (15 ml)
1 oz lime juice (30 ml)
¾ oz pineapple juice (22.5 ml)
Soda water to top
 
Shake everything with ice and strain onto crushed ice, top off with soda water.
I garnished it with (old)black mint and a swizzle stick.

If you like the swizzle stick used in the picture, check out my Etsy shop, link in my bio.

I'm not sure if this is a named cocktail, but I named it Eastbound Floral. I first made it with Roku gin (hence the Eastbound), but I ran out so this time it is The Botanist.

2 and 1/4 ounce The Botanist gin

3/4 ounce Saint Germain

3/4 ounce lime juice

2 dashes angostura bitters

Shaken in a Boston shaker with ice, single strained into a chilled coupe.

I usually have this when I feel like a gin martini but maybe something a little more floral and fresh. Very easy drinking and delicious!

Let me know what you think (or if there's something out there that already exists like this).

Attention any UK-based Buffalo Trace fans. Tesco currently has a special offer on. 700ml Buffalo Trace @ £19 and 1000ml Buffalo Trace @ £25.

Bargain!

Sometime between December and February the published version of the Alton Brown eggnog recipe was substantially changed. It now calls for a 2-step aging process.

See here the current version: https://altonbrown.com/recipes/aged-eggnog/

And here the previous version: http://web.archive.org/web/20251228015801/https://altonbrown.com/recipes/aged-eggnog/

Two berry-forward Cosmopolitan riffs, sort of at the intersection of a Clover Club and a Last Word.
To quote my wife - “IT’S LIKE CANDY!!”

But before we start slamming them — philosophy…

Kairos: An ancient Greek word meaning an "exact," "critical," or "opportune" moment.

Cocktail Name Background: Oporapolitan vs Cosmopolitan
My made-up compound word, oporapolitan, of the ancient Greek words "opōra" (late summer fruit harvest) and "polites"(citizen), representing the character of a person, ripe for a late hour—neither rash nor timid, but prudent and decisive. Where cosmopolitan is a citizen of the world, oporapolitan is a citizen for the moment.

The Kairos Hour #1

To Creativity & Bravery

0.75 Vodka
0.5 Kirschwasser
0.25 Rye
1x barspoon Pinot Noir
0.75 Lime juice
0.25 Maraschino
0.25 Simple syrup (1:1)
1x Strawberry top
1x Basil leaf
—
Gently muddle strawberry top in shaker. Slap basil leaf and add with the rest of the ingredients. Shake with ice and double strain into chilled Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a slapped fresh Basil leaf floating on top.
—
Smell:
Bright cherry and peppery grassy basil on the nose.
—
Taste:
Bold berry flavor up front with subtle warming spices and anise. The lime brings sharp tartness and the tannins from the wine dries it out. Throughout, cherry and almond keep popping up to the front.

———

The Kairos Hour #2

To Vigor & Resolve

0.75 Rye
0.5 Kirschwasser
0.25 Mezcal
1x barspoon Pinot Noir
0.75 Lime juice
0.25 Maraschino
0.25 Simple syrup (2:1)
1x Strawberry top
1x Basil leaf
—
Gently muddle strawberry top in shaker. Slap basil leaf and add with the rest of the ingredients. Shake with ice and double strain into chilled Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a slapped fresh Basil leaf floating on top.
—
Smell:
Earthy smoke, peppery basil, sweet cherry, and warm spices on the nose.
—
Taste:
Deep berries from the wine and bright tartness from the lime up front gives way to sweet almond and sharp cherry notes that finishes very dry.

Made a drink with leftover ingredients, turned out to be the best drink of the night 😂

45 ml 7UP Nimbooz

45 ml Peach Soju

Serve chilled or over ice.

Refreshing and easy to make.

Pretty much the title. Going 2:1 scotch to Drambuie. If I use 20 oz scotch and 10 oz Drambuie, how much water for dilution? Thinking 3-6 oz maybe?

Got accepted to move into my first apartment today! Had to break out the Pierre Ferrand and orgeat to go with my subpar rum!

Used the SC spec:

.25oz orgeat and 2:1 Demerara syrup

.75oz lime juice

.5oz dry Curacao

2oz rum (I used Jung & Wulf Trinidad, and I don't recommend it)

Shake all vigorously then garnish with freshly smacked mint (my mint plant is dead :< )

Recipe in comments

2oz Agricole

1 barspoon cane syrup

1 lime coin

Build in glass, squeeze lime coin then drop it in

I've been making White Ladies (1.5 gin, 0.75 triple sec, 0.5 lemon, 0.5 egg white).

I've tried it with Cointreau, which i think is the classic recipe, and with Pierre Ferrand's dry curacao. I much prefer the curacao; it's rounder, the orange is less harsh but still present, theres a bit of nuttiness.

Problem is: I'm using Costco gin. When this runs out, what's the one bottle I should buy that will be best for this particular use?

More broadly, what are some other cocktails to try that use gin and, specifically, dry curacao?

#fredagsdrinken nr.346 Tailspin
0.25 cl Campari
4 cl Dry Gin
2 cl Green Chartreuse
3 cl Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
1 stänk Orange Bitters by Angostura

"Skölj" glaset med Campari, Rör allt annat med is och sila upp i ett coupeglas, garnera med citronzest.
Skål 🍹 🍸🍷 🥃

https://fredagsdrinken.com

#cocktail
#cocktails
#drink
#drinks

The Irish Pale [A Paddy Melt (Death & Co by Joaquín Simó) riff]

Fellow Imbibers,

I’m back with another beer cocktail. This one was inspired by a Death & Co cocktail: Paddy Melt. If you haven’t tried the original I highly recommend, it’s certainly worth a go.

Here’s the specs for the original:

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Knappogue Castle 12-year Irish whiskey
.5 oz Chamomile-Infused Old Overholt rye 
.5 oz Amaro Meletti 
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 oz Cane Sugar Syrup

In my version I wanted to lean in hard on the bitter terpene flavor established in the original with the amaro, rye, and lemon juice, then turn the dial to 11. I knew I had a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey IPA Caskmates edition sitting around, which set everything in motion.

As many of us creators know cocktails involving beer are notoriously hard to fashion in terms of something worth our while, and even harder to make in terms of something one would actually consider returning to in the future. I believe this passes both those criteria, but I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourself if you venture to make one with these specs or something similar.

The Irish Pale ingredients:
6 oz IPA beer (I chose Stone FML hazy double IPA)
1.5 oz Jameson Irish whiskey Caskmates IPA edition
.5 oz Sazerac Rye whiskey
.5 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur of the Alps
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 oz homemade 1:1 simple syrup

Instructions:
Add all ingredients apart from the beer to a shaker
Add ice then shake and filter into vessel of choice
Top with beer
No garnish

I just won blackberry brandy from a bull roast and I don't really know what to use it with hopefully someone will have an idea with what to do with it

Riff off an aviation. My first time experimenting.

2oz mezcal
3/4oz crème de violette
3/4 oz luxardo maraschino liqueur
3/4 lime juice
Shaken, double strained.

Not sure I like the ratios. It’s okay

I tried it once and now I’m addicted. The gods have graced me this month with two bottles and a bottle of vegetal.