. A little more work but definitely worth the effort .
AN OLD-FASHIONED DONE NEW YORK STYLE, with a zing of lime and a fussy dash of grenadine. A slight variant is the New York Cocktail, which replaces the bourbon with blended whiskey. For a yummy after-dinner drink, the Commodore adds 1 ounce crème de cacao and switches out the lime for lemon juice.
Pour the bourbon and lime juice into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Add the grenadine and sugar, and stir well. Twist the lemon and orange peels over the drink, and drop them in. |
1½ ounces bourbon or rye ¾ ounce fresh lime juice Dash of grenadine 1 teaspoon sugar Lemon and orange peel twists |
SURE TO BECOME A CLASSIC, the Belmont Breeze is the new official drink of the Belmont Stakes. It was created by Dale DeGroff, master mixologist from New York City.
1½ ounces blended American whiskey ¾ ounce Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry 1½ ounces cranberry juice 1½ ounces fresh orange juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice ½ ounce simple syrup (page 27) or 1 teaspoon superfine sugar 1 ounce chilled club soda 1 ounce 7-Up Lemon slice Mint sprig Whole strawberry |
Shake all the liquid ingredients except the club soda and 7-Up vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with the club soda and 7-Up, and stir. Garnish with the lemon slice, mint sprig, and strawberry. |
INFUSE BOURBON with an abundance of tart citrus and fruity brandy, and you get this little gem of a cocktail.
Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. |
1½ ounces bourbon ½ ounce apricot brandy Dash of Angostura bitters 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice |
A LITTLE TARTY AND FULL OF SASS, this delicious New Orleans classic is named after the quintessential Southern belle.
Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. |
2 ounces Southern Comfort 2 ounces cranberry juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice ½ ounce fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon sugar |
A VARIATION ON THE ROB ROY, this Scottish classic has a decidedly herbal note from Bénédictine and is named after the poet who wrote “Auld Lang Syne” and “Coming Through the Rye.” For those who prefer Irish whiskey (we won’t tell), try the Brainstorm, made with ¼ ounce dry vermouth instead of the sweet and a twist of orange peel instead of lemon.
1½ ounces blended scotch whisky 1½ ounces sweet vermouth ¼ ounce Bénédictine Lemon peel twist |
Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the lemon peel over the drink, and drop it in. |
A MELLOW COCKTAIL, laced with orange liqueur, that is custom-made for Canadian whisky aficionados.
Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass or into a chilled cocktail glass. |
2 ounces Canadian blended whisky ½ ounce Cointreau 2 dashes Angostura bitters ½ ounce simple syrup (page 27) or 1 teaspoon superfine sugar |
DESPITE THE NAME, this cocktail has quite the sunny disposition, courtesy of zingy lime juice, orange liqueur, and aromatic mint.
½ ounces blended whiskey ½ ounce Cointreau ½ ounce sweet vermouth ½ ounce fresh lime juice Fresh mint sprig |
Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with the mint sprig. |
THE BARTENDERS AT NEW YORK’S FAMOUS WALDORF ASTORIA added sweet vermouth to this variation on the Sazerac.
1½ ounces bourbon ¾ ounce Pernod ½ ounce sweet vermouth Dash of Angostura bitters |
Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. |
THIS CLASSIC FROM BOSTON is named after an election district, but that’s not the exciting part—what you should really be jazzed about is that this elaboration on the Whiskey Sour gets more votes for tastiness.
Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass or a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon, orange, and cherry. |
2 ounces bourbon or rye Dash of grenadine 1 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 ounce fresh orange juice Lemon and orange slices Maraschino cherry |
THIS POTENT, FRUITY DRINK is named for the Irish policemen’s nightstick, for obvious reason—a few of these and you’ll start seeing stars.
1½ ounces Irish whiskey ½ ounce light rum ½ ounce sloe gin 1 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon sugar Peach slice Orange slice 2 to 3 raspberries Maraschino cherry |
Shake the liquid ingredients and sugar vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with the fruit. |
A FEW YEARS BACK, AROUND KENTUCKY DERBY TIME, my cohorts in revelry were clamoring for something “julepy” yet modern. Given my love for a good Sidecar, I came up with this refreshing hybrid, which decadently melds the best of both. I found that a good-quality small-batch bourbon gives the drink a luxurious complexity.
Rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with the lemon wedge, and rim with sugar. Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with the mint sprig and lemon slice, if desired. |
Lemon or tangerine wedge Sugar 1½ ounces small-batch bourbon ¾ ounce Cointreau 1 ounce fresh tangerine juice ½ ounce fresh lemon juice 1 tall, lush fresh mint sprig Lemon slice (optional) |
. Variations . For a super minty version, add 4 or 5 fresh mint leaves to the cocktail shaker, and shake with the liquid ingredients.
For a KENTUCKY FIZZ, serve over ice in an old-fashioned glass with a splash of club soda.
For a KENTUCKY ORANGE BLOSSOM, increase the tangerine juice to 1½ ounces. Omit the lemon juice. Add a dash of orange flower water, and serve over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
ASSERTIVE ANISE-FLAVORED PERNOD gives Irish whiskey a complex edge and the imbiber a smooth tongue.
2 ounces Irish whiskey ¼ ounce Cointreau ¼ ounce Pernod or anisette Dash of maraschino liqueur Dash of Angostura bitters Lemon peel twist |
Stir the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Run the lemon peel around the rim, twist it over the drink, and drop it in. |
THIS CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS COCKTAIL hails from the French Quarter. Concocted in the 1930s as the signature drink of the Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel, the Vieux Carré has a perfect balance of favorite flavors the city is famous for.
Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. |
½ ounce rye whiskey ½ ounce Cognac ½ ounce sweet vermouth ½ teaspoon Bénédictine Dash of Peychaud’s bitters Dash of Angostura bitters Lemon peel twist |
