Cocktails Flashcards
Americano
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Soda Water
Serve over ice in a lowball Glass. Orange Slice
Bartender Comments: A precursor to the fabled Negroni
Aviation
1.5 oz. London Dry Gin
1/2 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1 Barspoon Crème de Violette
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Cherry (Maraschino, Amarena, Brandied Cherry) or Lemon Peel
Bartender Comments: The name (Aviation) indicates the desired color of the cocktail—a light blue that should be reminiscent of the sky.
Bee’s Knees
1.5 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Honey
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Twist of Lemon
Bartender Comments: It’s important to augment the honey in a way that makes it mixable, as it will lock up completely when it comes into contact with ice. The most common advice is to thin the honey with water (hot water will make the process go faster, and a 2:1 ratio of honey to hot water works best). The other good thing about this is that the level of sweetness will be similar to that of a simple syrup of one part sugar to one part water. Store this in a refrigerator to extend the shelf life as is it is now prone to ferment. Another way to go about things is to heat the honey prior to adding it to the other liquid ingredients (without the ice) and stirring until fully incorporated. The latter method may have to be adjusted to balance the end result.
Bellini
2 parts Prosecco
1 part White Peach Puree
Dash Raspberry Puree
Pour Prosecco over puree in glass. Stir gently. Champagne Flute
Black Russian
1.5 oz. Vodka
3/4 oz. Kahlùa Liqueur
Pour ingredients over ice. Lowball Glass
Blood and Sand
1 oz. Blended Scotch Whisky
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
1 oz. Orange Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Orange Twist
Bartender Comments: Like many classics, this drink—named for a 1920s silent film starring Rudolph Valentino—has seen quite a renaissance in recent years.
Bloody Mary
1.5 oz. Vodka
4 oz. Tomato Juice
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
3 dashes Tabasco Sauce
3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Cracked Black Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. Horseradish (optional)
Build the drink in an ice-filled highball Glass. Celery Stick
Bartender Comments: Origin stories for the Bloody Mary abound, though most credit Fernand Petiot with combining vodka and canned tomato juice while working at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris (1920s-ish). Petiot moved to the St Regis Hotel in New York, and the drink received a makeover—the original fifty-fifty combo was rather bland.
Bobby Burns
2 oz. Blended Scotch
1/4 oz. Bénédictine
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Lemon Twist
Bartender Comments: Scotland’s famous son and bard is generally credited as the inspiration of this Rob Roy derivative. I take a bit of umbrage with the name, however: as Mark Kingwell points out in his book Classic Cocktails: A Modern Shake, Robert Burns did not contract his name to Bobby, but rather Rabbie. But the drink appeared in the seminal Savoy Cocktail Book as “Bobby Burns,” and therefore shall forever be known by that name.
Boulevardier
1 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 oz. Campari
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Orange Twist
Bartender Comments: Bourbon takes center stage instead of gin in this cocktail made in the Negroni mold.
Cable Car
1 1/2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
3/4 oz. Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
Rim the glass with Cinnamon and sugar. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Orange Twist
Bartender Comments: A modern day favorite from Tony Abou-Ganim, think of this as a rum-based Sidecar.
Caipirinha
2 oz. Cachaça
Juice of two Lime Quarters
2 tsp. Sugar
Muddle Sugar and lime quarters until sugar is dissolved. Add crushed ice and Cachaça. Lowball Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: A tricky recipe, as limes will vary in the amount of juice they will yield. Look for limes that are on the pale side of green with a thin skin; they should have some give to them. That being said, taste as you go to make sure everything is in balance. For a richer profile, use a coarse sugar in the raw.
Cape Codder/
Cape Cod
1.5 oz. Vodka
4 oz. Cranberry Juice
1/4 oz. Lime Juice
Pour over ice. Highball Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: Allegedly named after MA’s Cape Codder Resort. Omit the lime juice to make a Cape Cod.
Champagne Cocktail
Champagne/Sparkling Wine
Angostura Bitters
Sugar Cube
See below. Champagne Flute, Lemon Peel (discarded)
Bartender Comments: As with all cocktails that have been around for any length of time, this one has several competing recipes. Noted cocktail guru Naren Young has a great tip for fully saturating the sugar without leaving a mess of bitters in the bottom of your glass—which will muddy up your drink. Simply place a cocktail napkin on top of the flute and adorn with the sugar cube. Liberally apply the bitters to said cube, then fold the napkin in half and deposit the sugar in the flute. Top with fizzy stuff (despite the name, champagne is not a requisite; just be sure to use something bone dry). Pour carefully or you’ll end up with a mess on your hands. Finish by expressing the oils from a lemon peel over the surface of the drink and then toss the peel in the bin, not the drink.
Corpse Reviver #2
3/4 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Cointreau
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Absinthe (glass rinse)
Rinse a cocktail glass with absinthe and discard the excess. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Cherry
Bartender Comments: Like the Aviation, this is once more a popular drink. While there are a few (dissimilar) versions of Corpse Revivers around, this is more than likely the expected recipe when a generic Corpse Reviver is ordered.
Cosmopolitan
1.5 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 oz. Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Lime Twist
Bartender Comments: Cheryl Cook’s name is often bandied about when discussing the Cosmo’s origin. Working in South Beach in the mid-1980s, Cook based her original drink on the then-new Absolut Citron vodka, triple sec, Rose’s lime cordial and “just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink.”
Daiquiri
2 oz. Rum
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Lime Wedge/Wheel
Bartender Comments: A classic sour. With such a diverse array of rums there are seemingly limitless ways to customize this excellent drink.
Dark ‘n’ Stormy
2 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
1/2 oz. Lime Juice (optional)
Ginger Beer
Build ingredients over ice into a highball Glass. Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: Easy to make and equally easy to drink. While I’m not too picky, there are some who insist that the rum be floated on top of the ginger beer.
French 75
1.5 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
Champagne
Shake gin, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice and strain into ice-filled glass or chilled flute. Top with Champagne. Highball glass, Lemon Twist
Bartender Comments: Created at Harry’s in Paris, the drink owes its name to 75 mm French artillery used during WWI. Serve this in a highball that’s been filled halfway with cracked ice (despite its regular arrival in a Champagne flute).
Gibson
2.5 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Pearl Onion
Bartender Comments: Not much distinguishes this from the classic Martini; indeed, only the garnish.
Gimlet
2 oz. Plymouth Gin
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Wedge of Lime
Bartender Comments: This is a GIN cocktail, not a vodka cocktail. As Sterling Archer says, the proper way to order a vodka Gimlet is to request, “vodka, combined with all the ingredients a sane person would use to make a Gimlet.” For a variation, add two dashes of Angostura bitters to make a Bennet cocktail.
Gin Fizz
2 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
Soda water
Combine the gin, lemon and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into an empty Collins glass, with no ice. Top with soda water.
Bartender Comments: Historically, this type of drink was consumed in the morning, so a collins glass on the smaller end of the spectrum would be appropriate. The fundamental difference between a fizz and a collins is the use or disuse of ice. Also, a collins is built directly in the glass while the fizz is shaken. Some variations on the collins include: silver fizz (use of an egg white), golden fizz (use of an egg yolk), royal fizz (use of the whole egg), and the diamond fizz (substitute sparkling wine for soda water).
Grasshopper
1 oz. Green Crème de Menthe
1 oz. White Crème de Cacao
1 oz. Cream
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a cocktail glass
Greyhound
1.5 oz. Gin/Vodka
5 oz. Grapefruit Juice
Serve over ice. Highball Glass
Bartender Notes: Use a salted rim for a Salty Dog.
Harvey Wallbanger
1 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Galliano
4 oz. Orange Juice
Pour vodka and orange juice into an ice-filled glass. Float Galliano on top. Highball Glass, Orange Slice
Hemingway Daiquiri
2 oz. White Rum
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz. Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail Glass. Lime Wedge/Wheel
Horse’s Neck
2 oz. Bourbon
2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Ginger Ale
Build the ingredients in an ice-filled highball glass. Lemon Twist
Bartender Comments: Originally intended to be a non-alcoholic beverage, the drink gets its kick from a nice glug of bourbon (although just about any whiskey will work). The garnish is really its defining characteristic: the easy way to create the “horse’s neck” is to use a channel knife to make an extra long lemon twist, making sure a bit of length peeks out of the glass. For those a bit more ambitious, use a paring knife to create a wider swath of lemon peel. Avoid the pith, and pare the lemon like you would an apple, creating one continuous peel.
Hurricane
4 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum
2 oz. Lemon Juice
2 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup
Shake with ice and pour without straining. Hurricane Glass, Lemon Wheel
Bartender Comments: This recipe is courtesy of Beachbum Berry Remixed. Created at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans, the current version is, perhaps, better avoided. As The Bum writes, “these days its Hurricane is made from a noxious cherry-flavored bottle mix. Go for the lovely patio garden, but order a beer.”
Irish Coffee
1.5 oz. Irish Whiskey
1 tsp. Brown Sugar
6 oz. Hot Coffee
Heavy Cream
Add whiskey, coffee and sugar to the mug. Top with Cold Cream. Coffee Mug
Bartender Comments: In order to ensure the cream floats, it must be lightly whipped. My preferred method is remove the coil from a hawthorne strainer and add it to shaker with the cream. Shake vigorously for ten seconds or so, et voilà! Pour the cream over the back of a barspoon to float it on top of the spiked coffee.
Kamikaze
1 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Lime Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Lime Slice
Bartender Comments: For those who like Margaritas without all that tequila deliciousness.
Last Word
3/4 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass
Long Island Iced Tea
1/2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Tequila
1/2 oz. White Rum
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Coca-Cola
Stir all ingredients with ice. Highball Glass, Lemon Twist
Madras
2 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Cranberry Juice
2 oz. Orange Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into glass filled with ice. Highball Glass, Orange Slice
Bartender Comments: A sweeter variation of the Sea Breeze.
Mai Tai
1 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum
1 oz. Amber Martinique Rum
1 oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Curaçao Liqueur
1/4 oz. Orgeat Syrup
1/4 oz. Rock Candy Syrup
Shake with crushed ice and pour without straining. Old Fashioned Glass, Spent Half Lime (Submerged), Mint Sprig
Bartender Comments: Here it is, the one and only. Be sure not to confuse this ultimate tiki classic with whatever it is that they serve in Hawaii and other tropical escapes. The two-rum combo is meant to replicate a rum which is no longer available. I like to use a Smith and Cross navy-strength Jamaican rum.
Manhattan
2 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Cherry
Bartender Comments: The drink’s oft-cited origin story revolves around Lady Randolph Churchill, Sir Winston’s mum. New York’s Manhattan Club claims the drink was made for her during a bash in 1874, but cocktail historians dispute this assertion, claiming that she was in London around this time, ripe with little Winnie and about to burst.
Many variations exist. For a Perfect Manhattan, use 1 oz. of vermouth, half dry and half sweet. A Dry Manhattan replaces sweet vermouth with the drier stuff entirely.
Margarita
2 oz. Tequila
3/4 oz. Cointreau (or Combier)
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
Simple Syrup to taste (optional)
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into salt-rimmed glass, with or without ice. Cocktail Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: Although orange liqueur/triple sec is commonly used to sweeten the Margarita, international tequila ambassador Julio Bermejo has popularized the “Tommy’s Margarita,” which uses agave nectar in place of the orange liqueur. Agave nectar is pretty thick stuff, so i’d advise thinning it out with an equal amount of water.
Martinez
1 oz. Genever
2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
2 dashes Boker’s or Angostura bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Twist of Lemon or Orange
Bartender Comments: Generally credited as the forerunner to the dry Martini, this drink is decidedly wet. That’s right, two parts vermouth to one part genever (or old tom if you prefer).
Martini (Classic)
2.5 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Olives or Lemon Peel
Mimosa
4 oz. Brut Champagne
2 oz. Orange Juice
1 barspoon Grand Marnier (optional)
Build all ingredients into the Champagne flute
Mint Julep
2 oz. Bourbon
10-12 Mint Leaves
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
Add syrup and mint leaves to the base of the glass and muddle. Add crushed ice and 1 oz. of the bourbon to the glass and mix with a bar spoon. Add more crushed ice and the rest of the bourbon to the glass, mixing again. Cap with crushed ice and garnish with two mint sprigs. Arrange the straws next to the mint sprigs. Silver or Pewter Julep Mug, Mint
Bartender Comments: 2 oz. may seem a bit scant at first glance, but there is a lot of crushed ice to provide dilution. That being said, I recommend a bourbon with a higher proof (100 proof or higher) works best. The cocktail’s name is supposedly derived from the Arabic julab, or “rose water.” When adding the mint sprigs for garnish, “wake” them by whacking them against your hand.
Mojito
1.5 oz. White Rum
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
2 tsp. Sugar
8-10 Mint Leaves
Soda Water
Muddle mint, lime and sugar, add ice and rum, and top with soda. Highball Glass, Mint Sprig
Bartender Comments: Be nice to the mint. It doesn’t require too much effort to extract the aroma and flavor from the leaves—muddling until the sugar is dissolved is sufficient, there’s no need to work those poor little leaves into a paste.
Moscow Mule
2 oz. Vodka (originally Smirnoff’s)
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
4 oz. Ginger Beer
Pour vodka and lime juice into ice-filled mug and top with ginger beer. Copper Mug, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: This drink has seen a huge resurgence of late. While many insist that the copper mug makes the drink, I would assert that the quality of the ginger beer should take precedence (especially since expensive copper mugs routinely walk out of the bar). Cock n’ Bull is the original brand used but I also like the Australian Bundaberg and the UK-based Fever Tree.
Negroni
1 oz. Gin
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 oz. Campari
Stir ingredients together with ice. Old Fashioned Glass, Orange Peel
Old Fashioned
2 oz. Rye Whiskey
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 bar spoon Simple Syrup
Stir and strain over fresh ice. Old Fashioned Glass, Orange Peel
Bartender Comments: By now we all know that the first printed use of the word “cocktail” pertains to a combination of spirit, sugar, water and bitters. Whiskey cocktails appear to have been the most popular. However, somewhere along the way this simple and elegant recipe was tampered with, and various fruits began to find their way into the mix. Fed up with this adulteration, bar patrons began asking for their whiskey cocktails to be served “the old-fashioned way.” This has become the de facto method for the current-day Old Fashioned, so when serving customers of a certain (older) generation be sure they know what they are getting in to…
Old Pal
1 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Dry Vermouth
1 oz. Campari
Stir the ingredients over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Lemon Twist
Bartender Comments: Like the Boulevardier, this made its debut in a Harry McElhone tome, the ABC of Mixing Cocktails. This iteration is a bit firmer than its counterpart—it utilizes rye instead of bourbon and supplants sweet vermouth for dry.
Paloma
2 oz. Tequila
One-half Lime
Chilled Grapefruit Soda
Muddle lime in highball glass. Rim with salt and add ice. Build the drink over the ice and stir gently. Highball Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: We may think of the Margarita as the quintessential Mexican cocktail, but the Paloma is much more commonplace. Try one and you’ll see why. For my grapefruit soda of choice I prefer Squirt—it has a bit more tang.
Paper Airplane
3/4 oz. Bourbon (Elijah Craig 12-year)
3/4 oz. Aperol
3/4 oz. Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Combine in a shaker with ice. Chill and double strain into a cocktail glass. Lemon Twist
Pimm’s Cup
2 oz. Pimm’s No. 1
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
1/2 oz. Gin
Soda Water
Muddle cucumber and simple syrup in tin. Add remaining ingredients, shake with ice, and fine-strain into a glass. Top with soda. Highball Glass, Cucumber Slice, Mint Sprig
Bartender Comments: There are seemingly innumerable ways to create this classic cocktail. The simplest version calls for Pimm’s, a slice of cucumber and lemon-lime soda. From there you can take lots of liberties, adding seasonal fruit/flowers (lemon, lime, orange, cucumber, strawberry, apple, borage, mint) and/or using different mixers (bitter lemon, ginger beer or ginger ale). There is of course a strong association between the Pimm’s Cup and Wimbeldon—but you don’t have to be a tennis fan to enjoy the drink.
Pisco Sour
2 oz. Pisco
1 oz. Lime or Lemon Juice (or combination of both)
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Shake all ingredients except bitters with ice and strain into the glass. Garnish the glass with a dash of bitters. Cocktail Glass
Piña Colada
1 oz. White Rum
1 oz. Cream of Coconut
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
Shake all ingredients with crushed ice or blend until smooth. Hurricane Glass, Pineapple Wedge and Cherry
Ramos Gin Fizz
(a.k.a. New Orleans Fizz)
1.5 oz. Dry Gin
5 drops Orange Flower Water
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
1 Egg White
1 oz. Heavy Cream
1 oz. Simple Syrup
Soda Water
2 drops Vanilla Extract (optional)
Vigorously shake all ingredients except soda water and strain into glass without ice. Top with soda water. Highball Glass, Grated Nutmeg
Bartender Comments: This drink isn’t as difficult to make as some make out. Just be sure to shake thoroughly and use a bar spoon to stir in the soda water as it is added.
Rob Roy
2 oz. Blended Scotch Whisky
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass cocktail Glass. Cherry
Bartender Comments: Essentially a scotch-based Manhattan. I feel there is a greater range of diversity among styles and profiles of blended scotch than there is among bourbon and rye, which means there are a lot of ways to personalize your Rob Roy. I like the malt-forward characteristic and integrated smoke of Johnnie Walker Black Label for my base spirit. As with the Manhattan, you can opt for a drier version by substituting dry vermouth for sweet.
Rusty Nail
2 oz. Blended Scotch Whisky
1 oz. Drambuie
Stir with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Old Fashioned Glass, Lemon Twist
Bartender Comments: This is a punchy drink—scotch-based with an eighty-proof scotch liqueur. That’s why I like this recipe, which calls for stirring the cocktail before adding it to fresh ice.
Sazerac
2 oz. Sazerac Rye Whiskey
5 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Splash of Absinthe
One Sugar Cube
Add ice and water to your serving glass to chill. In a separate mixing glass, add the sugar cube and bitters along with a small splash of water. Muddle until the sugar is dissolved, then fill the glass with ice and whiskey. Stir to chill. Discard the ice water in the serving glass. Season the glass by adding a bit of absinthe and roll the glass to coat with the liqueur. Discard any excess. Strain the contents of the mixing glass into the serving glass. Express the oils of the lemon peel and discard. Lowball Glass, Lemon Peel
Bartender Comments: Some bartenders prefer to use simple syrup since it will incorporate fully into the drink, while others like the sugar cube, preferring its consistent quantity. In any case, when at a reputable bar defer to the bartender’s discretion.
Screwdriver
2 oz. Vodka
4 oz. Orange Juice
Serve over ice.Highball Glass, Orange Slice
Bartender Comments: Not too much to say about this simple drink, but for god’s sake use fresh orange juice - this should go without saying for any cocktail, really.
Sea Breeze
2 oz. Vodka
4 oz. Cranberry Juice
2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into glass filled with ice. Highball Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: Swapping the cranberry juice for pineapple will result in a variant, the Bay Breeze. While most bartenders will build this drink, shaking helps to incorporate all of the ingredients and create a lighter texture.
Sex on the Beach
1 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Peach Schnapps
1 oz. Chambord
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
Dash Cranberry Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into glass filled with ice. Highball Glass, Lime Wedge
Bartender Comments: Like many of the above, another creation of the ’80s. Outside of that decade, and/or theme parties celebrating it, scrupulously avoid consumption of this drink.
Singapore Sling
2 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
2 tsp. Benedictine
2 tsp. Cointreau
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
2 dashes Grenadine
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Soda Water
Shake all ingredients except soda water with ice and strain into glass filled with ice. Top with Soda Water. Hurricane Glass, Cherry, Pineapple Slice, and Orange
Tequila Sunrise
1.5 oz. Tequila
3 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Grenadine
Pour tequila and orange juice into an ice-filled glass. Add grenadine but do not stir to create the “sunrise” effect. Highball Glass, Orange Slice and Cherry
Bartender Comments: not much in the way of complexity, this is actually fairly tasty as long as a quality grenadine (pomegranate reduction) is used
Tom Collins
2 oz. Old Tom or London Dry Gin
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
3 oz. Soda Water
Build all ingredients except soda water and strain into glass filled with ice. Top with Soda Water. Highball Glass, Slice of Lemon and Cherry
Bartender Comments: I would recommend using an Old Tom style gin here (I like Hayman’s, though Ransom is good, too). The above recipe will make a Collins on the tart side.
Vesper
3 measures London Dry Gin
1 measure Vodka (preferably grain)
1/2 measure Lillet Blanc
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. Cocktail Glass, Lemon Peel
Bartender Comments: A goodly amount of contemporary recipes will go for a 4:2:1 ratio of gin to vodka to Lillet. The original recipe calls for Gordon’s Dry Gin and Kina Lillet, the latter of which of course is no longer made. To regain that bitter edge you may want to try adding a dash or two of orange bitters, or swapping out Lillet Blanc for Cocchi Americano. And while stirring the drink would seem appropriate, Mr. Bond does call for this drink to be shaken. And you don’t want to cross that sumumabitch.
Vieux Carre
1 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Cognac
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz. Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Stir ingredients with ice and strain. Old Fashioned Glass, Lemon Peel
Bartender Comments: The name is a tribute to New Orleans’ French quarter and was created in 1938 by Walter Bergeron. While it may be tough finding a good Sazerac it is usually doubly difficult to find a fine version of this excellent potation.
Whiskey Sour
2 oz. Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass. Old Fashioned Glass, Cherry, Half Orange Wheel
Bartender Comments: When in doubt, turn to David Wondrich for a historical take: “The whiskey sour is the fried-egg sandwich of American mixology: simple, dull, reliable in a pinch…a cocktail in its undershirt.” Not the most laudatory of descriptions, but accurate. If you like to smooth out this sour with an egg white then serve it in a cocktail glass. As with just about any cocktail using egg whites you should add something aromatic to the top of the drink, some bitters or a bit of citrus peel to combat the, well, “eggyness” that eventually settles in the drink.
White Lady
1 oz. Gin
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lemon Juice
Shake all ingredients and strain into a cocktail glass. Cherry
Bartender Comments: The white lady as we know it today has undergone quite an evolution before the recipe was standardized. (Anyone for brandy, triple sec and crème de menthe?) Some recipes add egg white, but I like the firm texture created by its omission.
White Russian
1.5 oz. Vodka
3/4 oz. Kahlúa Liqueur
Heavy Cream
Pour Vodka and Kahlúa into ice-filed glass. Fill with cream and stir in slowly. Lowball Glass
Bartender Comments: The more popular version of the Black Russian incorporates cream to smooth out the palate. Try a light grating of nutmeg to add some more character.
Zombie
- 5 oz. Gold Puerto Rican Rum
- 5 oz. Aged Jamaican Rum
1 oz. Lemon Hart 151
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Don’s mix*
1/2 oz. Falernum
1 tsp. Grenadine
1/8 tsp. Pernod
1 dash Angostura Bitters
6 oz. Crushed Ice
Blend all ingredients.Highball Glass, Mint Sprig
Bartender Comments: While the Mai Tai is no doubt trader vic’s enduring legacy, the Zombie is the magnum opus of Don the Beachcomber, mimicked by just about every tiki lounge the world over. However: Don was cagy, his recipes arcane. It took Beachbum Berry a full decade to hunt down and codify an original recipe, circa 1934. His efforts are spelled out before you.
*Don’s Mix: Two parts white grapefruit juice, combined with one part cinnamon infused syrup
