After months of last-minute victories and dramatic meltdowns, the Super Bowl is finally here. Hopefully you placed your order for spicy wings and pizza so long ago the Bills were still contenders, but what are you going to drink during the big game?
 
Sure, you could crack open some beers, but this isn’t any given Sunday: It’s the Super Bowl. Unleash your inner Mike Ditka and start drawing up your football-party plan. In the past, we’ve fixed complex beer cocktails or a bowl of tequila punch, but this season we wanted to serve our guests something completely different.
 
We got Tad Carducci, co-founder of drinks consultancy Tippling Bros. and partner in the acclaimed new Manhattan bar The Tippler, to help coach us through this important decision. He was kind enough to share two of his adult slushie recipes from The Tippler’s menu, which you can whip up while you nosh and root for the Giants or the Patriots.
 
The aptly named Spazerac (pictured above) is, of course, a delicious frosty version of the classic Sazerac, calling for rye whiskey, absinthe and lemon juice. And the savory Wise Cold Sage blends together white rhum agricole, fresh grapefruit and lime juices, sage leaves and orange liqueur from Martinique.
 
You can’t lose with either one; just don’t blame us if you end up with brain freeze. Enjoy the game!

Spazerac

Contributed by Tad Carducci

INGREDIENTS:

• 2.5 oz Rye whiskey
• .5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• 1 tsp Absinthe
• .25 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Garnish: Lemon twist
• Glass: Old Fashioned

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a blender with just under 1 cup of ice. Blend until smooth and pour into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Wise Cold Sage

Contributed by Tad Carducci

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz White rhum agricole
• .5 oz Clément Créole Shrubb (or Grand Marnier)
• 1 oz Sugar cane syrup (or simple syrup)
• 2 oz Fresh grapefruit juice
• .25 oz Fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes Orange bitters
• 2 Sage leaves
• Garnish: Pineapple wedge and sage leaf
• Glass: Collins

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a blender with 1 cup of ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a Collins glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a sage leaf.

We admit it: We’ve sinned. For years, as we sat in our favorite watering holes sipping cocktails, we were secretly coveting the glassware, furnishings and general décor. But there’s no need to be jealous any more. We found a few ways to get that bar look at home. Cheers!

The Perfect Stool:

New Brooklyn spot The Shanty, co-owned by Liquor.com advisory board member Allen Katz, has an industrial-chic style, right down to its steel stools. Fortunately, while most of the joint’s fixtures were custom-designed, you can order the stools ($88) online.

A Classy Garnish:

We’ve always admired New York institution Employees Only’s elegant flip-top stainless-steel containers that hold a range of ingredients. Co-owner and Liquor.com advisory board member Dushan Zaric revealed to us that they’re actually sugar bowls ($12) and are easy to find.

Coupes & Irish Coffee:

You probably already have good Martini and Old Fashioned glasses, but what about other tipples? Mike Ryan, head bartender at the acclaimed Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago, suggests picking up some of Libbey’s durable and affordable coupes ($4 each), which he uses to serve many of his concoctions. Ryan also says a set of the brand’s Georgian Irish Coffee vessels ($4 each; pictured above) are handy for stirred cocktails and flips.

A Brawny Blender:

Whether you’re crushing ice for Mint Juleps or fixing a frozen Strawberry Daiquiri, you need a powerful blender. Alex Day, co-owner of drinks consultancy Proprietors LLC, recommends the BlendTec line. “They’re amazing machines,” he says. The sturdy Total Blender Classic Series FourSide ($435) even comes with an “Ice-Crushing Guarantee.”

Brighten Up the Back Bar:

One way to showcase your collection of spirits is to get a translucent three-tiered display shelf that lights up ($160), which can hold about a dozen bottles. And if you prefer a less flashy look, you can also buy a version without a light ($57).

Forget about touchdowns and sacks and cheerleaders and halftime shows; the Super Bowl is, of course, really all about eating and drinking.
 
Our partners in Food Network’s The Communal Table: The Big Game (see the list below) have given you some great recipes for tailgating snacks and decadent dishes. But have you given any thought to what kind of beverages you’re going to pair with your gourmet wings, potato skins and sinful dips?
 
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with having a cold brewski, but we suggest using it to make something a bit more special. (This is the Super Bowl after all.) So, while you’re noshing on bottomless bowls of chips and salsa, fix celebrity chef and mixologist Kathy Casey’s refreshing Marvelous Frothy Margarita, which calls for a jigger of light beer.
 
Planning on serving Guinness? Then make the classic Black Velvet that mixes the dark Irish brew with sparkling wine. It’s the perfect bubbly tipple to toast your team’s success with.
 
Or try whipping up talented New York bartender Joaquín Simó’s tea, vermouth and tequila Lights Out Punch. Not only does it serve a crowd and can be made ahead of time, but the fizzy concoction is also a cocktail-party champion. Cheers!

Here are links to the rest of The Communal Table: The Big Game recipes:

Drinks:
Food52: Bubbly Manhattan

Dip Recipes:
Food.com: Buffalo Chicken Dip
BlogHer: Warm Tomato Basil Dip
Yahoo! Shine: Artichoke Dip
 
Appetizers:
EatingWell: The Best Guacamole
Devour: Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders from Ching-He Huang
The Daily Meal: Fancy Potato Skins With Chorizo
Food Republic: Spinach Artichoke Balls
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Pork and Avocado Quesadillas
Fox News: Cheddar Jalapeno Hush Puppies
 
Mains:
Epicurious: Classic Beef Meatballs
YumSugar: Buffalo Chicken Pizza
 
Wings:
Men’s Health: Angry Dijon Mustard and Honey Glazed Chicken Wings
Healthy Eats: Baked Buffalo Wings
FN Dish: Alton Brown’s Buffalo Wings

While it seems like we just finished celebrating the holidays yesterday, January is—amazingly—almost done. So before you hunker down for the rest of winter, here are five of Liquor.com’s best cocktails-and-spirits features from the past month.

Gourmet Shot:

Enjoy this simple—and spirited—recipe for Almond Cognac Cookie Sandwiches from acclaimed baker and bartender Jane Danger.

Behind the Drink:

Famed writer and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan discovers the surprising origins of a classic New Orleans concoction, the Sazerac.

Masters of Mixology:

Top New York bartender St. John Frizell explores the life and adventures of best-selling cocktail-book author Charles H. Baker.

The Hot List:

Learn from celebrity chef and mixologist Kathy Casey how to make tipples with juicy winter citrus fruits, including clementine, grapefruit and more.

A Drinker’s Preview::

From brand-new spirits and bars to must-have products, find out what we’re looking forward to in 2012.

Nothing could have prepared me better for my future career as a bartender and restaurateur than growing up in a big family—with all generations present at most meals and wine and spirits consumed in true old-world fashion.

One time, my dad came back from a business trip bearing a green glass bottle with a wax closure. He was showing it to anybody who would pay him attention. Finally, he turned to me and said “son, this is some really special stuff, it’s called calvados. It’s an apple brandy you drink after dinner.” I didn’t see what the drama was about, but that evening when my parents opened it, the whole house began to smell like apples.

For as long as anyone can remember, apples have grown in Normandy and have been fermented to make a light alcoholic cider. That brew is then made into calvados using copper stills.

While my dad was right about enjoying calvados after a meal, Normans drink it at all hours. That includes starting the morning with a Café-Calva, which is typically a jigger of the liquor mixed with coffee and sugar.

Calvados (some say the name comes from a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Normandy) differs extraordinarily from producer to producer. Younger bottlings tend to be fruit-driven, while older ones gradually lose their apple aroma and flavor, and begin to resemble cognac and armagnac.

As we were building my bar Employees Only in the summer of 2004, I worked a few shifts at the now-closed Provençal restaurant Le Père Pinard. Fifi, the maître d’ and general manager, always had a bottle of Daron Calvados chilling in the ice bin. He would pull it out every so often and pour shots for the staff and regulars.

It tasted really, really good. But, I wondered, what could I do with the spirit in cocktails? While a handful of classics, like the Widow’s Kiss, call for the stuff, I found that it’s truly exciting when put together with fruit and bitters, as in my La Vita e Bella and Calvados Sidecar (pictured above). I now serve them to special guests who share my dad’s passion for alcoholic beverages.

La Vita e Bella

Contributed by Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Brown sugar cube
• .75 oz Busnel Hors d’Âge Calvados
• .75 oz Campari
• Splash of Employees Only Grenadine
• 5 oz Llopart Leopardi Cava
• Garnish: Grapefruit twist
• Glass: Champagne flute

PREPARATION:
Add the sugar cube to a Champagne flute and set aside. Add the calvados, Campari and grenadine to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake briefly and hard. Strain into the prepared flute. Top carefully with the cava. Twist a slice of grapefruit peel over the drink and place into the flute.

Calvados Sidecar

Contributed by Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

INGREDIENTS:

• Freshly ground cinnamon
• Sugar
• 1 Lime or lemon wedge
• 1 oz Boulard Hors d’Âge Calvados
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
• Garnish: Orange twist
• Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:
Combine equal amounts of cinnamon and sugar on a small saucer. Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with the lime or lemon wedge and dip carefully into the sugar mixture so that only the very top of the rim is coated evenly. Place the glass into the freezer to let the sugar rim harden. Add the remaining ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Widow’s Kiss

Contributed by Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados
• 1.25 oz Yellow Chartreuse
• 1.25 oz Bénédictine
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Garnish: Lemon twist
• Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 40 revolutions and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Dushan Zaric is the co-owner of popular New York City bars Employees Only and Macao Trading Co., and the co-author of Speakeasy. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

(Photo taken at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco)

The very first Robert Burns Supper was held on the fifth anniversary of the poet’s death, in 1801, and it took place in the cottage where he was born. (By that time, the house had been turned conveniently into a pub.) Nine gentlemen sat down to a simple repast of haggis and sheep’s head; Burns’ Address to a Haggis was read, several toasts were drunk—probably Bordeaux wine—and a commemorative ode was delivered. They resolved to meet again the following year, on Burns’ birthday, January 25.
 
The original group of nine now numbers in the millions, and they faithfully continue this annual tradition of honoring Scotland’s national bard, who wrote, among other things, Auld Lang Syne. The Robert Burns World Federation has around 500 affiliated clubs across the globe.
 
The pattern established at the inaugural Burns Supper has changed little, although Scotch whisky is today’s drink of choice. The meal also offers a great opportunity to pair dishes with different single malts. Here’s my suggested menu. Slàinte!

First course:

Cock-a-leekie soup (a chicken-and-leek broth) goes well with a rich Speyside malt like The Glenrothes or Cragganmore. Sometimes Scottish smoked salmon is served instead, in which case try Old Pulteney or Highland Park.

Second course:

Haggis, with neeps and tatties (mashed rutabaga and potato), is a must. Spicy Talisker is the perfect accompaniment; remember to pour a little of the spirit over the meat before eating.

Third course (optional):

Roast sirloin of Aberdeen Angus beef. I would drink a good Bordeaux with this, but a complex well-aged Speyside like Glenfarclas or The Macallan also matches well.

Fourth course:

A Scottish dessert, like trifle, crannachan or clootie dumpling. Enjoy a frozen whisky in chilled glasses—Dalwhinnie or Glenmorangie is excellent.

Fifth course:

Oatcakes and Scottish cheeses. If you have bold-flavored cheeses, have a smoky malt like Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila or Bowmore.

Sixth course:

Coffee. Now is the time for toasts, so glasses must be kept charged with any of the malts suggested above.
 
Charles MacLean, Master of the Quaich and James Beard Award winner, is the author of ten books on Scotch, including the Whiskypedia.

One of our favorite ways to spend a winter evening is in front of a fire, sipping glasses of brandy with close friends.
 
But we’ve discovered another treat to add to the menu: Almond Cognac Cookie Sandwiches. These truly adult baked goods come from Jane Danger, owner of New York’s acclaimed Jane’s Sweet Buns.
 
And she knows more than a thing or two about liquor. In fact, Danger’s creations—including Rum Runner sweet buns and a Harvey Wallbanger cake—are “inspired by cocktails,” and she pulls shifts behind the bar at the recently opened The Bourgeois Pig Brooklyn when she’s not baking. She boasts an impressive mixological resume, having worked at some of the city’s best watering holes, such as PDT, Little Branch, Dutch Kills and Cienfuegos.
 
Her shortbread-cookie recipe is simple and delicious, calling for both almond extract and a couple spoonfuls of cognac. For an extra shot of pizzazz, she uses a raspberry-jam-and-rose-water concoction to bind two of the confections together.
 
The tasty result can be dipped into brandy. It also pairs perfectly with warming spirited tipples like a Hot Toddy or Glögg, not to mention coffee or tea.
 
So build a fire, pour yourself a drink and enjoy a cookie sandwich. We could really get used to this routine.

Almond Cognac Cookie Sandwiches

Contributed by Jane Danger

INGREDIENTS:

• .75 cup Sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
• 2 Egg yolks
• 1 tsp Almond extract
• 2 tsp Cognac
• 2.5 cups Flour
• .5 tsp Salt
• .5 cup Raspberry jam
• .25 tsp Rose water

PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, almond extract and cognac, and stir to combine. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Add the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
 
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll 1-tablespoon portions of the dough into balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten the balls with the heel of your hand. Bake until just beginning to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely.
 
While the cookies are baking, add the jam and rose water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until slightly warm, about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool completely.
 
Spread a small amount of the jam mixture on the bottom of a cookie and top with another cookie to form sandwiches. Repeat with the remaining cookies. (This recipe makes about 48 cookies, or 2 dozen sandwiches.)

Holiday drinking is like a train: loud and fast, rolling through the night and then disappearing. The rails cool and the mad rush fades. January is the time for warm wool, comfortable chairs and good books. The perfect libation for such pipe-and-slippers moments is armagnac.
 
The spirit comes from a small region in southwest France (the entire appellation contains less than 10,000 acres) that is home to 500 independent brands and 300 co-ops producing about six million bottles per year. (Compare that to nearby Cognac, where a few huge brands produce the vast majority of the roughly 150 million bottles sold per year.)
 
Armagnac can be made from 10 different types of grape, but four are the most common: ugni blanc, Baco blanc, folle blanche and colombard. The first two varieties make up nearly 90 percent of the harvest, but the latter two bring a lot to the final blend. Folle blanche is very acidic, which can turn into floral and fruity notes in the glass; colombard is spicy and vegetal.
 
Armagnac is distilled only once in small, continuous column stills, named alembics Armagnacais, which run just during the winter. The eau-de-vie is then usually aged in oak barrels. After a year of maturation, it’s called VS; after four, VSOP; after five, XO; and after 10, Hors d’Âge.
 
All these grapes and ages make the taste of armagnac incredibly variable. Some bottles, like the Armagnac de Montal VS ($28), have hints of fresh fruit and flowers, while others, like the Chateau de Laubade XO ($70; pictured above), offer black pepper, wood and saddle leather. As it gets older, the liquor can develop big aromas of nuts, mushrooms and cheese. In very mature expressions, such as the Delord 25 Years Old ($70), you may find truffles, fur, stables and richer flowers including carnations.
 
Although wonderful sipped neat, armagnac contributes luxuriousness and fruit-forward flavors to cocktails. Two of my favorites are The Nippongi-San, created by top bartender Toby Cecchini, and the Winter Wassail, created by talented mixologist Jeff Bell. Fix one tonight between chapters.

The Nippongi-San

Contributed by Toby Cecchini

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz XO armagnac
• .5 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Lemon juice
• .5 oz Almond orgeat
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters or The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters
• Garnish: Orange twist
• Glass: Coupe or cocktail

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
 
This recipe is based on Jerry Thomas’ Japanese Cocktail.

Winter Wassail

Contributed by Jeff Bell

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.25 oz Tariquet VSOP Armagnac
• .5 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
• 1 tsp St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
• 4 oz Wassail,* warm
• Garnish: Cinnamon stick
• Glass: Mug

PREPARATION:
Add the armagnac, punsch and allspice dram to a preheated heatproof mug. Top with the Wassail and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
 
 
*Wassail
INGREDIENTS:

• 64 oz Breezy Hill Orchard Hudson Valley Cider
• 16 oz Orange juice
• 4 oz Lemon juice
• 12 Cloves
• 4 (3-inch) Cinnamon sticks
• .5 tsp Ground ginger
• .5 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 4 oz Armagnac

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients except the armagnac to a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Fine strain into a clean 1-gallon bottle and let cool. Add the armagnac and store in the refrigerator until needed.
 
Max Watman is the author of Chasing the White Dog: An Amateur Outlaw’s Adventures in Moonshine.

On the main drag of Austin, Nev., according to the 1878 The Sazerac Lying Club: A Nevada Book by Fred H. Hart, there once was a saloon known as the Sazerac. The regulars at the bar “sat around the stove, smoked their pipes, fired tobacco juice at a mark on the stovepipe, and swapped lies and other reminiscences.” I used to know a joint like that…
 
The Sazerac cocktail was reportedly invented earlier—in the mid-1800s at the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans—and made with Sazerac de Forge et Fils Cognac. But that drink had to be laid to rest eventually, due to the brandy shortage brought about by the phylloxera epidemic that destroyed European vineyards in the late 19th century.
 
With no cognac to play with, straight rye whiskey became the base for the concoction, and it worked well with the locally produced Peychaud’s Bitters, which contributes so many dimensions to the tipple that it’s hard to list the flavors as they turn cartwheels around the palate and gyre and gimble their way down the throat.
 
In 2007, while stumbling though Cognac with a group of mischievous bartenders, I took another look at the Sazerac. Suppose the recipe had been created in France: Would they use simple syrup as the sweetening agent? No, they’d go for Cointreau, I guessed. And without Peychaud’s Bitters, I bet the French would have added a few dashes of Suze, the bitter, gentian-based liqueur that hit shelves in the late 1800s. The result, dubbed La Tour Eiffel, called for cognac and a glass rinsed with absinthe. It was none too shabby, if I do say so myself.
 
And please don’t miss out on The Original Sazerac (pictured above), made with a darned good cognac of your choice. Desire the modern version? Then Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey is probably your best bet.
 
So invite some friends over for a drink and sit around the stove a while. Smoke your pipes, fire tobacco juice and swap lies and reminiscences. It’s a fine way to spend an evening.

La Tour Eiffel

Contributed by Gary Regan

INGREDIENTS:

• .25 oz Absinthe
• 2.5 oz XO cognac
• .5 oz Cointreau
• .5 oz Suze
• Garnish: Lemon twist
• Glass: Champagne flute

PREPARATION:
Pour the absinthe into a chilled Champagne flute, tilting and rotating the glass to coat the interior. Add a few ice cubes and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with fresh ice. Stir. Discard the ice and any excess absinthe from the prepared flute and strain the drink into it. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Original Sazerac

Contributed by Gary Regan

INGREDIENTS:

• .5 oz Absinthe
• 2 oz Cognac
• .5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Garnish: Lemon twist
• Glass: Old Fashioned

PREPARATION:
Rinse a chilled Old Fashioned glass with the absinthe, fill with crushed ice and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir. Discard the ice and any excess absinthe from the prepared glass and strain the drink into it. Garnish with a lemon twist.
 
Gary Regan is the author of numerous books about spirits and cocktails, including The Joy of Mixology and The Bartender’s Gin Compendium . He is also co-host of ArdentSpirits.com and a Liquor.com advisor.

(Photo taken at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco.)

OK, no more procrastinating. This is the year you finally brush up on your bartending technique and start mastering some classic cocktail recipes.
 
Relax; not only does your “studying” involve enjoying delicious concoctions, but we also got you one of the finest teachers on the planet: talented mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Simon Ford.
 
Begin by watching his How to Cocktail videos on making the Martini, the Vesper and the Gimlet. Each is less than two minutes long and is packed with tips, history and a jigger of humor.
 
The best part? These tutorials will be posted permanently on our YouTube channel, so you can consult them any time you have a question. We’ll also be adding more How to Cocktail segments soon.

Martini:

Arguably, the most famous of all drinks. Ford deftly explains the preparation of both the gin and vodka versions. Click here for the full recipe.

Gimlet:

Learn to make this fresh-lime-and-gin tipple that’s a favorite of British sailors—and imbibers around the world. Click here for the full recipe.

Vesper:

You don’t have to be James Bond to whip up his beloved Martini variation that calls for both vodka and gin, plus a splash of Lillet. Click here for the full recipe.

In the spring of 1926, Charles H. Baker, Jr., was stranded on a lifeboat in the Sulu Sea off the coast of North Borneo. Before his motor died, he had been on an excursion to the city of Sandakan—a three-hour tour, you might say—from the SS Resolute, a round-the-world steamer that had brought him from New York and was now anchored 14 miles offshore.
 
Across the still, sparkling water, a small boat “with a sail like a striped butterfly” approached; its captain was wearing nothing but a “G-string and a headdress.”
 
“Somehow we managed to convey the idea that we were not wallowing there on a glassy sea with a molten brass sun striking like a sword across our necks, because we wanted to,” Baker wrote in his classic two-volume The Gentleman’s Companion, first published in 1939. When finally pulled into port by a friendly tug, Baker headed straight to a bar and enjoyed The Colonial Cooler.
 
Adventure stories that end in cocktail recipes—these make up the bulk of Baker’s work, most notably his two masterpieces The South American Gentleman’s Companion, published in 1951, and the aforementioned The Gentleman’s Companion, which I received as a gift in 2000.
 
As I returned again and again to Baker’s breathtakingly florid prose on those deckle-edged pages, I felt the world spread out like an Indiana Jones treasure map, my route marked in red, leading to exotic food and drinks.
 
Baker, born on Christmas Day in 1895, wasn’t always a globetrotting adventurer/poet laureate of the cocktail. He spent much of his 20s selling industrial abrasives in Worcester, Mass., tried his hand at interior decorating in his 30s and didn’t publish his first book until he was 43. In other words, there’s still time to jump on that round-the-world steamer.
 
So this year, when making decisions, it might be useful to ask yourself, as I once did: What would Charles H. Baker do?

The Colonial Cooler

Contributed by St. John Frizell

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Plymouth Gin
• .75 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
• .75 oz Cinzano Rosso Vermouth
• 1 tsp Cointreau
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• 1 Mint sprig
• 2 slices Cucumber (optional)
• Garnish: Mint sprig and cucumber slice or pineapple spear
• Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and cucumber slice. Or leave out the cucumber altogether and garnish with a pineapple spear, as Baker does.
 
This recipe is adapted from Charles H. Baker’s The Gentlemen’s Companion, published in 1939.
 
St. John Frizell is the owner of acclaimed Brooklyn bar Fort Defiance.
 
(Picture courtesy of Cask)

In 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously plied Stalin with a Martini at the Tehran Conference, leading Nikita Khrushchev later to declare the drink “America’s secret weapon.” While American cocktail culture wasn’t exactly embraced by its Cold-War rivals, today things have changed. Russia has become the fastest-growing luxury goods market in the world, and Moscow’s newfound affluence has led to the opening of an array of decadent restaurants and great watering holes.
 
Nowadays, Russia is developing its own arsenal of high-proof weapons. Here is a list of some of the bars where you can try them.

All-Time Bar, 7/5, Bolshaya
Dmitrovka Ulitsa Bldg. 2, 495 629 0811:

The All-Time Bar has a stylish, modern interior complete with exposed brick walls, baroque-style chandeliers and tufted leather couches. It’s befitting, since the establishment set the standard for Moscow’s drinks scene. Sit back and enjoy classic tipples or award-winning bartender Dmitry Sokolov’s well-designed creations, while you sample gourmet snacks and international-inspired dishes.
What to Drink: Moscow Orange Sour (vanilla-infused vodka, homemade sea-buckthorn berry syrup, orange juice, orange bitters, egg white)

Aloha Bar, 38 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa Bldg. 1, 495 741 22 03:

Escape the harsh Russian winter at Moscow’s first tiki joint (pictured above). Surfboards, canoes and a waterfall set the tropical mood. The menu even works as a cocktail compass, guiding you to the perfect concoction based on your personal preferences. Tipples include such staples as Scorpion Bowls and Mai Tais, plus more than 80 types of rum.
What to Drink: Incognito (pisco reservado, flower honey infused with white truffle, black walnut bitters, lime juice, egg white)

Art Academy, 6/3 Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya, 495 771 74 46:

Taking center stage in the large loft space is a long bar surrounded by sofas and low seating where people can relax and enjoy food—mainly Italian and Japanese—coffee and cocktails. The mixed drinks are crowd-pleasers like Mojitos, Margaritas and Bloody Marys.
What to Drink: Fruit Margarita (tequila, strawberry liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh strawberries)

DreamBar, 17 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa Bldg. 1, 495 621 7768:

This is the newest spot from All-Time Bar’s Sokolov, and its stylish cocktails and varied food selection attract an eclectic crowd, including cigar-smoking ex-pat businessmen, local young professionals and weekend warriors. And like a dream, it’s open all day and night.
What to Drink: Winter Melody (saffron gin, gooseberry marmalade, plum bitters, cherry bitters, lemon juice)

Bar Gipsy, 3/4 Bolotnaya Naberezhnaya, 495 669 8693:

Look behind the famous statue of Peter the Great, in the old Red October chocolate factory, and you’ll find one of the city’s hottest spots. The club is extensive, with two terraces—one mellow and one where the crowd dances to famous DJs. The bar inside offers more than 30 drinks and also sells kebabs. What more could you want for a big night out?
What to Drink: Raratonga (rum, berry liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, fresh berries, bitters

Bar Strelka, 14 Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya Bldg. 5A, 495 771 74 37:

Bolotny Ostrov, an island in the Moskva River, boasts fantastic views of landmarks like the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Kremlin. It’s also home to the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design, and its trendy bar. The establishment serves 50 different cocktails that are mostly fresh fruit-forward and is run by one of the city’s best-known bar managers, Sergey Chesnokov. All profits are donated to the institute.
What to Drink: Aperol Daiquiri (Aperol, Bacardi Superior Rum, rose and grapefruit liqueur, agave, lime juice)
 
Simon Ford is an award-winning bartender and director of trade outreach and brand education for Pernod Ricard USA. He is also a Liquor.com advisor .

When the weather gets cold and the days short, a shot of liquid sunshine can make winter seem a little more bearable.
 
Unfortunately, many people assume that citrus fruit is just in season during the summer. Actually, a number of varieties are ripe right now, including sweet clementines, zesty Meyer lemons, kumquats and more. And they all work wonderfully in cocktails: Think of warm mulled wine with clove, cinnamon and orange notes, or a quaffable brunch Mimosa.
 
For instance, my Citrus 75 is a tasty combination of clementine juice, homemade limoncello, fresh lemon juice and honey syrup. It’s finished with a splash of refreshing bubbly, which adds a festive air.
 
You can also find towering piles of alluring ruby red grapefruits in stores this time of year. I love what their brightness brings to a classic Negroni (pictured above). I’ve played around with the recipe’s traditional measurements to create a Grapefruit Negroni, which is a bit less bitter than the original drink but is still a delicious aperitif.
 
Of course, we all know citrus as a garnish—twists and wheels grace many a tipple. But a light dusting of fresh zest lends any concoction a great pop of flavor and aroma.
 
So shake off those cold-weather cares and shake up some sunny citrus sips!

Citrus 75

Contributed by Kathy Casey

INGREDIENTS:

• Half a clementine
• 1.5 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• .5 oz Homemade Limoncello*
• .75 oz Fresh lemon juice
• .5 oz Honey syrup (one part honey, one part water)
• 1 oz Moet & Chandon Impérial Champagne, chilled
• Garnish: Lemon twist or clementine slice
• Glass: Martini

PREPARATION:
In a shaker, muddle the clementine. Add the remaining ingredients except the Champagne and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a Martini glass. Add a splash of champagne and garnish with a lemon twist or a thin slice of clementine.

*Homemade Limoncello
INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Lemons
• 12 oz Citrus vodka
• .75 cups Sugar
• 4 oz Water

PREPARATION:
Peel the zest from the lemons, being sure not to get any white pith. (Reserve the rest of the lemon for another use.) Place the zest in a clean 1-quart glass jar with a lid. Add the vodka, seal and shake well. Let stand at room temperature for 1 week, shaking every couple days. Strain into a bottle or other container.
 
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add to the vodka, seal tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 months or in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.

Grapefruit Negroni

Contributed by Kathy Casey

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Long, wide slice of grapefruit peel
• 2 Peeled ruby red grapefruit segments (or 1 oz fresh ruby red grapefruit juice)
• 1.5 oz Gin
• 1 oz Sweet vermouth
• .5 oz Campari
• Glass: Old Fashioned

PREPARATION:
Fill an Old Fashioned glass with ice, curl the grapefruit peel around the inside of the glass and set aside. Squeeze the grapefruit segments into a shaker and drop in the fruit. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared glass.
 
Kathy Casey is a celebrity chef, mixologist and entertaining expert. Catch her on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, on Twitter,on her blog Dishing with Kathy Casey or on her Sips & Apps page on Facebook.

When it comes to predicting what we’ll all be drinking in 2012, who better to ask than our resident master mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Dale DeGroff? Here are some of the trends he sees taking off this year.

FARM TO GLASS:

The farm-to-glass movement is really picking up steam. Even more professional and home bartenders will be shopping for local produce in farmers’ markets and tending their own plants. Adam Seger was the first mixologist I know of to install an indoor herb garden, which was at his former establishment Nacional 27 in Chicago. And on the other side of the country, Santa Monica, Calif., restaurant Michael’s recently added a rooftop fruit-and-herb garden to serve its bar. Get some inspiration of your own by reading Bridget Albert’s Market-Fresh Mixology or Scott Beattie’s Artisanal Cocktails.

BAR-TOP SMOKERS:

For years, chefs have been flash-smoking food, and now tabletop smokers are showing up in watering holes. The mixological technique was pioneered by New York barman Eben Freeman. But it does require some restraint, since more delicate spirits are less likely to be improved. (The Bloody Bull and the Bullshot, two steakhouse favorites in need of a revival, are brilliant candidates for a smoky infusion.) Washington, D.C., bartender Derek Brown even makes his Where There’s Mezcal… with exotic smoked cassia bark.

BACK TO “NAKED” CLASSICS:

One trend I expect to gain traction is the celebration of simple and unadulterated classics, like the Daiquiri, Manhattan and Vieux Carré. (Williams & Graham, which just opened in Denver, features more than three dozen old standbys!) In the name of creativity, many bars now offer an endless number of twists on standards; as a result, it’s hard to find a naked drink. I venture to say that some bartenders relatively new to the profession are so wrapped up in creating variations that they may have neglected to master the originals.

Smoked Bloody Bull

Contributed by Dale DeGroff
INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Absolut Vodka
• 1 dash Fresh orange juice
• 4 dashes Tabasco Sauce
• 1 dash Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 oz Beef broth
• 2 oz Tomato juice
• Garnish: Orange peel
• Glass: Goblet

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and roll back and forth to mix. Cold smoke the contents of the mixing glass with a tabletop smoker. Strain into a goblet filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
 
Master mixologist Dale DeGroff is the author of The Essential Cocktail and The Craft of the Cocktail. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

We’re only a few days into 2012, and we’re already excited for the rest of the year. There are a number of excellent bars opening across the country and an array of delicious spirits coming out, plus new mixological books and products. Here are some of our favorites to look for during the next 12 months.

BROOKLYN’S BEST:

Last month, talented mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Allen Katz launched the New York Distilling Company and its neighboring watering hole, The Shanty, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can enjoy its Perry’s Tot and Dorothy Parker gins now, and late this summer you’ll be able to buy its Potter’s Old Tom Gin and Katz’s Rock & Rye.

A BOURBON BASH:

This fall, the multi-year renovation of Jim Beam’s visitor center will finally be finished. Upgrades include more displays of family memorabilia, historic documents and photos. And for the first time, the brand will offer a tour that goes inside its distillery.

DRINK DOWNTOWN:

Demi Monde is one of New York’s most anticipated winter restaurant openings. Located in the Financial District, it was created by top bartender Alex Day and David Kaplan, founder of craft-cocktail stalwart Death & Co. The duo is also working on a 100-seat lounge, The Rose, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., that will be finished by this summer.

COCKTAILS IN CHICAGO:

The long-awaited Spanish- and Latin American-inspired restaurant Tavernita in Chicago will be ready for business this winter. It has a bar program from the acclaimed Tippling Bros., AKA Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay, which will feature a variety of cocktails, beers, wines and even house-made vermouth, all on tap.

GET INTO THE (NEW) SPIRIT:

Keep an eye out for Leblon’s new liqueur, Cedilla ($33), which is created by infusing cachaça with açai berries grown in Brazil’s Amazon region. Pierre Ferrand is also introducing a classic cognac-based orange liqueur, Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode ($30; pictured above), derived from a 1800s recipe and developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich. And Liquor.com editor-in-chief Noah Rothbaum helped select the limited-edition The Glenrothes Editor’s Cask Scotch Whisky ($375), which was produced in 1996, matured in a Spanish oak hogshead and should be on store shelves shortly.

REQUIRED READING:

In May, famed writer and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan is publishing the next installment of his Gaz Regan’s Annual Manual for Bartenders, and in June, his 101 Best New Cocktails: 2012 will be available as well. (Check Mixellany Limited this spring for more info about both titles.)

A COCKTAILIAN MILESTONE:

The Tales of the Cocktail convention in New Orleans is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012. This year’s edition of the mixological festival will take place from July 25 to 29 and, of course, include seminars, bar crawls, tastings and fabulous parties hosted by the world’s top bartenders and spirits experts.

BECOME BITTER:

Master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dale DeGroff has influenced cocktail culture around the world, and his reach will soon be even greater with the release of his line of eponymous pimento bitters. The tincture will be made in France to DeGroff’s specifications by Ted Breaux, who was crucial in bringing absinthe back to the US.

MIX IT UP:

Last summer, New York’s Employees Only was named the world’s best cocktail bar at Tales of the Cocktail. Now, the establishment, co-owned by Liquor.com advisor Dushan Zaric, is expanding its line of bottled gourmet drink mixers to include a grapefruit cordial, a Sangrita and a revamped lime cordial. All will be available by June.

Sure, you have been celebrating the holidays for weeks, but it’s now time to get serious about your drinking. As you ease into 2012 and refine your list of resolutions, we have five more important ones you should consider adding. Let’s make this a truly spirited year!

Have Nightcaps and Aperitifs:

While Americans may have invented the cocktail, we have a lot to learn from Europeans about enjoying one. On the Continent, many people fix an appetite-stimulating drink before dinner, like a Negroni; a digestif afterwards, like the Fernando; and then at the end of the evening, a nightcap, like the Cruzan Flip. At least once this year, try this classic style of imbibing.

Visit a New Bar:

Not that long ago, it took some work to find a good cocktail. Now, it seems that another dozen craft-cocktail bars open across the country every few days. So, in 2012, whether you’re in your home town or traveling, go out of your way to check out the latest establishments.

Start Grating:

We hope you’re already using fresh fruit juices in your tipples. But you should also be grating whole spices. The difference between the pre-ground stuff and doing it yourself is huge. Don’t believe us? According to top Washington, D.C., bartender Derek Brown, it’s the secret to making great Eggnog.

Embrace Technology:

As we reported a couple of months ago, bars and distillers are experimenting with new technologies, like cocktails on tap. No doubt the trend will become more common; we suggest giving these high-tech concoctions a chance. The keg of Negronis we tasted was delicious.

Read Up:

Over the last decade, there’s been an outpouring of excellent historical books about cocktails and spirits that you should read. If you don’t already have them, some of our favorites are Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich’s Imbibe! and Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl, Liquor.com contributor Wayne Curtis’ And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the World in Ten Cocktails and Daniel Okrent’s Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition.

When it comes to New Year’s Eve, there is only one drink: Champagne. We’re not going to pretend that there’s any serious competition.
 
Of course, there’s a lot more you can do with the sparkling wine than just pour it into a flute. It’s delicious with a splash of a liqueur and also works incredibly well in cocktails, adding a bit of effervescence and elegance.
 
This year, we wanted to do something even more festive and fun: Champagne shots. Maybe we’ve spent too many nights in dive bars, but we think these creative tipples are perfect for a party.
 
Whip up master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dale DeGroff’s Cocoa Passion (pictured above), which combines passion fruit purée, dark crème de cacao, Don Julio Tequila and champers.
 
You can also fix a pint-sized version of the classic Boothby Cocktail courtesy of H. Joseph Ehrmann, a Liquor.com advisor and owner of the historic San Francisco saloon Elixir. It is essentially a tasty Manhattan topped with bubbly.
 
If you really want to shake things up, try New York-based cocktail consultant and Liquor.com advisor Aisha Sharpe’s New Year’s Drop, an inventive twist on a Boilermaker that calls for a shot of gin and crème de cassis submerged in a glass of Champagne.
 
Please join us in toasting 2012. Happy New Year!

The Boothby Cocktail Shot

Contributed by H. Joseph Ehrmann
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Rye whiskey or bourbon
• 1 oz Sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1.5 oz Champagne, cold
• Garnish: Lemon twist
• Glass: Tall shot

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients except the Champagne to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well and strain into two tall shot glasses. Top each with half the Champagne. Twist a piece of lemon peel over each shot and discard.

New Year’s Drop

Contributed by Aisha Sharpe
INGREDIENTS:

• 5 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• .75 oz Crème de cassis
• Champagne
• Glass: Shot and highball

PREPARATION:
Add the gin and crème de cassis to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a 1.5-oz shot glass. Fill a highball glass two-thirds of the way with Champagne and then carefully drop in the shot.

It’s hard to believe, but there are only three days left in 2011. And between New Year’s Eve preparations and the rest of the holidays, it’s been a busy month. So just in case you missed any of our stories, here are five of Liquor.com’s best cocktails-and-spirits features from December. Enjoy!

Masters of Mixology:

Liquor.com advisor and award-winning author David Wondrich explores the history of famed Cuban bartender Constante Ribalaigua Vert and his Havana watering hole.

Farm to Drink:

Talented mixologist Charlotte Voisey hosts our latest video about creating seasonal spirit infusions with fresh fruits and herbs. Watch it now.

Holiday Gift Guide: Scotch:

We asked Angus McShane and Pedro Shanahan of downtown Los Angeles whiskey bar Seven Grand for their favorite single malts, any of which are perfect for a cold winter’s night.

5 Tips: Eggnog:

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a glass of Eggnog. So we got Derek Brown, owner of the swanky Columbia Room in Washington, D.C., to give us his advice for whipping up the classic.

The Myth of Prohibition:

Prohibition came to an end 78 years ago on December 5. In honor of the occasion, acclaimed writer and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan tried to find out which great cocktails (if any) were invented during this dry period.

After weeks of planning, midnight gift-buying and decorating, we’ve finally made it to the holidays. It’s now officially time for a drink. You’ve definitely earned it.
 
Go old-school and celebrate the occasion by whipping up a big bowl of traditional Eggnog (it is really worth the effort of making it yourself). Or fix the historic Tom & Jerry, which, according to award-winning writer and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich, dates back to 1820s New England and should be enjoyed at any festive gathering.
 
Or you can look to Scandinavia for mixological inspiration and make the seasonal classic, Glögg. Our recipe for the spiced, mulled-wine-and-fruit concoction (pictured above) comes from acclaimed New York restaurant Aquavit. The best part is that you can prepare a large pot of it ahead of time, and your guests can just help themselves to a glass.
 
Another good party alternative is the spiced cider, rum and cognac Autumn Wassail, which can be served hot or cold. The cocktail was created by talented bartending duo Chad Solomon and Christy Pope.
 
But no matter what drink you decide to have, we’d like to wish you happy holidays!

Save the excuses; we don’t have time for them today. Like many of us, you’re probably racing around to get at least one final present. Relax. We have some excellent gift suggestions that should be easy for you to find. A true holiday miracle.
 
Give Liquor.com advisor Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book ($25), which came out last month and includes recipes for every drink served at his award-winning bar. Or pick up the brand-new 75th-anniversary edition of Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide ($15), edited by noted mixologist Jonathan Pogash. If you’re shopping for a beer lover, buy the exhaustive and recently published The Oxford Companion to Beer ($65) edited by The Brooklyn Brewery’s talented brewmaster Garrett Oliver.
 
Great gifts come in all shapes and sizes, such as the clever Silicon Ice Ball Maker ($12) from stylish Japanese housewares company Muji. (It’s the perfect accompaniment to a fine Scotch.) And forget about wrapping paper; use Built’s handy Cheers tote ($18) made from neoprene, which can keep a bottle of Champagne or vodka chilled on your way to a party.
 
This time of year, you can also find some limited-edition bottlings, like Sandeman’s Founders Reserve Port ($20) packed in tins featuring the brand’s historic art nouveau posters. Plus, The Macallan is offering its signature Sherry Oak 12-year-old Scotch ($50) in a series of special boxes bearing fascinating X-ray photographs taken by Nick Veasey. And Perrier-Jouët just released a set ($150) containing a bottle of its Belle Epoque 2004 vintage Champagne and two elegant flutes designed by artist Daniel Arsham.
 
Happy (shopping and) Holidays!

The holidays are all about spending time with your friends and family while indulging in the finer things in life. And if you really want to indulge, we’ve found five truly remarkable and deluxe spirits to enjoy (or dream about).

Appleton Estate Signature Marque 20 Year Old Rum – Single Cask ($130):

New York’s famed Park Avenue Liquor Shop is the exclusive seller of this unique 20-year-old Appleton Rum. (There are just 180 bottles available.)  It’s especially interesting because it’s the first single-cask offering the distillery has ever released in its more than 250-year history.

HDW CLIX Vodka ($300):

Harlen Davis Wheatley is practically a celebrity among bourbon connoisseurs, since he’s the master distiller at Buffalo Trace. But for ten years, he has been quietly working on a different type of alcohol: vodka. CLIX was distilled 159 times and comes in a handsome decanter and burl-wood box.

Glenmorangie Pride 1981 Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($3,600):

Glenmorangie has won acclaim for its single malt Scotches matured in a range of woods. The brand’s latest, Pride 1981, spent 18 years in American white oak and was finished for 10 years in Sauternes barriques from the renowned Chateau d’Yquem winery.

Grand Marnier Quintessence ($700):

The base of this very special bottling of Grand Marnier is a blend of more than 20 cognacs that date back up to 100 years. The orange essence was distilled twice and then the ingredients were married in small French-oak casks for a year.

Taylor Fladgate Scion Port ($3,200):

Travel through time with just a few sips of Taylor Fladgate Scion. The tawny port was made from grapes grown in 1855 and aged for 155 years in an oak barrel. It’s a rare chance to taste a fortified wine from before the phylloxera epidemic, which destroyed vines across Europe in the late 19th century.

The American art of the bar had some pretty dodgy decades in the twentieth century. Prohibition put a lot of the older master bartenders out of business in the US, while around the world, bartenders were still getting comfortable with all the various cocktails, fizzes, sours, coolers and whatnot that made up the classic repertoire.
 
Many of the bartenders who were driving that process of familiarization had experience in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston and New Orleans joints. But the greatest mixologist of the mid-twentieth century had not only never worked in the US, but also, as far as we can tell, visited just once.
 
Constante Ribalaigua Vert was born outside of Barcelona in 1888. By 1900, his family emigrated to Havana, where his father tended bar at the venerable cafe Piña de Plata. When Ribalaigua was 16, as he told the American author Thomas Sugrue in 1935, his father “asked him if he wished to learn barkeeping.” He said yes. By then, Cuba was swarming with Americans, and the establishment had been turned into an American-style bar called “La Florida.” In 1918, he had earned enough to assume ownership of the “Floridita”—the “Little Florida”—as it was universally known.
 
Apparently, when Ribalaigua told Sugrue that his “only hobby is his work,” he wasn’t kidding. He didn’t even drink. What he did do—besides inventing a new cocktail practically every day—was to make sure that his customers got the best drinks and the best service, whether they were Ernest Hemingway, Spencer Tracy or the couple visiting from Des Moines. He was still pulling shifts when he died, in 1952.
 
What made his tipples so special? Ribalaigua always used quality ingredients, of course. He kept up with technology and created imaginative combinations of flavors (though not too imaginative). But most of all, he was a master of proportion. I’ve tried just about every recipe included in the little pamphlet he gave out, and they have been perfect, requiring no adjustments.
 
The Longines Cocktail is a fine example of his work: unusual, but not weird, using ingredients that blend together to form a harmonious whole.

Longines Cocktail

Contributed by David Wondrich

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Strong, cold tea*
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 oz Spanish brandy
• 1 oz Anis del Mono or other imported anisette (the dryer the better)
• 1 Spiral-cut lemon peel
• Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:
Add the tea and sugar to a shaker and stir. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

*Pour half a cup of boiling water over a black-tea teabag and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the teabag and chill the tea until cold.
 
David Wondrich is the author of Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl and Esquire magazine’s drinks correspondent. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

(Photograph by Peter Moruzzi from Havana Before Castro by Peter Moruzzi. Reprinted with permission by Gibbs Smith.)

There are few holiday presents as traditional as a bottle of Scotch. But with dozens of single malts to choose from, how do you find the ideal spirited gift? Well, we got Angus McShane and Pedro Shanahan of downtown Los Angeles whiskey bar Seven Grand to give us five can’t-miss suggestions.

Auchentoshan Three Wood ($63):

Not only is Auchentoshan one of a very small number of Scotches to be triple-distilled, but it also uses three different types of barrels for this fruity whisky. As a result, McShane and Shanahan say, it has notes of cinnamon, hazelnut and maple.

Caol Ila Distillers Edition ($80):

A glass of this peaty malt from windswept Islay will warm you up on a cold December evening. McShane and Shanahan like its delicious combination of “robust, rich smoke, creamy sherry and smooth, oily oak.”

Glenfarclas 12 Years Old ($60):

McShane and Shanahan have nicknamed this complex spirit “The Dark Horse of Speyside.” It has hints of chocolate and orange zest, and a “whisper of peat.” It’s the perfect dram to savor during a relaxed evening with friends.

Glenfiddich 15 Year Old ($60):

Our experts call this Glenfiddich bottling, at $60, an “excellent value.” It’s been aged in a range of casks and develops sherry, butterscotch and raisin flavors.

Highland Park 18 Year Old ($105):

A perennial favorite of bartenders and connoisseurs, Highland Park’s 18-year-old comes from the Orkney Islands at the northern tip of Scotland. In addition to salted caramel and dried cocoa, McShane and Shanahan say that you can taste a bit of maritime air.

From Christmas cookies and fruitcake to Chanukah doughnuts and chocolate gelt, it’s the season for indulging in decadent desserts, no matter what holiday you celebrate.
 
Our partners in the Food Network’s Virtual Cookie Swap (see the list below) have given you some great recipes for baked goods, but you still need to think about what kind of spirited beverages to enjoy them with.
 
Few things taste better than milk and cookies, so try fixing an adult version: the Banks Milk Punch (pictured above) from award-winning bartender and Liquor.com advisor Jim Meehan.
 
No one would blame you for thinking that the recipe for classic Tom & Jerry, with its eggs, sugar and vanilla, is for cookies. But all those rich ingredients help form a delicious rum-and-cognac-based concoction. Use acclaimed author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich’s recipe to whip up a big bowl of the stuff for any festive occasion.
 
Going to a party? Then you should bring along a Thermos of top mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Aisha Sharpe’s tasty Mexican Hot Chocolate. The warm tequila-based tipple has a spicy kick, which should pair well with sweet treats.
 
Happy Holidays!

Here are links to the rest of the Virtual Cookie Swap recipes:

All You Magazine: Pecan and Honey Diamonds
Oprah.com: Sugar Cookies
Gilt Taste: Momofuku Milk Bar’s Holiday Cookie Recipes
Cooking Light: Iced Sugar Cookies
MyRecipes.com: Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Food52: Ginger Spiced Molasses Sugar Cookies
Cooking Channel: The White House’s Molasses Spice Cookies “Gingersnaps”
BlogHer: Triple Chocolate Almond Cookies
CafeMom: Marvelous Mini Apple Crisp Cookies
The Daily Meal: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Food Republic: Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies
EatingWell: 5 Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Cookies
Redbook Magazine: Candy Cane Cookies
Gourmet Live: Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies
AP/ J.M. Hirsch: Ginger Fig Crumb Bars
Fox News: White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Epicurious: Italian Almond Cookies
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Cowboy Cookies
FN Dish: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Bacon Cookies
Yahoo! Shine: Nutmeg Rosettes
Food & Wine: Chocolate-Espresso Snowballs
YumSugar: Coconut Date Balls

From baking sweets and making decorations, ‘tis the season for doing crafty projects at home. And we have a new item to add to your holiday to-do list: infusions.
 
Don’t worry; it’s a fairly simple process and doesn’t require double-sided tape or any frosting skills. In fact, drinkers have been flavoring spirits with fresh fruits, herbs and spices for hundreds of years. Not only is this a great way to enjoy a taste of fall all winter long, but the finished product also makes a festive cocktail.
 
The latest video in our Farm to Drink series hosted by top bartender and Liquor.com contributor Charlotte Voisey walks you through the steps for creating a pear-and-lemongrass vodka infusion, which takes minutes to assemble but needs a few days to cure. On a tighter party schedule? Voisey also demonstrates a high-tech rapid-infusion technique to prepare a bubbly tequila-and-lemon-basil concoction.
 
She also shares her recipe for a delicious twist on the classic Tom Collins, which works with any infused liquor and is the perfect drink for a holiday gathering. Enjoy!

Lemongrass & Pear Infusion

Contributed by Charlotte Voisey

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 Lemongrass stalks, coarsely chopped
• 4 Pears, coarsely chopped
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Stolichnaya Vodka

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a large glass jar with a lid and seal. Shake the jar and let stand for 3 to 4 days, tasting after the third day to check for flavor intensity. When the flavor is at your desired intensity, strain and rebottle.

Lemon Basil Fast Infusion

Contributed by Charlotte Voisey

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz Milagro Silver Tequila or vodka
• 1 cup Fresh lemon basil

PREPARATION:
Add both ingredients to an iSi Soda Siphon. Charge with 2 CO2 canisters and shake well. Refrigerate until needed.

Infused Tom Collins

Contributed by Charlotte Voisey

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Infused vodka or tequila
• Juice of half a lime
• .5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• Club soda, chilled
• Garnish: Lime wheel and fresh lemon-basil leaf
• Glass: Highball or flute

PREPARATION:
Add the vodka or tequila, lime juice and simple syrup to a highball glass. Fill with ice and top with soda. Garnish with a lime wheel and fresh lemon basil leaf.
 
To serve the drink up, add the vodka or tequila, lime juice and simple syrup to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake quickly and strain into a Champagne flute. Top with soda. (Do not garnish.)

Eggnog tends to drive even the most dedicated of cocktalians to reach for the pre-made stuff. But there’s really nothing to fear; anyone can fix a delicious ‘nog. For guidance, we called on Derek Brown, whose Washington, D.C., bar, the Columbia Room, is known for serving big bowls of it.

Be Economical:

Eggnog is typically made with rum, brandy or bourbon, and Brown likes to start with a combination of dark rum and cognac. But there’s no need to go premium; he recommends using an affordable, high-proof VS cognac. The higher alcohol level will cut through the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. After all, “Eggnog is not ice cream,” he says.

Yes, There Are Eggs in Eggnog:

Unlike the non-alcoholic Egg Cream, Eggnog does contain eggs. Brown says the key is to buy fresh and local. “We always get local eggs from the farmers’ market, so we know where they’re from and what the date on them is,” he says.

Grate Your Own Spices:

“If you want really excellent Eggnog, you have to consider all the products you put into it, not just the booze,” Brown says. That includes the spice responsible for giving Eggnog its kick, nutmeg. Brown advocates grating it fresh. “It’s a really different taste from what you’d get in a jar of McCormick,” he says.

‘Nog Keeps:

Eggnog will last weeks, even months, if refrigerated. (Brown suggests transferring it to a bottle first.) “Along the way, there are complex chemical reactions happening that affect the flavor,” he says, recalling an intensely nutty and rich year-old ‘nog made by some friends.

Quality over Quantity:

With its eggs, cream and sugar, Eggnog has garnered a reputation as something of a once-a-year indulgence. But Brown advises against trying to make the drink more healthful. “There’s simply no substitute for a rich, creamy Eggnog,” he says. “Instead of making Eggnog less caloric, drink less of it. Have a cup and then move on to the light beer.”

Baltimore Eggnog

Contributed by Derek Brown

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 dozen Eggs, separated
• 1 (750-mL) bottle VS cognac or other brandy
• 16 oz Jamaican rum
• 2 lb Powdered sugar
• 3 qt (96 oz) Whole milk
• 1 qt (32 oz) Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Salt
• .75 tsp Grated nutmeg
• Glass: Punch

PREPARATION:

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored. While continuing to beat, add the brandy, rum, sugar, milk, heavy cream and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and nutmeg until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Serve in punch cups. (This recipe serves 25 people.)
 
This recipe is adapted from the December 1945 edition of Gourmet magazine.

Just like vodka, gin and whiskey, tequila—no matter whether it’s sipped neat or mixed in a Margarita—has become a year-round favorite. A bottle of it is also a thoughtful holiday present. To help you out, we asked expert Julio Bermejo, owner of San Francisco institution Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant, for his spirited gift suggestions.

Blanco:

When it comes to blanco, Bermejo likes 7 Leguas ($40), which is family-owned and crafted in the highlands of Jalisco using both traditional and modern techniques. The lowland Fortaleza Blanco ($48) is another excellent choice. “It’s the last tequila made by hand in the valley,” he says.

Reposado:

Bermejo calls the highland Espolón Reposado ($25) “a tremendous value for the money.” It’s aged for approximately six months in American-oak barrels. If you can find it, Chinaco Reposado ($53) is also a lovely gift. It’s produced by the only tequila distillery in the state of Tamaulipas.

Añejo:

The highland El Tesoro Añejo ($60) is a perfect present. It’s made with the most old-school of methods and is aged for two to three years in former bourbon casks. El Jimador Añejo ($30), from the lowlands, is a good alternative. It’s “very wood-driven and a great value,” Bermejo says.

Extra Añejo:

The oldest tequilas are awarded this prized distinction. If you’re looking for something special, give the highland Don Julio Real ($350), which is matured as long as five years, or the lowlands’ “spicy and bold” Partida Elegante ($350), which, according to Bermejo, lives up to its name.

Next time you visit your favorite speakeasy-style watering hole, you might want to make the experience more authentic by ordering what most people actually drank during Prohibition. (And remember: Back then, the peephole on the front door served a purpose—to stave off the cops long enough to hide the booze.)
 
So if you desire a real speakeasy tipple, you can have either a glass of Champagne or a whiskey-and-ginger-ale highball. That’s about it. All that talk of the fabulous cocktails made in the midst of Prohibition in order to mask the flavors of badly made alcohol is wrong. When your drinking experience is an illegal one, you just want to get down to drinking.
 
While the Scofflaw cocktail was invented during the Noble Experiment, it didn’t rear its head in some subterranean dive in Chicago. It was reportedly a creation of a bartender named Jock at Harry’s New York Bar—in Paris.
 
The recipe came into being as a result of the word scofflaw coming to prominence on January 15, 1924. It won a contest held by prohibitionist Delcevare King that asked people to coin a term to describe the lawless drinker, “to stab awake the conscience.” The word, I think, is pretty neat, but I’m not sure how many consciences were stabbed awake by it.
 
According to Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich, as far as he can tell, the only surviving drink that can lay legitimate claim to having been dreamed up in the US while the Great Drought was on is the French 75. At the time, the name was used for a few different potions, but the standard formula ended up being a pretty simple affair incorporating gin (not cognac), lemon juice, sugar and Champagne.
 
Originally, the Scofflaw called for “1/3 Rye, 1/3 French Vermouth, 1/6 Lemon Juice and 1/6 Grenadine.” That doesn’t do much for me, so I played around with it. Hoist one version or the other when you toast the 78th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition today, and give thanks that your conscience no longer needs to be stabbed awake.

Scofflaw

Contributed by Gary Regan

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Bourbon or rye whiskey
• 1 oz Dry vermouth
• .25 oz Fresh lemon juice
• .5 oz Grenadine
• 2 dashes Orange bitters
• Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
 
Gary Regan is the author of numerous books about spirits and cocktails, including The Joy of Mixology and The Bartender’s Gin Compendium. He is also co-host of ArdentSpirits.com and a Liquor.com advisor.

From Hot Toddys and Tom & Jerrys to Eggnog, it wouldn’t be the holidays without a bottle of good rum. So, we enlisted all-star mixologist Julie Reiner, owner of tropical New York bar Lani Kai, to pick five spirited gifts.

El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve ($36):

Guyana has a long history of producing fine rums, and this bottling is no exception. Plus, the “soft, subtle Demerara rum makes a great rum Old Fashioned,” Reiner says.

Mount Gay Extra Old ($50):

Rum isn’t just for shaking cocktails, of course. “When I’m looking for a rum to sip neat or with a cube of ice, I go for Mount Gay Extra Old,” Reiner says.

Rhum J.M White ($35; 1 Liter):

“This rhum agricole makes one of the best Daiquiris I have ever had,” Reiner says. It hails from Martinique, where the spirit is traditionally distilled from sugar cane instead of molasses, and as a result “is much brighter.”

Ron Zacapa XO ($100):

With “hints of dried fruit, vanilla and spice, this is a wonderful fall and winter sipping rum,” Reiner says. The Guatemalan Zacapa XO “deserves its reputation as one of the finest rums in the world!”

Santa Teresa 1796 ($40):

Reiner first tasted this Venezuelan liquor when she was opening her bar Flatiron Lounge in 2003. “Not only is it delicious to drink on its own, but it also makes an excellent Hemingway Daiquiri.”

As we head straight into the thick of the holiday season, we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss any of our stories from the last few weeks. So, here are five of Liquor.com’s best cocktails-and-spirits features from November. Enjoy!

Holiday Gift Guide: Bourbon:

Trying to find the perfect whiskey present? We got Rachel Cutler, general manager of famed Louisville restaurant Proof on Main (which boasts dozens of bottlings on its menu), to share five gift picks.

In Defense of Tom & Jerry:

Liquor.com advisor and award-winning author David Wondrich makes the case for why you should whip up a big bowl of this decadent concoction at any festive gathering.

The Old(er) Fashioned:

Explore the evolution of this classic American-whiskey recipe with master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dushan Zaric. Then watch our video of him making the drink.

The Real American Spirit:

While bourbon is now proudly called our native spirit, acclaimed writer Wayne Curtis explains how rum was actually the United States’ original favorite and was produced by its earliest residents.

Spirited Side Trips:

During your winter travels, take a detour to visit one of these craft distilleries, conveniently located near major metro areas across the country.

From tailgating and leaf-peeping to hiking, autumn is all about enjoying the great outdoors. So why should you only be able to drink a hand-crafted cocktail inside?
 
It just makes no sense to us. We say free your tipples and bring them with you into the cool, crisp fall air. Sure, you could simply fill a flask with a high-octane spirit, but we have a better idea: hot cocktails to go.
 
To make this mixological daydream a reality, we turned to talented New York bartender and Liquor.com advisor Aisha Sharpe. We challenged her to create two delicious warm drinks that could be made ahead of time, serve a number of people and survive several hours in a Thermos or other insulated container.
 
Not only was Sharpe up for the challenge, but she also came back to us with a few tasty recipes that we hope will become cold-weather classics. So, try fixing her creative tequila-based Mexican Hot Chocolate and her complex rye whiskey-based Hot Apple Cider. You may never want to go indoors…

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Contributed by Aisha Sharpe

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 1 pinch Cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 pinches Ground allspice
• .25 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 3 oz Water
• 16 oz Whole milk
• 6 oz Tequila Ocho Añejo

PREPARATION:
In a small saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder, sugar, cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and water until they form a paste. Add the milk and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat, stir in the tequila and pour into a Thermos or other insulated container.

Hot Apple Cider

Contributed by Aisha Sharpe

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz Fuji apple juice
• 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 oz Agave nectar
• 3 Cinnamon sticks
• 5 Green cardamom pods
• 2 Star anise pods
• .5 tsp Grated fresh ginger
• Quarter of a vanilla bean
• 4 oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients except the rye to a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until hot. Strain into a Thermos or other insulated container and add the rye.

Fortified wine-based aperitifs were once the teatime drink of choice in fancy drawing rooms around the globe.
 
That’s not to mention that Noel Coward celebrated the Dubonnet Cocktail in song, James Bond mixed Lillet with vodka and gin to form a Vesper and, of course, the Martini and the Manhattan—the two most recognizable of American cocktails—are both made with liberal measures of the aperitif vermouth.
 
All of this wonderful history is being rediscovered by the cocktailian community and enriched with an ever-growing list of available aperitifs. Many are old-world brands that are experiencing a revival, but some creative bar gurus are also making their own concoctions.
 
For instance, Jackson Cannon, head bartender at Eastern Standard in Boston, brews a rosé vermouth based on Spanish grenache wine. It’s used in his Vin Amer Fizz, which also calls for apricot liqueur, cava, lemon juice and an egg white.
 
You can also now buy spicy Antica Formula sweet vermouth, famously produced for centuries by the Italian Carpano family. For a treat, try it instead of your standard vermouth in two iconic aperitif tipples: the Negroni and the Manhattan.
 
Up until recently, generations of Americans raised on sugary “pop” had no tolerance for sipping bitter aperitifs as adults (a practice still common in parts of Europe). But drinkers are gently easing back into the tradition of having a pre-prandial glass of, say, Campari or Aperol, to stimulate the appetite. The spices and botanicals in these spirits make them ideal partners in the culinary-cocktail explosion.
 
So this holiday season, enjoy an aperitif or two with some of your favorite festive appetizers. Cheers!

Vin Amer Fizz

Contributed by Jackson Cannon

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Rosé Vermouth*
• 1 oz Marie Brizard Apry
• .5 oz Lemon juice
• 1 Egg white
• .5 oz Cava wine
• Glass: Coupe

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients except the cava to a shaker and shake without ice. Fill with ice and shake again. Strain into a coupe glass and top with the cava.

*Rosé Vermouth

Contributed by Jackson Cannon

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 Strawberries, sliced
• 500 ml Unaged brandy or grappa
• 600 g Sugar
• 3 (750-mL) bottles Rosé wine, divided
• 2 g Dried wormwood
• 1 g Dried gentian
• 1 g Dried oregano
• 1 g Dried sage
• 1 g Fresh thyme
• .5 g Fresh rosemary
• Half a vanilla bean
• 5 g Dried bitter orange peel
• .7 g Dried ginger
• 250 ml Ruby port
• Zest of a quarter of an orange (about 1.5 tsp)

PREPARATION:
Add the strawberries to a jar or bottle with the brandy or grappa and let stand for 2 days. Dissolve the sugar with 1 to 2 tsp water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until caramelized to a peanut-butter color. Remove from the heat and slowly add the brandy mixture, stirring thoroughly. Set aside.
 
Add 750 mL of the wine to a large saucepan and add the herbs and spices (wormwood through ginger). Bring to a boil over high heat, turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the port and set aside.
 
Add the remaining 1.5 L of wine to a large bowl, pitcher or jug and add the reserved port and brandy mixtures. Stir or shake vigorously until all the ingredients are combined. Add the orange zest and refrigerate until cold. Strain before using.
 
Master mixologist Dale DeGroff is the author of The Essential Cocktail and The Craft of the Cocktail. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

Whether you’re hosting or attending a Thanksgiving celebration, your feast isn’t complete without a glass of American whiskey. We got Rachel Cutler, general manager of acclaimed Louisville restaurant Proof on Main (which offers a list of more than 60 bourbons) to pick five great bottlings that should go well with your turkey and trimmings. (They also make great holiday presents.) Cheers!

Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old ($25):

“This small-batch bourbon is one of the best on the market,” says Cutler, “and is a fantastic value.” Its flavor is a “delicate balance of sweet and spicy, with notes of honey and butterscotch.”

Johnny Drum Private Stock ($35):

Take a whiff and you get lots of oak and maple, while a sip yields honey and spicy rye. And “the long finish and 101 proof make it ideal for a classic Manhattan,” Cutler says.

Kentucky Vintage ($30):

Impress your friends and relatives with this relatively rare spirit. “Clove, smoke and dried herbs on the nose,” Cutler says, “with a buttery texture and a slight bite that lasts throughout its long finish.”

Van Winkle Special Reserve ($60):

Cutler calls this whiskey “smooth and elegant” with an aroma that has hints of caramel and vanilla. “Generous oak rounds out the honey and toasted almond on the palate with a slightly citrus note on the finish.”

Woodford Reserve ($33):

“A complex bourbon, with a nose of cream-toffee, vanilla and oak with subtle spices that warm the palate,” Cutler says. She recommends it neat or on the rocks. Perfect for after, say, a large festive meal.

It’s not easy to figure out exactly how many calories are in a little mug of Tom & Jerry.
 
Sure, the alcohol is a known quantity, with the couple ounces of cognac and dark rum clocking in at about 120 calories total. And the splash of hot whole milk (the only kind you want to even consider for a Tom & Jerry), is another 20. I don’t think cloves, nutmeg and allspice have calories, so you don’t have to worry about them.
 
Which leaves the batter.
 
When you take a dozen eggs, beat the whites to stiff peaks and the yolks with rum and a couple pounds of sugar, and then fold ‘em together, that comes to a little more than 4,000 calories. But fortunately, that bowl of batter will make three or four dozen Tom & Jerrys, which means that each drink contains a mere 250 calories or so. To put that into perspective, it’s equal to a pint of real beer. And people manage to choke those down okay.
 
The reason I’ve spent so much time dwelling on nutritional information is that the Tom & Jerry’s perceived caloric throw-weight is the basis of the only possible objection anyone could have to it as a holiday drink. This ancient beverage—it goes back to New England in the 1820s—is otherwise so delicious, so warming and so conducive to holiday cheer that, if not for the fear its ingredients list engenders, the Tom & Jerry bowl would be broken out every Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s by all Americans, rather than just the fearless souls in the upper Midwest.
 
I don’t know if that would bring our fractious country together, but I do know that you can have three Tom & Jerrys and still ingest fewer calories than are in a large McFlurry with M&Ms.

Tom & Jerry

Contributed by David Wondrich

INGREDIENTS:

• Boiling water
• 1 tbsp Tom & Jerry Batter*
• 1 oz Cognac
• 1 oz Dark rum
• Whole milk, hot
• Garnish: Nutmeg, clove and allspice
• Glass: Coffee mug or Tom & Jerry cup

PREPARATION:
Rinse a small coffee mug (or, indeed, a white ceramic Tom & Jerry cup) with boiling water to warm it and discard the water. Add the batter, cognac and rum to the cup and fill with hot milk. Garnish with a mixture of 2 parts freshly grated nutmeg to 1 part each ground clove and ground allspice.
 
 
*Tom & Jerry Batter

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 Eggs, separated
• 1 tsp Cream of tartar
• 2 lb Sugar
• 2 oz Dark Jamaican-style rum
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

PREPARATION:
In a nonreactive bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks.  In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar, rum and vanilla (if using). When the mixture is completely liquid, fold it into the whites.
 
David Wondrich is the author of Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl and Esquire magazine’s drinks correspondent. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

For a spirits lover, what could be better than visiting a distillery? Sleeping over.
 
Around the world, a handful of distillers are not only opening their doors to the public during the day but also hosting a few lucky guests at night.
 
Safe travels!

Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay, Mich.:

In addition to producing a range of brandies and wines (plus artisanal cheeses from an on-site dairy), Black Star Farms also has a deluxe bed & breakfast with eight charming rooms. The establishment sits on 160 acres and has a café, tasting room and even stables.

Bowmore Distillery, Islay, Scotland:

Fans of smoky, peaty Islay single malts should make a pilgrimage to the island off the west coast of Scotland. But for the full experience, you need to rent one of Bowmore’s six recently renovated cottages next to the distillery. Each room includes a complimentary bottle of 12-year-old whisky.

D. Du Veron Cognac, Cognac, France:

While many cognac houses offer tours, tastings and gift shops, D. Du Veron Cognac also has the comfortable Chateau de Mesnac inn right across from its vineyards and distillery. Guests get to sample its spirits and also enjoy traditional meals.

The Glenora Inn & Distillery, Nova Scotia, Canada:

See firsthand how the award-winning Glen Breton Rare single malt is made. You can stay at the brand’s quaint inn or in one of its log-cabin chalets. (The season runs from May through October.) Have a dram at its lively pub, which of course has a long list of bottlings.

La Cofradia, Jalisco, Mexico:

La Cofradia is among Mexico’s largest makers of tequila for export. It also operates a boutique hotel adjacent to its facility. Guests can arrange a visit to the agave fields or a personal and detailed tour of the whole production process.
 
(Want to win a free trip to a distillery? Enter The Glenrothes Vintage Maker Contest for a chance to spend five days learning to make whisky.)

Starting weeks ahead of time, people begin planning and agonizing over what they’ll make for Thanksgiving: sweet potato casserole or stuffing? Green beans or Brussels sprouts? Gravy from scratch or the jarred stuff?

But usually scant consideration is given to exactly what you’ll be drinking with your feast. Since our partners in the Food Network Community Table, Thanksgiving Edition (see the list below) have helped you figure out the rest of your menu, here are our ideas for what you should sip on the big day.

Before you sit down to eat, get everybody’s appetite going by fixing talented mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Aisha Sharpe’s Forbidden Fruit. With apple, lemon and ginger flavors, it’s like autumn in a glass.

Then during dinner, serve award-winning bartender and Liquor.com advisor Jim Meehan’s red wine-based Nouveau Sangaree. The old-timey version of sangria features historic applejack, which has been an American favorite for hundreds of years.

To help aid your digestion after the heavy meal, we suggest turning to a traditional European herbal digestif: Fernet-Branca. Try it in master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dushan Zaric’s Fernando, which mixes the liqueur with sweet vermouth and Galliano.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are links to the rest of your holiday meal:

Appetizers, Salads and Breads:
The Kitchn: Goat Cheese Panna Cotta Topped With Canned Cranberry Jelly Cut-Outs
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Braided Biscuits
Epicurious: Chestnut and Sherry Soup
Yahoo! Shine: Spicy Caramelized Onion Jam With Goat Cheese
YumSugar: Kale and Chard Salad with Pomegranates and Hazelnuts
Whole Foods Market: Mixed Green Salad With Pears, Hazelnuts, Blue Cheese and Homemade Croutons

Mains:
FN Dish: Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey
Eatocracy: Country Ham With Pickled Peaches
BlogHer Food: Root Vegetable Pot Pie With Cheddar Biscuit Crust

Sides:
Cooking Light: Fennel, Sausage, and Caramelized Apple Stuffing
Bon Appetit: Maxine Rapoport’s Turkey Stuffing
EatingWell: Green Bean Casserole
Serious Eats: Ultra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Oprah.com: David Chang’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Asian Vinaigrette
Food Republic: Cavatappi With Fontina and Fall Vegetables
Healthy Eats: Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots
Saveur: Green Beans and Tomatoes
Diner’s Journal: Fiery Sweet Potatoes
Real Simple: Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots With Rosemary and Pecans
The Daily Meal: Bacon Brussels Sprouts
AP/ J.M. Hirsch: Ginger-Pear Cranberry Sauce
Food52: Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Food.com: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Food & Wine: Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin
All You: Sweet Potato Bake

Desserts:
The Blender/ Williams-Sonoma: Deep-Dish Apple Bourbon Streusel Pie
Southern Living: Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake
Cooking Channel: Apple Bread Pudding
Fox News: Ginger Molasses Sugar Cookies
Gourmet Live: Pumpkin Coconut Panna Cotta
Melissa Clark: Sweet Potato Ginger Custard Pie
MyRecipes.com: White Chocolate Cheesecake With Cranberry Currant Compote

Up until a few years ago, it was a truly rare occurrence for a customer to walk into my bar and order an Old Fashioned. As soon as I’d recover from the surprise, I would access the Rolodex of recipes in my mind and set out to fix the drink as I was taught.
 
I started by muddling the sugar and bitters with an orange wheel, brandied cherries and lemon twist. A splash of club soda and some whiskey, and it was done.
 
As trends tend to follow a merciless cycle of recurrence, slowly the cocktail has made its comeback, and man, what a comeback it is! Now guests of all ages request Old Fashioneds every night, and it’s one of the best-selling classic drinks at my bar Employees Only in New York.
 
But with its resurgence in popularity has come a debate as to how you should make an Old Fashioned. While many like it with muddled fruit (which was probably added to the concoction during Prohibition), others prefer the even-earlier recipe that calls for only a fruit garnish. In fact, “Old Fashioned” originally referred to the primeval definition of a cocktail: a mix of liquor, sugar, water and bitters.
 
No matter which version you like, if you’re out, please specify the way you want it. There’s nothing old-fashioned about that.
 
 

Classic Old Fashioned

Contributed by Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Brown sugar cube
• .5 tsp White sugar
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6
• .25 oz Cold water
• 2 oz George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Whisky or other American whiskey

Garnish: Lemon and orange twists

Glass: Rocks
 
PREPARATION:
In a rocks glass, muddle both sugars, both bitters and the water. Add the whiskey and a large ice cube. Twist slices of lemon and orange peel over the drink and drop them in.

Contemporary Old Fashioned

Contributed by Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Orange half-wheel
• 3 Brandied cherries
• 1 Lemon twist
• 1 Brown sugar cube
• .5 tsp White sugar
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Club soda
• 2.5 oz Rittenhouse 100-Proof Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey

Garnish: Orange half-wheel, brandied cherry and lemon twist
Glass: Rocks
 
PREPARATION:
In a rocks glass, muddle the orange, cherries, lemon twist, sugars and bitters. Remove the lemon and orange peels and discard. Add a splash of club soda and fill with large ice cubes. Carefully pour the whiskey on top. Finish with another splash of club soda and garnish with an orange half-wheel, brandied cherry and lemon twist.

 
Dushan Zaric is the co-owner of popular New York City bars Employees Only and Macao Trading Co., and the co-author of Speakeasy. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

You know the secret to making Trader Vic’s signature Mai Tai? Almonds.
 
Seriously. One of the drink’s key ingredients is rich, cloudy orgeat syrup, which is usually flavored with chopped almonds. The nutty concoction, which had all but disappeared, has recently been rediscovered by bartenders across the country. And what they’ve found is that you can make the syrup from a range of nuts. Luckily, the recipe is simple and works with everything from walnuts and pecans to cashews and macadamias.
 
No matter which nut you choose, the syrup is an excellent match for complex brown spirits, so it’s especially appropriate for cold-weather drinks. Kevin Diedrich, head bartender at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen in San Francisco, incorporates a walnut version in his sophisticated Tender Nob (pictured above), which also calls for cognac, rye whiskey and a pair of Italian liqueurs.
 
But orgeat doesn’t have to be highfalutin’. At Birmingham, Ala., gastropub Ollie Irene, mixologist Zak Kittle riffs on the Southern tradition of tossing a handful of salted peanuts into a can of Coca-Cola (trust us, it’s tasty). His Tallulah combines peanut syrup with a Jack & Coke, resulting in a one-of-a-kind cocktail.
 
And David Kurka, wine & beverage manager at Brabo in Alexandria, Va., even uses a pistachio orgeat in his Orange You a Pistachio?, which turns a Margarita into an autumnal classic. Not bad for a simple nut.

Orgeat

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lb Unsalted nuts
• 20 oz Water
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 2 oz Brandy or vodka
• .5 tsp Orange flower water (optional)
• .5 tsp Rose water (optional)

PREPARATION:
Place the nuts and water in a large bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid, and grind the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. Place the nuts on a square of cheesecloth, tying the corners together to form a bag. Place the bag in the reserved liquid, cover and let stand for 2 hours. Remove the bag and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Return the bag to the liquid and let stand for 6 hours more, squeezing every 2 hours. Strain the liquid, discarding any solids, and pour into a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar and salt, and stir until fully dissolved. Remove from the heat, let cool and stir in the brandy or vodka, as well as the orange flower water and rose water if using.

The rebirth of punch is one of the great modern mixological miracles. For decades, the concoction was sadly relegated to fraternity parties and bastardized with sherbet, tooth-achingly sweet mixers and copious amounts of cheap booze.
 
But punch deserves your respect, and when made properly, it’s as delicious and refreshing as any other cocktail. Its roots stretch back hundreds of years and across the Atlantic to England, where it was a staple of 17th-century taverns. (To read more about the drink’s history, grab a copy of Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich’s award-winning Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl.) And recently, bartenders have rediscovered its charms; big bowls of the stuff have appeared in some of the best establishments around the country.
 
To help you whip up a batch, the latest video in our Farm to Drink series hosted by top mixologist and Liquor.com contributor Charlotte Voisey is all about creating punches with seasonal fruits and an array of alcohols. Her Two-Hit Fig Punch is a mix of fig and citrus with a spiced-rum-and-whiskey kick, and her Sparkling Holiday Punch is a tasty combination of pomegranate and blueberry vodkas sweetened by a fig-infused tea syrup.
 
Either one would make a perfect holiday-party tipple (and would free you from bartending all night). Cheers!
 
 

Mention molasses and the first thing that comes to mind is gingerbread or ginger snaps. But what about using it to sweeten some fall cocktails? Though classic sweeteners like simple syrup, honey, agave nectar and maple syrup have all been well explored, molasses is relatively uncharted mixological territory.
 
But the sticky ingredient, a byproduct of the sugar-refining process, has complex notes of acidity, bitterness and sweetness that pair well with brown spirits, baking spices and autumnal fruits such as pomegranate, apple and pear.
 
There are three grades of molasses, each one possessing its own distinct profile. Mild or light molasses, which comes from the initial boiling of the sugar cane, is the sweetest. The second boiling produces dark molasses, which, while still sweet, has a slight bitterness. Blackstrap molasses, from the third boiling, is the thickest, darkest and most pungent.
 
I’ve found that the darker the molasses, the more layers of flavor I can incorporate into a drink. In my Boston Spill, a liberal take on the Brandy Alexander, a bit of blackstrap contributes even more richness to the already-decadent cognac, Cointreau, crème de cacao and cream mixture.
 
For something bright and citrusy, try my Melaza Punch, which calls for añejo tequila, pineapple juice, orange juice and light molasses.
 
You should also pick up some pomegranate molasses, which is ubiquitous in Middle Eastern cuisine. It may not contain any actual molasses (it’s a syrupy reduction of pomegranate juice), but it’s excellent in tipples that include fruit. In my The Alhambra, its subtle tart-and-sweet-ness mingles perfectly with clementine juice and aromatic spiced rum.
 
So dig that molasses out of your pantry and start fixing drinks!

The Alhambra

Contributed by Kathy Casey

INGREDIENTS:

• Half a clementine
• 1.5 oz Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum
• .5 oz Pomegranate molasses
• Garnish: Orange twist
• Glass: Coupe

PREPARATION:
Squeeze the clementine half into a shaker and then drop it in. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a small coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Boston Spill

Contributed by Kathy Casey

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Rémy Martin VS Cognac
• .25 oz Cointreau
• .5 oz Crème de cacao
• .25 oz Blackstrap molasses syrup (one part blackstrap molasses, one part water)
• .75 oz Heavy cream
• Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg
• Glass: Martini

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients except the heavy cream to a shaker. Stir, and add the heavy cream. Fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

Melaza Punch

Contributed by Kathy Casey

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Milagro Añejo Tequila
• .75 oz Fresh pineapple juice
• 1 oz Fresh orange juice
• .25 oz Light molasses
• Garnish: Freshly grated cinnamon
• Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a shaker. Stir, and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.
 
Kathy Casey is a celebrity chef, mixologist and entertaining expert. Catch her on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen, on Twitter, on her blog Dishing with Kathy Casey or on her Sips & Apps page on Facebook.

Advocates for whiskey in general and bourbon in particular like to claim they represent the true spirit of America. They insist you should reach for liquor made from grain when you’re feeling wistful around holidays like Thanksgiving.
 
Yes, but…no. Celebrating whiskey as the quintessential American spirit is like celebrating Wii Golf as the quintessential American sport. This just in: The Wii came to the game a little after baseball. And in the liquor world, whiskey is Wii.
 
Rum is baseball.
 
Rum established itself first and foremost in the nation’s narrative arc, serving as the engine that helped the colonies grow and become economically confident enough to make a play for independence from Great Britain. (Spoiler alert: It worked.)
 
You may be thinking, hey, wait a minute… Sugar—the main ingredient in rum—wasn’t a serious crop in the North American colonies. How did rum become such a player?
 
Well, England had territories scattered around the New World in the 18th century. And that included several in the West Indies, where sugar generated remarkable wealth. (It was the precursor to railroads, oil and the internet in the spawning of outrageous fortunes.)
 
Trade among the colonies was robust—the North Americans provided almost everything the islanders needed to survive, since virtually all the arable island land was devoted to growing sugar cane. Dried cod, salt pork and other foodstuffs sailed south, and in return, molasses (a byproduct of sugar production) sailed north.
 
Now, New Englanders liked baked beans and gingerbread. A lot. But that’s not why they loved molasses. It was because you can use the stuff to make rum. On the eve of the American Revolution in 1776, some 160 distilleries were cranking it out.
 
After independence, trade between the newly formed country and colonies still under British rule was disrupted. Thanks to this sudden opportunity, and to an abundance of grain, the age of whiskey dawned in the United States.
 
So with Thanksgiving on the horizon, if you want to properly celebrate the patriotic early-American spirit, my suggestion is to reach for rum.

Pineapple Syllabub

Contributed by Wayne Curtis

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Pineapple-Infused Rum*
• 1 tsp Lemon zest
• .5 oz Lemon juice
• 1 oz Half-and-half
• .5 oz Honey syrup (one part honey, one part water)
• Garnish: Nutmeg
• Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:
Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously (until the drink is as foamy as a Ramos Gin Fizz) and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.
 
 
Pineapple-Infused Rum*
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (750-mL) bottle White rum
• Half a pineapple, peeled and cut into spears

PREPARATION:
Combine the rum and pineapple in a large jar or other container with a lid. Cover, and let stand for 2 to 3 days, tasting periodically for optimal flavor. Strain out the pineapple and re-bottle the rum.
 
Wayne Curtis writes about drinks for The Atlantic and is the author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails. He is also host of the site Slowcocktails.com.

Thanks to Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s, there’s a good chance you’ll be traveling to see relatives and friends in the next couple months. But instead of going to the movies or returning gifts during your free time in between dinners and parties, we suggest visiting a craft distillery.
 
Over the past decade, hundreds of independent distillers have set up shop across the country, many in—or within a few hours’ drive of—major cities. These operations produce a wide range of creative and innovative spirits, which are beloved by bartenders and connoisseurs alike. The best part? A lot of them offer guided tours, tasting rooms, bars and even gift shops (perfect for finding last-minute presents).
 
To make your holiday season a bit more spirited and fun, we’ve put together a guide to distilleries near large metros. (Not headed to any of the regions we picked? Check out the American Distilling Institute’s directory, which includes listings in 44 states as well as Canada.)
 
Safe travels!
 
Some of these distilleries have set tour schedules, while others are by appointment only. Please call ahead before visiting.

New York Area:

-Kings County Distillery, 35 Meadow Street, New York, NY

-Long Island Spirits, 2182 Sound Avenue, Baiting Hollow, NY, 631 630 9322

-Tuthilltown Spirits, 14 Gristmill Lane, Gardiner, NY, 845 633 8734

-Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, 114 Little York Road, Warwick, NY, 845 258 4858

Chicago Area:

-Few Spirits, 918 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, Ill., 847 920 8628

-Great Lakes Distillery, 616 West Virginia Street, Milwaukee, Wis., 414 431 8683

-Koval, 5121 North Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, Ill., 312 878 7988

-North Shore Distillery, 28913 Herky Drive, Unit 308, Lake Bluff, Ill., 847 574 2499

San Francisco Area:

-Anchor Brewing and Distilling, 1705 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, Calif., 415 863 8350

-Charbay, 4001 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, Calif., 707 963 9327

-Essential Spirits, 144a South Whisman Road, Mountain View, Calif., 650 962 0546

-St. George Spirits, 2601 Monarch Street, Alameda, Calif., 510 769 1601

Los Angeles Area:

-Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, 10051 Old Grove Road, San Diego, Calif., 858 695 2739

-Desert Diamond Distillery, 4875 North Olympic Drive, Kingman, Ariz., 928 757 7611

East/Central Texas:

-Garrison Brothers Distillery, Hye-Albert Road, Hye, Texas, 830 392 0246

-Railean, 341 5th Street, San Leon, Texas, 713 545 2742

-Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling, 4834 Whirlwind Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 210 775 2099

-Rebecca Creek Distillery, 26605 Bulverde Road, San Antonio, Texas, 830 714 4581

-Treaty Oak Rum, 10109 McKalla Place, Suite E, Austin, Texas, 512 413 1227

Washington, D.C., Area:

-Catoctin Creek, 37251-C East Richardson Lane, Purcellville, Va., 540 751 8404

-Cirrus Vodka, 2700 Hardy Street, Richmond, Va., 804 231 3000

-Copper Fox Distillery, 9 River Lane, Sperryville, Va., 540 987 8554

-Fiore Winery & Distillery, 3026 Whiteford Road, Pylesville, Md., 410 879 4007

Between the thrill of watching the World Series unfold and preparing for Halloween celebrations, it has definitely been a busy month. So just in case you missed any of our stories, here are five of Liquor.com’s best cocktails-and-spirits features from October. Enjoy!

Whisky’s Perfect Match:

Scotch with raw oysters? Or with rich fruitcake? Seriously. We got award-winning author and spirits expert Charles MacLean to share his tips for pairing single malt with food.

Farm to Drink:

Talented bartender and Liquor.com contributor Charlotte Voisey hosts our latest video about making autumnal cocktails with fresh herbs, red bell peppers and rhubarb. Watch it now.

Creating Signature Bitters:

Looking for a fall mixological project? Take your tipples to the next level by brewing a batch of your own apple or pear bitters.

Behind the Drink:

Acclaimed author and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan explores the origins of the classic whisky, sweet vermouth, cherry brandy and orange juice Blood & Sand cocktail.

Single Malts from Around the World:

From India and Sweden to Japan, distillers across the globe are producing Scotch-inspired whiskies. Here are four bottlings that you need to try.

It just wouldn’t be Halloween without a pumpkin. But there’s so much more you can do with the king of squashes than carve it or make pie.
 
The subtly sweet flavor works nicely in a range of autumn drinks, blending beautifully with spices like cinnamon and clove, and sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, as well as aged spirits like bourbon, rum and añejo tequila.
 
That’s not to mention Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur ($10), which is available nationally for the first time this year, and Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur ($10), which is the secret to the simple Absolut 100 Pumpkin Martini.
 
There are also dozens of seasonal pumpkin beers made around the country, including Brooklyn Brewery’s Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale and Terrapin Beer Co.’s Pumpkinfest.
 
Master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim even uses pumpkin to give a little fall flair to a traditional holiday classic in his rum-based Pumpkin Nog. And bar manager James Horn at the acclaimed Washington, D.C., restaurant Graffiato makes an ingenious lemon-pumpkin soda for his Smashing Pumpkin cocktail, which is one Halloween trick we actually enjoy.

Just when we thought we knew every Glen from Speyside to Islay, we’ve discovered a whole new generation of whiskies. Let us introduce you to five recent immigrants from Scotland that you should welcome into your home.

Auchentoshan 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Cask Matured ($70):

While many Scotches are finished in a wine cask, they usually start off in a bourbon barrel. But this extremely limited offering from Auchentoshan (which will be released in the next few weeks) was aged exclusively in a former Bordeaux wine cask. On the palate, there’s a vino-like dryness with notes of vanilla, spice and oak.

Compass Box Great King Street Artist’s Blend ($45):

Compass Box never fails to impress us with its tasty and innovative whiskies. The newest one is no exception: a silky, honeyed combination of Lowland grain whisky and both Highland and Speyside malts. (The formula is almost 50 percent single malt, which is high for a blend.)

The Glenrothes Vintage 1995 ($82):

Bursting with sweet raisin and spice flavors, The Glenrothes’ latest vintage, which is hitting shelves next month, is one you’ll definitely want to look out for. The creamy liquor was aged in sherry casks and bourbon barrels.

Johnnie Walker Double Black ($50):

Originally, you could only buy this super-smoky version of Johnnie Walker Black Label at duty-free shops. But it was so popular that a limited-edition bottling (pictured above) is now available across the country. While the blend’s recipe is a secret, it does contain a lot of maritime whiskies from Scotland’s west coast.

Laphroaig Triple Wood ($60):

This smooth and quaffable Laphroaig spirit also started out in duty-free. It has hints of sweetness, peated malt and dried fruit, and was matured in—you guessed it—three kinds of wood: American-oak bourbon barrels, smaller quarter casks and finally European-oak oloroso sherry butts.

We’ve been eagerly awaiting the publication of Liquor.com advisor Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book for months, and it’s finally coming out next week. It features the recipe for every cocktail served at Meehan’s award-winning New York bar, as well as advice and a lengthy section about building a bartender’s library. So we asked the talented mixologist, who boasts a large collection himself, to share with us his all-time-favorite spirited volumes. Here they are.

The Artistry of Mixing Drinks by Frank Meier, 1936:

“The Artistry of Mixing Drinks is one of the most intricately decorated bar books ever printed, and among the rarest. The recipes Meier claims as his own, among them the Bee’s Knees, are all marked in the volume. It closes with a section of ‘useful formulas,’ which gives the reader an idea of the breadth of a master bartender’s expertise at the time, including first aid and horse racing!”

Barflies and Cocktails by Harry McElhone, 1927:

“A bar’s legacy is defined not only by the skill of its owner and employees, but also by the people who frequented it. Few cocktail books celebrate a bar’s patrons more explicitly than this one, which is an expanded edition of McElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails with illustrations from caricaturist Wynn Holcomb.”

Cocktails: How to Mix Them by Robert Vermeire, 1922:

“Before the smartphone became the bartender’s reference tool of choice, alphabetically organized vest-pocket-sized books were used to devise a guest’s recommendations. Instead of cramming in as many recipes as possible, Vermeire picked great drinks and devoted ample space to annotate them.”

The Gentleman’s Companion by Charles H. Baker, 1939:

“Charles H. Baker must have been a lot of fun; at least his The Gentleman’s Companion (and its sequel, The South American Gentleman’s Companion) makes it seem so. In addition to a host of great recipes compiled during his world tours, Baker captures the conviviality of the time through entertaining stories—a skill all bartenders should hone.”

The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, 1930:

“Widely considered to be the definitive collection of recipes and published at the apex of the cocktail’s golden age in Europe, The Savoy Cocktail Book is also the most ambitious aesthetically. A renowned stable of head bartenders over the last century, including author Harry Craddock, Ada Coleman, Peter Dorelli and most recently Erick Lorincz, have helped preserve the sterling reputation of this historic London hotel bar.”

We’ve waited months for this. Long, hot, humid months. But with fall officially here, we can finally enjoy a mug of that steaming alcoholic concoction—so delightful on a cool night—known as the Hot Toddy. To get it right, we asked St. John Frizell, Toddy maven and owner of Fort Defiance in Brooklyn, to divulge some of his tricks as well as a couple of his recipes.

Get Out the Good Stuff:

You can use most any kind of liquor in a Toddy—the traditional formula is a combination of whisky, hot water, sugar and citrus—as long as it’s a good bottling. “The quality of the spirit matters even more with hot drinks,” Frizell says. “There’s something about the harshness of a cheap spirit that comes out the more you heat it.”

Crank Up the Heat:

Frizell abides by The Gentleman’s Companion author Charles H. Baker’s adage: “Serve cold drinks arctic cold…serve hot drinks steaming hot…Compromise in either of these events is merely bargaining with fault and disaster.” For Toddies, Frizell likes a heavy mug, which holds heat better than a glass, and he pre-warms it by filling it first with boiling water. “This way,” he says, “you admire it, smell it, sip it a little and then you drink it.”

Keep it Simple:

While some Toddy recipes call for honey or even maple syrup, Frizell prefers simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water). “Its clean taste doesn’t interfere with the other flavors,” he says. But no matter which sweetener you choose, use more of it than might seem necessary to smooth out whatever harsh edges emerge from heating up the alcohol.

Try Cider:

Double down on the fall factor and substitute cider for water. “People love drinking hot cider,” Frizell says. “It’s the first thing they go for when it gets cold.” He even mixes the autumn all-star with amaretto for his Hanny’s Hot Apple Toddy. “It sounds too sweet,” he says, “but it’s really, really good.”

Make a Punch:

Expecting some company? You can easily turn your favorite Toddy into a bowl of hot punch, Frizell says, by just multiplying the recipe. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients: A complex hot gin punch is what introduced Frizell to the world of warm cocktails.

Hanny’s Hot Apple Toddy

Contributed by St. John Frizell

INGREDIENTS:

• Boiling water
• 1.5 oz Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira
• 8 oz Apple cider, piping hot
• Heavy cream, shaken until thick but pourable
• Cinnamon

Glass: Mug
 
PREPARATION:
Fill a 10-oz mug with boiling water. When the mug is hot, pour out the water and add the amaretto and cider. Top with a layer of cream. Use a Microplane to grate fresh cinnamon on top.

Hot Tom Toddy

Contributed by St. John Frizell

INGREDIENTS:

• Boiling water
• 2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
• .5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon

Garnish: Lemon wheel studded with cloves

Glass: Mug
 
PREPARATION:

Fill a 10-oz mug with boiling water. When the mug is hot, pour out the water and add the gin and syrup. Fill with fresh boiling water. Use a Microplane to grate cinnamon and nutmeg on top and garnish with a lemon wheel studded with cloves.

It’s easy to forget that making cocktails and alcohol is as much a science as it is an art form. In fact, the original distillers were actually alchemists looking for a so-called “water of life.” And recently, there’s been a new wave of innovation, giving some of our favorite drinks a high-tech garnish.

Don Julio 70 Tequila ($70):

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Don Julio Tequila. To create something special, master distiller Enrique de Colsa embarked on a mission to craft a bottling with the complexity of an añejo but with the agave flavor and clarity of a blanco. His solution was to take a spirit that had matured for 18 months in oak and carefully filter out select notes and all the color. The result, which was just released, is a truly unique hybrid.

Green-Powered Stills:

What’s inside a liquor bottle usually gets most of the attention, but brands are also starting to focus on what’s left over after the production process. A number of pioneers, like Maker’s Mark Bourbon , Bruichladdich Scotch Whisky and Bacardi Rum, have systems that anaerobically turn liquid waste from the still into fossil-fuel-replacing biogas, which is then used to make the next batch of alcohol.

Cocktails on Tap:

While draft beer long ago lost its novelty, bars and restaurants around the country are beginning to feature mixed drinks on tap. For instance, Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen in San Francisco now stocks a keg of homemade Negronis, and El Cobre in New York has one full of Dark ‘n Stormys. At first we were skeptical, but a few sips of the Jasper’s concoction assured us that this was definitely better living through science.

Forget ice or soda; have you tried pairing Scotch with food? It can work surprisingly well, and so-called “whisky dinners” are becoming increasingly popular in Europe and Asia. Just this year alone, I’ve led dozens of them in twenty countries.
 
I particularly enjoy matching single malts with appetizers, small plates like tapas or meze, and desserts. This can showcase unexpected characteristics in a spirit and invariably leads to a lively discussion. (As for entrees, they’re often too complex, and, frankly, I think wine is better suited as a companion to many dishes.)
 
The general idea is that the cuisine and the whisky should either complement or contrast with each other. Since every Scotch bottling has its own unique flavor profile, I suggest keeping the food relatively simple and based on quality ingredients, which will allow the liquor to really shine through.
 
Here are some of my favorite pairings. Bon appetit!

Raw oysters “anointed” with a splash of Talisker 10-Year-Old:

The light smokiness and maritime character of the whisky complements the mollusk, and it finishes with a peppery kick.

Shrimp with a glass of Old Pulteney 12-Year-Old:

The sweet saltiness of “The Manzanilla of the North” enhances the sweetness of the shellfish.

Smoked salmon with a dram of Ardbeg 10 Years Old:

Some think the smokiness of the whisky is too dominant, but I say it works well with Scotland’s other famous delicacy.

Custard tart and a shot of frozen Dalwhinnie 15-Year-Old:

The light vanilla and honey notes in the whisky, together with its smooth texture, complement the dessert.

Rich fruitcake with Glenfarclas 15-Year-Old (or any other sherry-wood-matured malt):

The dried fruits and mouth-drying tannins are balanced by the unctuous sweetness of the cake.

Roquefort cheese with Lagavulin 16-Year-Old:

Massive flavors, which cancel each other out—truly a marriage made in Heaven.

Dark chocolate, strong black coffee and a good cigar with The Dalmore Gran Reserva:

Nibble, sip coffee, sip whisky, puff cigar. Repeat. Bliss!
 
Charles MacLean, Master of the Quaich and James Beard Award winner, is the author of ten books on Scotch, including the Whiskypedia.

What is modern? In 2011, it’s tablet computers and hybrid cars, yoga pants and nose-to-tail eating.
 
In 1979, when I graduated from high school, it was calculators and stereos that let you thread a stack of LPs onto a little thingamajig that held them precariously above the turntable, dropping them down to play one by one. The latest thing in cars was the Datsun 280Z, and to be truly styling when you drove, you needed to be wearing a burgundy turtleneck with a short gold zipper on the front. And it had to be open, to display the band of puka shells around your neck.
 
In 1961, when I was born, cars still had fins, women wore pillbox hats and the Princess phone—the latest in home electronics—still had a dial.
 
Time has a way of mocking us all, of making our attempts at the new seem futile and, worse, silly. But there are always a few things that come across fresh and, yes, modern, no matter how old they are. Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses, Bugs Bunny cartoons, the music of Charlie Parker—these know no age. The first Dry Martini might have been stirred up in the 1880s or early 1890s, but a sip of one conveys the shock of the new as well as anything in which Lady Gaga cocoons herself.
 
Of course, there are other drinks that have achieved escape velocity from the orbit of their times. Most of those are sleek, simple and unencumbered with the kind of eccentricity that anchors things to an era and place. The Modern Cocktail, however, is, despite its name, not one of them.
 
Invented in the first decade of the twentieth century by Charlie Mahoney, head bartender at New York’s famed Hoffman House hotel on Madison Square, the Modern combines the two trendiest ingredients of the period: Scotch whisky and sloe gin. You wouldn’t think the pairing would work, yet it does, in the same way that streetcars and heavy, silver-cased pocketwatches worked. Good enough for me.

The Modern Cocktail

Contributed by David Wondrich

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 tsp Fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1.5 oz Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whisky
• 1.5 oz Plymouth Sloe Gin (accept no substitutes)
• 1 dash Absinthe
• 1 dash Orange bitters

Garnish: Maraschino cherry

Glass: Cocktail
 
PREPARATION:
Add the lemon juice and sugar to a shaker and stir. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if you like.
 
David Wondrich is the author of Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl and Esquire magazine’s drinks correspondent. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.