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.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Dubonnet Rouge
• 3 oz H by Hine Cognac
• 1 oz Cherry Herring
• .75 oz Fresh blood orange juice
• .75 oz Fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Cocktail cherry and lemon twist

Glass: Stemmed cordial

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into 2 chilled stemmed cordial glasses. Garnish each with a cocktail cherry and a lemon twist.

TYPES OF 10 CANE AVAILABLE:

10 Cane Rum

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• With cola
• In cocktails (Mojito, Pina Colada, Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Planter’s Punch, Zombie)

FAST FACTS:

• The rum is made from freshly pressed sugarcane juice, which is distilled twice in a pot still and aged in French oak barrels for six month before bottling.
• 10 Cane isn’t just a cool sounding name but actually the number of sugarcane stalks that it takes to make one bottle.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Banks 5-Island Rum
• 1 oz Fresh pineapple juice
• .5 oz Fresh lime juice
• 1 scoop Ciao Bella Coconut Sorbet

Garnish: Dried coconut flakes or lime wheel

Glass: Coupe or coconut shell

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled coupe glass or coconut shell. Garnish with dried coconut flakes or a lime wheel.

TYPES OF PATRÓN AVAILABLE:

Patrón Silver
Gran Patrón
Patrón Reposado
Patrón Añejo
Patrón XO Café
Patrón Citrónge
Patrón Burdeos

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• With a Sangrita
• In cocktails (Margarita, Paloma, Bloody Maria)

FAST FACTS:

• Patrón is the biggest selling ultra-premium tequila in the US.
• John Paul DeJoria’s other huge success is his line of Paul Mitchell hair care products which he co-founded.
• Each bottle is hand-labeled and inspected–over 60 hands touch every bottle of Patrón before it leaves the distillery.
• The brand is one of the few tequilas to still use the traditional stone wheel, called a “tahona,” to crush its agave.

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

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Grey Goose Vodka
• .5 oz Mandarine Napoléon
• 3 oz Mango nectar
• 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
• Club soda

Garnish: Mango slice

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients except the club soda to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake well until the outside of the shaker is frosty and beaded with sweat. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a mango slice.

TYPES OF DUBONNET AVAILABLE:

Dubonnet Rouge
Dubonnet Blanc

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• With ice
• With club soda
• With champagne
• In cocktails (Dubonnet Cocktail, Dubonnet Cosmopolitan, The Deshler, Kiss, Le Sang et Sable)

FAST FACTS:

• Dubonnet was created by chemist and wine merchant Joseph Dubonnet to make quinine more palatable for soldiers in the French Foreign Legion stationed in North Africa.
• The brand commissioned famous artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to design a series of advertising posters in the late 1800s.

INGREDIENTS:

• Boiling water
• 1 teaspoon Demerara sugar
• Lemon peel
• 2 oz Scotch Whisky (Macallan or Ardbeg)

Glass: Mug or cup

PREPARATION:

Rinse a mug or cup with boiling water. Add 1 teaspoon Demerara sugar and a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel. Add 1 oz boiling water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add 2 oz brawny single malt Scotch (Macallan or, if insane or very cold, Ardbeg). Finish by adding 1 oz more of boiling water to bring the heat back up.

TYPES OF BOTRAN AVAILABLE:

Botran Reserva
Botran Solera 1893

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• With cola
• In cocktails (Mojito, Piña Colada, Dark and Stormy, Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Planter’s Punch, Zombie)

FAST FACTS:

• Unlike most other rums, Botran is made from freshly pressed sugar cane.
• The rum is aged in a range of casks, including former American whiskey, sherry and port barrels.

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.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Baileys with a Hint of Coffee
• .75 oz Don Julio Añejo Tequila
• Generous scoop of vanilla ice cream (softened)
• .75 oz Half-and-half

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and fill with ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a highball glass.

TYPES OF WOODFORD RESERVE AVAILABLE:

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select
Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• On the rocks
• With a bit of water
• With club soda
• With ginger ale
• In cocktails (Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Presbyterian, Horse’s Neck, Ward Eight, Brown Derby)

FAST FACTS:

• Since 1996, Woodford Reserve has been the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby and it produces a specially-designed, limited-edition bottle each year for the horserace.
• The brand’s picturesque stone distillery dates back to 1838 and is a National Historic Landmark.

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)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Brugal Añejo Rum
• .5 oz Crème de Banane
• .5 oz Castries Peanut Rum Crème Liqueur
• .5 oz Cream of coconut
• 3 oz Pineapple juice

Garnish: Pineapple slice

Glass: Tall

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple slice.

TYPES OF EVAN WILLIAMS AVAILABLE:

Evan Williams Red Label (available outside the US)
Evan Williams Blue Label (available at the visitor center)
Evan Williams Green Label
Evan Williams White Label
Evan Williams Black Label
Evan Williams Honey Reserve
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage
Evan Williams Egg Nog
Evan Williams 1783
Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• On the rocks
• With a bit of water
• With club soda
• With ginger ale
• In cocktails (Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Presbyterian, Horse’s Neck, Ward Eight, Brown Derby)

FAST FACTS:

• Evan Williams is the second most popular Kentucky straight bourbon in the US.
• On the brand’s website (www.evanwilliams.com) is an archive of print advertisements going back to the 1970’s, including some from the “Get Older. Get Better. Get Evan Williams.” campaign.
• Evan Williams has an online store selling a range of branded products, including a pocket knife and a hot sauce.
• Evan Williams was Kentucky’s first distiller. He started making whiskey back in 1783.

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.

INGREDIENTS:

• Absinthe
• .75 oz Plymouth Gin
• .75 oz Cointreau
• .75 oz Lillet Blanc
• .75 oz Lemon juice

Glass: Coupe or Martini

PREPARATION:

Rinse a chilled coupe or Martini glass with absinthe and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into the prepared glass.

This recipe is adapted from Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book.

INGREDIENTS:

• Quarter of a red apple, diced
• 2 Lemon wedges
• 1.5 oz Bulldog Gin
• .25 oz Triple sec
• 2 oz Apple juice
• .75 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)

Garnish: Apple slice

Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle the diced apple and lemon wedges. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an apple slice.

TYPES OF TUTHILLTOWN AVAILABLE:

Tuthilltown Government Warning Rye
Tuthilltown New York Whiskey
Hudson Single Malt Whiskey
Hudson River Rum
Hudson Manhattan Rye
Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey
Hudson 4-Grain Bourbon
Spirit of the Hudson Vodka
Hudson New York Corn Whiskey
Heart of the Hudson Vodka

FAST FACTS:

• Tuthilltown is the first whiskey distillery in New York since Prohibition.
• Love the brand’s spirits? You can buy three-gallon casks of its whiskey, which yields 18 to 27 bottles. You can also purchase a five-, seven- and 14-gallon cask.

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.)

INGREDIENTS:

• Boiling water
• 1.5 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum
• 2 Tbsp Buttered Rum Batter*

Garnish: Cinnamon stick

Glass: Coffee mug

PREPARATION:

Rinse a coffee mug with boiling water to warm it up. Add the rum and Buttered Rum Batter to the heated mug. Top with boiling water and stir well to combine. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

*Buttered Rum Batter

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Light brown sugar
• .5 lb Unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp Ground nutmeg
• .5 tsp Ground allspice
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Preparation:

In a mixing bowl, beat together all the ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a month or freeze until ready to use.

TYPES OF HENNESSEY AVAILABLE:

Hennessy Cognac
Hennessy V.S.
Hennessy Black
Privilege V.S.O.P.
Hennessy X.O.
Hennessy Paradis
Richard Hennesy

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• In cocktails (French 75, Sidecar, Brandy Alexander, Between the Sheets)

FAST FACTS:

• Hennessy Cognac, according to press reports, is a favorite of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il.
• The brand released a limited edition cognac, Hennessy 44, to honor President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Sales of the special bottle benefitted the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

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.

INGREDIENTS:

• Lagavulin 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• 2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
• 1 oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth
• .5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
• 3 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:

Rinse a cocktail glass with the Scotch and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir until chilled and strain into the prepared glass.

TYPES OF PLYMOUTH AVAILABLE:

Plymouth Gin Original Strength
Plymouth Navy Strength
Plymouth Sloe Gin

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• With tonic
• In cocktails (Martini, Gimlet, Gibson, Gin Gin Mule, Fizz, Tom Collins, Negroni, Martinez, Corpse Reviver , Vesper, White Lady, Ramos Fizz, Singapore Sling, Aviation, Red Snapper, Pegu, Clover Club, Bronx, Southside)

FAST FACTS:

• Plymouth’s Black Friar’s Distillery dates back to 1431 when it was built as monastery.
• All of the brand’s gin is made in just a single pot still, which was installed in 1855.
• Not only can you take a tour of the distillery but there’s also a café and a store selling Plymouth merchandise.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
• 1 oz Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• .25 oz Fernet-Branca
• 1 Egg white
• 1.5 oz Fresh tangerine juice
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Glass: Old Fashioned

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients except the bitters to a shaker and shake without ice for about 10 seconds. Fill with ice and shake again very, very well—about 30 seconds. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice and top with the bitters.

TYPES OF BAILEYS AVAILABLE:

Baileys Irish Cream
Baileys with a Hint of Coffee
Baileys with a Hint of Mint
Baileys with a Hint of Caramel

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Neat
• On the rocks
• In coffee
• Over ice cream

FAST FACTS:

• Baileys only uses milk from Irish cows and a lot of it. The brand goes through 72.6 million gallons of milk a year.
• The liqueur is so popular that people around the world drink 2,300 glasses of it every minute of every day.
• Love Baileys? Try it in cheesecake, ice cream, pie and muffins. There are recipes on the brand’s website.

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.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• 1 oz Iced tea
• 2 oz Lemonade

Garnish: Lemon wedge

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

TYPES OF BENEDICTINE AVAILABLE:

Benedictine

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Neat
• In cocktails (Bobby Burns, Singapore Sling, Vieux Carre)

FAST FACTS:

• In 1510, the Benedictine monk Don Bernardo Vincelli created the recipe for this French liqueur, which calls for 27 plants and spices. The three main ingredients are Angelica, Hyssop and Lemon Balm.
• There are only three people on earth who know the complete recipe for making the spirit.
• Benedictine is aged for up to 17 months before bottling.
• The brand was first imported to the United States in 1888.

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• .5 oz Simple syrup or agave nectar
• .25 tsp Red pepper flakes
• 1 small pinch Chipotle chile powder
• 1.75 oz Reposado tequila
• .5 oz Grand Marnier
• .75 oz Fresh lime juice

Garnish: Jalapeño or red chile pepper

Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

Coat the rim of a rocks glass with salt, fill with ice and set aside. In a shaker, middle the agave nectar or simple syrup, red pepper flakes and chile powder. Add the tequila, Grand Marnier and lime juice. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Strain through a tea strainer into the prepared glass. Garnish with a jalapeño or red chile pepper.

TYPES OF ABSOLUT AVAILABLE:

Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old
Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• On the rocks
• With a bit of water
• With club soda
• With ginger ale
• In cocktails (Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Presbyterian, Horse’s Neck, Ward Eight, Brown Derby)

FAST FACTS:

• Heaven Hill claims that Elijah Craig was the first small batch bourbon ever created.
• The brand is named for Reverend Elijah Craig who is said to have stumbled upon the idea of aging bourbon in charred oak when he stored his alcohol in fire damaged barrels.

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.

INGREDIENTS:

• Half a cinnamon stick (about 1 inch long)
• 2 Lemon wedges
• .5 oz Maple syrup
• Half a fresh pear
• 2.5 oz Bulldog Gin

Garnish: Cinnamon stick

Glass: Martini or coupe

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle all the ingredients except the gin. Add the gin and fill with ice. Shake well and double strain into a Martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

TYPES OF KETEL ONE AVAILABLE:

Ketel One Vodka
Ketel One Citroen
Ketel 1 Jenever Gin

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• In cocktails (Martini, Gimlet, Vesper, Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Cape Cod, Greyhound, Madras, Moscow Mule, White Russian)

FAST FACTS:

• Ketel One is named after the company’s original copper pot still “Distilleerketel #1.”
• The Nolet family, who makes the vodka, has been distilling spirits since 1691.

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)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tangerine, peeled
• 2 oz Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila

Garnish: Kaffir lime leaf

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle the tangerine. Add the tequila and fill with ice. Shake 20 times and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a kaffir lime leaf.

TYPES OF BACARDI AVAILABLE:

Bacardi Superior
Bacardi Dragon Berry
Bacardi O
Bacardi Big Apple
Bacardi Grand Melon
Bacardi Coconut
Bacardi Limón
Bacardi Peach Red
Bacardi Razz
Bacardi Gold
Bacardi 8
Bacardi Añejo
Bacardi Solera
Bacardi 151

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• With cola
• In cocktails (Mojito, Pina Colada, Dark and Stormy, Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Planter’s Punch, Zombie)

FAST FACTS:

• Company founder Don Facundo Bacardi Masso bought his first rum distillery in Cuba for 3,500 pesos.
• Bacardi sells 20 million cases of rum every year.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• 3 Cucumber slices
• 4 Mint leaves
• 1.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
• 1 oz Fresh lime juice

Garnish: Mint sprig

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle the simple syrup, cucumber and mint. Add the vodka and lime juice, and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

TYPES OF DEL MAGUEY AVAILABLE:

Chichicapa
San Luis del Rio
Santo Domingo Albarradas
Minero
Tobala
Pechuga
Crema de Mezcal

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Neat
• With coffee
• In cocktails (Margarita)

FAST FACTS:

• You can thank Ron Cooper for the surge in popularity of mezcal. Since 1995, he’s been finding traditional single village spirits and now imports seven stunning mezcals.
• Cooper, a professional artist, originally developed a passion for the agave-based spirit while he was in Mexico working on an art project.

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 .

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Grey Goose Le Citron Flavored Vodka
• 1 (.5-inch) slice Kirby cucumber, peeled
• 1 dash Tabasco Sauce
• .25 oz Dry vermouth
• 1.5 oz Tomato juice

Garnish: Kirby cucumber spear

Glass: Rocks

PREPARATION:

In a shaker, muddle the vodka, cucumber, Tabasco and vermouth. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with the tomato juice and garnish with a Kirby cucumber spear.

TYPES OF MANDARIN NAPOLÉON OFAVAILABLE:

Mandarine Napoléon
Mandarine Napoléon XO

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Neat
• In cocktails (Margarita, Sidecar, White Lady)

FAST FACTS:

• The orange liqueur was created for Napoleon Bonaparte in late 1700s or very early 1800s and was first sold to the public in 1892.
• While the recipe is a secret, what we know is that it’s a mixture of aged cognac, mandarin orange peel, herbs and spices.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Domaine de Canton
• 1 oz Bourbon
• .5 oz Fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Cherry

Glass: Martini

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.

TYPES OF ABSOLUT AVAILABLE:

Absolut Vodka
Absolut 100
Absolut Apeach
Absolut Berri Açaí
Absolut Citron
Absolut Elyx
Absolut Kurant
Absolut Mandrin
Absolut Mango
Absolut Orient Apple
Absolut Pears
Absolut Peppar
Absolut Raspberri
Absolut Ruby Red
Absolut Vanilia
Absolut Watkins
Absolut Wild Tea

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• In cocktails (Martini, Gimlet, Vesper, Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Cape Cod, Greyhound, Madras, Moscow Mule, White Russian)

FAST FACTS:

• Absolut Vodka was introduced to the United States in 1979, 100 years after it was first produced in Sweden.
• The distillery in Åhus, Sweden makes 500,000 bottles of vodka a day.

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.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2.5 oz Pineapple-infused Square One Organic Vodka*
• .5 oz Pineapple puree*
• 1.5 oz Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
• 1 oz Organic heavy cream
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• 10 oz Ice

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. Serve in a highball glass.

*Pineapple-infused Square One Organic Vodka

Add one slice of organic dried pineapple (with no added sugar) to a 750-mL bottle of Square One Organic Vodka and let stand for 1 to 2 days. Taste daily until you like the flavor. Strain the liquid into a clean bottle. (Make sure to save the pineapple and puree it for the drink.)

TYPES OF BOWMORE AVAILABLE:

Bowmore 12-Year-Old Scotch Whisky
Bowmore 15-Year-Old Darkest Scotch Whisky
Bowmore 18-Year-Old Scotch Whisky
Bowmore 25-Year-Old Scotch Whisky
Black Bowmore
White Bowmore
Gold Bowmore

HOW YOU SHOULD DRINK IT:

• Straight
• On the rocks
• With a bit of water
• With club soda

FAST FACTS:

• While the distillery has a long history, the origins of the name Bowmore are unknown.
• In 1991, one of the brand’s warehouses was turned into a community swimming pool, which is heated with the distillery’s recycled hot water.
• A rare bottle of 1850 Bowmore became the most expensive Scotch in the world when it sold at auction for £29,400 pounds in September 2007.