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Penicillin cocktail image

Penicillin cocktail

A Whisky Sour with honey richness, subtle smoke and enlivening ginger spice.

Negroni Cocktail image

Negroni Cocktail

Glowing red, the Negroni manages to be both sophisticated and simple at the same time and is definitely for a grown-up palate - for many it's simply too

All In image

All In

Spirituous and bittersweet with a underlying chocolaty treat.

Porn Star Martini image

Porn Star Martini

A passion fruit and vanilla crowd-pleaser that's balanced with zesty lime, often served with sparkling wine on the side.

Apple Daiquiri image

Apple Daiquiri

A classic Daiquiri with a very subtle hint of apple.

Aperol Spritz / Aperitivo Spritz image

Aperol Spritz / Aperitivo Spritz

Slightly sweet, herbal, refreshing and quaffable. The good folk at Aperol, the aperitivo liqueur brand most identified with the Spritz, recommend equal

Californian Margarita image

Californian Margarita

To quote a long time Californian and frequent visitor to America's Southwest, this recipe is a classic Margarita but with a few tweaks. Usually a silver/blanco

Bull Shot image

Bull Shot

Cow broth replaces tomato in this Mary for carnivorous drinkers.

Tequila Sour image

Tequila Sour

A Margarita without orange liqueur (e.g. a Tommy's Margarita) is not a margarita at all but a tequila sour. The triple sec orange liqueur is one of the

White Lady image

White Lady

A simple, silky and delicious gin-laced classic with a sour finish. My White Lady recipe is authentic to the proportions in Harry Craddock's 1930 recipe

Takumi's Aviation image

Takumi's Aviation

A wonderfully aromatic flower-powered Aviation. Sweeter than some Aviation renditions, including my own Aviation and if, like me, you like yours a tad

John Collins image

John Collins

A refreshing balance of sour lemon and sugar, laced with London dry gin and lengthened with soda. Some know this cocktail as a Tom Collins, understandably

Great Gatsby image

Great Gatsby

This grapefruit fresh and light cocktail is equally suited to the aperitivo moment as it is breakfast.

Cantaritos image

Cantaritos

Juicy (freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit and lime) and refreshing slightly salty tequila invigorated with sparkling grapefruit soda. Wetting the porous

Whiskey Sour (Classic Formula) image

Whiskey Sour (Classic Formula)

I find this classic formulation more sweet than sour and I much prefer my 6:3:2 Whiskey Sour.

Dirty Martini Cocktail image

Dirty Martini Cocktail

This drink varies from delicious to disgusting, depending on what's making it Dirty. This is traditionally the liquid from a jar of olives and if using

Paloma image

Paloma

Reminiscent of a long fruity Margarita with refreshing effervescence.

Tom Collins image

Tom Collins

A medium-dry Gin Collins based on old tom gin. There is much confusion between Tom Collins and John Collins; arguably, the two names are interchangeable

Trinidad Sour image

Trinidad Sour

This deep lurid reddy-brown cocktail won't be to everybody's taste but that's only to be expected with one-and-a-half shots of bitters. However, if you

Cadáver Reviver image

Cadáver Reviver

The combination of tequila and triple sec make this riff on the classic Corpse Reviver remarkably Margarita-like, only with added complexity and subtlety

Sunflower image

Sunflower

Elderflower liqueur replaces aromatised wine in this riff on a classic Corpse Reviver No.2. This means the bitter oils from the lemon zest twist are crucial

Bandera image

Bandera

In Mexico the quality of the homemade Sangrita can make or break a bar. The Sangrita in this trio is spicy and slightly sweet.

Maiden's Blush No.2 image

Maiden's Blush No.2

A mere spoon of blanche absinthe washes over ten times as much Old Tom gin in this complex sour which is delicately balanced by a splash of raspberry syrup.

November Seabreeze image

November Seabreeze

A superbly refreshing fruity drink, whatever the time of year.

Limoncello Spritz image

Limoncello Spritz

Zesty, almost creamy, lemon enlivened with fizz.

Margarita on-the-rocks (Difford's recipe) image

Margarita on-the-rocks (Difford's recipe)

This is how we prefer our margaritas to be served. Tangy citrus and tequila with a hint of balancing sweetness and a faint salty undertone. We also prefer

Piscola image

Piscola

'Brandy' and cola with a hint of Angostura bitters. Try and see why the Chileans enjoy it.

Ramos Gin Fizz image

Ramos Gin Fizz

One of the great classic cocktails. The perfect balance of sweet and sour is enhanced by the incredibly smooth, almost fluffy mouthfeel.

Ocean Cable image

Ocean Cable

This cocktail originally appears in William Tarling's 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book where its creation is attributed to one A. G. Scott. We've respected

Manhattan (Sweet) image

Manhattan (Sweet)

I prefer my Manhattans served Sweet or Perfect at a push. The Manhattan is complex, challenging and moreish. Best of all, it's available in a style to

Calvados & Tonic image

Calvados & Tonic

Crisp dry apple with delicate quinine tonic bitterness.

Gin & Tonic image

Gin & Tonic

One of the simplest and best mixed drinks ever devised, hence its lasting popularity. To serve as a Highball use a smaller 10oz (295ml) Highball glass

Jägerbomb image

Jägerbomb

Famous and infamous.

Blue Hawaiian image

Blue Hawaiian

A blue-rinsed Piña Colada.

Vodkatini / Vodka Martini image

Vodkatini / Vodka Martini

Temperature is key to the enjoyment of this modern classic. Consume while icy cold and you'll enjoy a clean and crisp Martini.

Baby Guinness image

Baby Guinness

As the name suggests, looks like a miniature pint of stout.

Margarita (frozen) image

Margarita (frozen)

Citrus freshness with the subtle agave of tequila served frozen.

Vodka Collins image

Vodka Collins

A Tom Collins with vodka - a refreshing balance of sweet and sour.

Dirty Banana image

Dirty Banana

A rum-laced banana milkshake dirtied by coffee liqueur. The riper the banana used in this cocktail, the better. (Brown spots on the banana skin = tasty

Vodka Rickey image

Vodka Rickey

Lacks interest but balanced and hard to fault as a simple and refreshing drink.

Screaming Orgasm image

Screaming Orgasm

As fattening as it is alcoholic, this indugent, creamy dessert in a glass cocktail is served with generous innuendo.

Mai Tai (Trader Vic's) Cocktail image

Mai Tai (Trader Vic's) Cocktail

We love Daiquiris and this is basically a classic Daiquiri with a few bells and whistles.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail (Difford's recipe) image

Cosmopolitan Cocktail (Difford's recipe)

The Cosmopolitan was originally made with citrus vodka, but it's great with unflavoured vodka or a combination of the two vodkas - my preference. For this

Fireball image

Fireball

Down this in one and be prepared for a sweet cinnamon palate quickly followed by a hot, spicy finish.

Mezcal Margarita image

Mezcal Margarita

A smokin' Margarita. Depending on your palate, you may want to vary the amount of agave syrup – from 2.5ml or even no agave syrup for dry palates to

Grog image

Grog

Strong, flavoursome navy rum with a splash of scurvy-inhibiting lime. Properly mixed at the right dilution, this is a great drink. However, too many and

Aqua Velva Cocktail image

Aqua Velva Cocktail

Loaded with booze and with an aqua marine blue hue (as the name suggests), this citrusy drink was made for the 1980s. We're sure Del Boy would have described

Bradford Martini image

Bradford Martini

I do like a shaken Dry Martini! Sorry, I should say Bradford. For some a shaken martini is blasphemous but the aeration generated by the more vigorous

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