Caspian Berggren

Strega and banana liqueur go very well together, and those are the two main components giving flavor, so the taste is completely fine. I don't quite understand the need to not just use all lemon vodka since it's not very pronounced. Overall a good cocktail for Strega and banana liqueur fans (of which I'm both).

I don't know, something feels off with these measurements. It says it's an 8/10 on the sourness scale with agave syrup yet I didn't include the syrup and still feel like it's maybe a 4 at most. Without the syrup it's still sweet but Tiki-balanced with the lime and bitterness. If you are looking for a Margarita-riff then this is way too sweet. I think 45:30:15ml would be a better ratio, with some agave syrup if needed.

The sherry is absolutely lovely in this. I didn't think it would register with all the other flavorful ingredients but it actually cuts through by its acidity. It provides just enough freshness and levity for you to not be overwhelmed by the agave amaro combo. If served over a big block of ice it makes for a fabulous nightcap.

I just remade this with creole shrubb and it's still great. It's a bit more funky but it's still wonderful. It's not the most complex of flavours, but if you ever have a guest that wants a candy in liquid form then this is what you should make them.

I was a bit hesitant about making this with Cruzan since I know it's a very big flavour, but after some reassurance from Difford I decided to try it out and boy am I glad I did.

The cocktail is honestly pretty egg forward which I did not expect. It's not overwhelming, just more reminiscent of a cool eggnog than I expected. The blackstrap rum and ferro china are absolutely best buds in this drink (which is what I expected and why I made it in the first place). It's honestly kind of hard to determine where the blackstrap ends and the ferro china begins but it's a fun experience nonetheless. If you wished your Espresso Martini was more interesting then this is certainly something I'd give a shot!

Yes, I think Cruzan would work.

Awesome, thanks for the reply!

It's kind of weird. With the rye and agricole rhum I used it's almost minty refreshing with the other ingredients. It's certainly interesting and worth making if you like agricole. One of those cocktails that is perfectly rated - a solid 4.

Does Cruzan work in this or would it be too molasses-heavy?

I do love the way the oloroso sherry comes through. The tequila and Cynar definitely brings an earthiness and body to the drink but the sherry takes it home by providing just the right amount of spices. It's a perfect autumn/early winter cocktail.

This is a cocktail where the garnish is really what makes it come together. Without the mint it's a delicious glass of funky wine but with the mint it really elevates the glass and becomes a proper cocktail. Be careful though, if you like sherry it will go down *easy*.

This is my kind of Tiki drink! It's fresh, complex and juicy without being overly sweet. To me the agricole plays fantastically with the pineapple juice and curacao, with the mezcal being present but not overpowering. Just a banger for anyone tired of the regular "Tiki flavor".

I kind of love that. The aged tequila, elderflower and Averna all work together with the mezcal and bitters working to just accentuate the other flavours. It's weird but it 100% works.

Accidentally used gin but it still worked fantastically. Love the hint of gin and the tart feeling on your tongue without it being sour.

I think the punsch is a bit subdued by the tequila. Next time I'll try 50:40 to see how that changes it.

It's like a strange mix of a Sazerac and a Cognac OF. I'm digging it though. I thought the raisins would make it a "raisin cocktail" but they go perfectly with the cognac (as they should, I guess). The coffee liqueur is fantastic as it adds just a hint of bitter chocolate on the finish.

I'd probably add like 1cl lemon juice just to balance out the limoncello sweetness. I used Jarritos Grapefruit soda, which is on the tarter side of grapefruit sodas, and still found it bordering on cloying from the limoncello. Aside from that it's a refreshing, "European" version of Paloma.

If you have a homemade grenadine I think it's worth to try the original recipe. It's surprisingly balanced for a century old drink, and really let's the grenadine show itself.

I made this with Talisker 10 and my lord is Islay scotch and Suze a great combo. They perfectly complement each other. The bianco is a bit distracting, though, so I might try it with dry vermouth next.

I'm honestly really surprised by how dry this drink was. I think the sugar is certainly needed for this one. It almost drinks like a martini. It's very nice though.

Once when I was a wee lad, early in my cocktail journey, I made this with simple syrup because I thought "what difference can honey do?" and I thought the drink was kind of meh. Didn’t make it again for quite a while because in my mind it was always a mediocre cocktail. Fast forward a couple of years and I can now see the errors of my way. The smooth honey is what keeps it all together!

This one really took me by surprise. I don't know why but from the ingredients and name I just had a feeling of "eh I'll give it a shot" but now that I've tried it it's a lot better than I ever would've assumed.

The real star of the show is the Pisco+Montenegro. It's a brilliant pairing and I'm surprised I haven't seen it before. If you have any sort of inclination for herbal/floral cocktails then you need to try this one out. The Pisco really dances across the palate but any distilled funkiness is kept in check by the bitterness from the Montenegro.

I like the vanilla syrup for what it does to the backend of the palate, but it also prevents the drink from becoming the fresh Spring drink it really could be. Next time I'll try it without the vanilla syrup just to see how it goes.

Just to be clear: the syrup is needed. It's specifically the vanilla kind I'm a bit divided about. Do not make this without any syrup.