I made this with Wild Turkey 101 that I finished in a 1 liter oak cask conditioned with Cabernet Sauvignon. No fresh wine. That said, this was a delicious cocktail that was different enough from a Brooklyn to make it a little interesting. Not sure its worth aging bourbon just for this cocktail, but I'd definitely experiment if I had a nice bottle of red I'm either finishing (or starting).

The overproof rum really does make this. Just did a 500ml batch freezer door version using Doorly's 12, Wry and Nephew white over proof, Bitter Truth falernum and coconut water for dilution (pour straight from the bottle over ice, so dilution is needed for a batched cocktail). Really nice. I'm going to experiment with adding Stiggin's Fancy, too.

been making this one wrong! been using a bianco vermouth, not a london dry!

And it was better. Try it with Martini & Rossi Ambrato.

Just made this cocktail twice - once with Dolin Dry and once with Martini & Rossi Ambrato. There is an ENORMOUS difference in favor of the (slightly) sweeter amber vermouth. I'm not sure from where the suggestion to switch to a dry vermouth came, but it's a mistake in my opinion. With the Ambrato this is, indeed, an amber Martini with a subtle sweetness and lovely finish. I used Tanqueray, Angostura Orange bitters and the aforementioned M&R along with the St. Germain.

Been playing with this one for a few months now. RT below hits the nail on the head; the tequila will dictate the outcome. Use Siete Leguas, Lalo or an equivalent. Try a Reposado. I have found the Italian Martini & Rossi to be the best match (over Dolin, my fav gin vermouth) but dial it down to 3:1. Bitters optional, but absolutely worth playing with. Orange, lemon or grapefruit are all good choices. This is absolutely the best summertime, pool-side Martini I've ever had (I've had a few).

This cocktail was recently featured on Cocktail College podcast. so I made to that spec. 2.5 oz Jack Daniel Bottled in Bond Rye, 1 bar spoon Absinthe, 1 bar spoon rich simple syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura. Lemon twisted expressed over the top. Served in an Old Fashioned glass over a big cube (stirred in a mixing glass and strained). Truly superb. 100% will have this again.

Forgot to add 1 bar spoon of Marschino...

This cocktail was recently featured on Cocktail College podcast. so I made to that spec. 2.5 oz Jack Daniel Bottled in Bond Rye, 1 bar spoon Absinthe, 1 bar spoon rich simple syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura. Lemon twisted expressed over the top. Served in an Old Fashioned glass over a big cube (stirred in a mixing glass and strained). Truly superb. 100% will have this again.

Split the base between vodka and gin. I used Bombay Sapphire but I think any modern gin would work well. That variation added a wonderful sparkle and richness to the flavor of this classic cocktail.

I've been exploring and enjoying sherry cocktails. I made this with Lustau Manzanilla Reserve Papirusa and Dolin Dry vermouth with a dash of Angostura orange bitters. Lemon twist expressed and discarded. Nicely tart, soft and silky with a citrus presence that is juicy and ends with a touch of sour. Refreshing and very clean on the finish. I'm liking this but I think I like an Adonis even better. The thing here is there are countless sherries and vermouths with which to experiment!

It seems this is a Saucy Sue that went to the gym and got a bit stronger?

A bit soft and sweet but complex enough to be interesting. I'm not sure I'd make another. The calvados (Berneroy VSOP) offers a gentle apple foundation but otherwise is lost against the floral notes of the St. Germain. Kind of sweet, but clean and dry on the finish. An afternoon tipple.

This classic was quite popular in the 1970's and 80's. I recall mixing quite a few of them. White Russians, too. Something that's missing here is mention of this drinks more interesting cousin, the Brave Bull. Substitute a quality blanco tequila for vodka and you'll have a better cocktail by far.

Bittersweet in the truest sense of the word while remaining boozy and bracing.

I've made this based on the published spec and with a London dry gin. The lime cordial is a Jeffrey Morganthaler recipe that I make. This is nice for a sweet nightcap, but I thought it just a bit sweet and in my variation using the dry gin I also dropped the Cointreau to 10ml and it was nicer. Somewhere between a Kamikazee and a Gimlet. Not a fav but a template I'll play with again.

Spectacular drink and wonderfully accommodating of minor riffs. My basil plants are growing bushy and I collect the flower clusters each week to keep the leaves blooming. Those basil flower clusters are amazingly complex and rich and when combined with ginger simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon juice, quality gin and ample ice it's quite tasty and satisfying. The template works with other herbs and with gins ranging from St George Terrior to Monkey 47. allowing for a lifetime of experiments!

Enjoying this over a big rock. I used Smith & Cross and it really pops in this drink. A bit sweet, but perfect for the end of the night. Next time I'll split the base between S&C and something a bit more restrained.

Potently floral, Flora Adora may be compared to something like a Creme de Violette with no attendant sweetness. I like it, but it's a polarizing gin if popular reviews are taken into account. That said, I suggest treating this as a flavor modifier and not the base spirit of the cocktail. Add 20ml to a Vesper or Negroni in place of 20ml of the called-for London Dry and you'll see what I mean.

I've been enjoying this cocktail recently. I'm usually a gin martini drinker, vodka isn't in my regular rotation. I had a few really nice peppers from the farmer's market and decided to give this a try. I used Sobieski vodka and infused a big split, fresh jalapeno for 8 hours. Mixed about 3:1 vodka with Martini & Rossi dry vermouth; its oregano-leaning profile is a natural fit. Garnished with a spicy pickle. The fruity sweetness & tingly capsaicin made a great combo!

In the 1980s this was known as a Buttery Nipple. The Slippery Nipple was Sambuca and Bailey's. This was one of the risque category of drinks that were popular when I tended bar back then. Well it was popular on Fridays and Saturdays at least!

Isn't this just a Bebbo with better (imho) proportions?

Isn't this just a Beppo with different (better, imho) proportions?

I made this yesterday. I wanted a bit more "pop" so I used cask strength Aberlour single malt and London Dry Beefeater as the split base. Absolutely fabulous cocktail! Right up there with my another scotch favorite, the Drunk Uncle.

I'll certainly try this again using the Dewar's 12 (the new expression is marvelous) and Monkey 47 as suggested. I think this cocktail has a real promise to be "dialed in" by the use of different whisky and gin profiles.

Bravo!

Love this cocktail, been making it for years. I like an Islay or a smokey blend and a London Dry gin. My best so far was aging Ardbeg Wee Beastie in a TEN-30 rye barrel after I'd used the barrel to age Roku gin. Islay finishing in a barrel previously used for gin and rye, combined with Citadelle and Dolin Dry (15ml of each, 60ml of gin) is money.