"If life gives you lemons, make Lemonaide,
but if life gives you limes, make Margaritas."
Cocktail Recipes & Best Spirits
Recipes from Esquire Magazine, Liquor.com, SpruceEats, Cocktail Wave, and others.

Table of Contents: Cocktail Recipes & Best Spirits
Brought to you by:
Aperol Spritz
Bee's Knees or Honey Bee
Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary by the Pitcher
Blue Martini
Boulevardier
Brain Duster
Brandy Alexander
Bushwacker
Cape Codder
Caribbean Rum Punch
Champagne Cocktail
Corpse Reviver No. 2
Cosmopolitan
Cuba Libre
Cyclone
Daiquiri
Dark and Stormy
Death by Chocolate
Dirty Martini
Dry Martini
French 75
Gimlet
Gin & It Martini
Gin Rickey
 Godfather
Golden Cadillac
Gold Rush
Grasshopper
Greyhound
Harvey Wallbanger
Hot Buttered Rum
Hot Toddy
Hurricane
Irish Coffee
Irish Wake
Jungle Bird
Long Island Iced Tea
Mai Tai
Manhattan
Margarita
Mimosa
Mint Julep
Mojito
Moscow Mule
Mudslide
Negroni
Old Fashioned
Painkiller
Paloma
 Penicillin
Pimm’s Cup
Piña Colada
Romeo's Punch
Rose Cocktail
Rosita
Rusty Nail
Sangria
Sazerac
Screwdriver
Sidecar
Singapore Sling
Strawberry Daiquiri
Stinger
Summer in City
Tequila Sunrise
Tom Collins
Vesper (Martini)
Vieux Carré
Vodka Gimlet
Vodka Martini
Wet Martini
Whiskey Sour
White Russian
Zombie
What else is on this page & helpful links
Off-Site Links:
    Like your drinks Frozen? 22 Frozen Cocktails from Liquor.com
    13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have from TastingTable
    12 Liquors You Should Always Keep In The Fridge from TastingTable
    A Guide To Cocktail Glassware from SeriousEats
    How to Chill Glassware When Mixing Drinks from SpruceEats
    See the Alphabetical List of Bartending Terms if you need a bit of help


  Aperol Spritz
    For daytime drinking, you really can't beat an Aperol Spritz. It's pretty basic, but then again, that's its charm. Just ask all the bar patrons crowding the patio around you, Spritzes in hand.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. Aperol Italian apéritif
  3 oz. prosecco Italian sparkling white wine
  2 oz. (or a top off) club soda
  orange slices

  Directions:
    Build Aperol, prosecco, and club soda in a wine glass over ice. Garnish with fresh orange slices in the glass.



  Bee's Knees or Honey Bee
    This citrus-y, sweet drink made with honey and Gin is best enjoyed during the first truly glorious day of spring.

  Ingredients

  1/2 tbsp. honey or honey syrup
  1/2 tbsp. water
  2 oz. Gin

  3/4 oz. lemon juice

  Directions
    Add the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  Note: If using honey, mix without ice and add ice after mixing.
    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
    Garnish with A lemon twist



  Bloody Mary
    You can and should make your own Bloody Mary mix by the pitcher. It's labor intensive, sure, but it's highly customizable. You can decide just how you want the horseradish to play off the citrus that plays off the hot sauce heat.

  Ingredients
  The Mix
  ¾ cup tomato juice, V8 Orginal. etc.
  1/4 inch horseradish, chopped
  1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  dash of celery seeds
  4 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco, Louisiana Hot Sauce, etc.)
  1/2 lemon's juice, fresh squeezed
  1/2 lime's juice, fresh squeezed
  dash of sea salt
  dash of black pepper
  1 tbsp. vodka

  Using above mix or a commercial mixer
  2 oz. vodka
  6-8 oz. Bloody Mary mix

  Directions:
    Blend tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, and celery seeds until smooth. Add hot sauce, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper, then blend. Adjust the mix depending on how spicy, salty, or citrus-y you like it. Add 1 tbsp. vodka to stabilize the mix and keep the juices fresh, then blend.
    Combine 6-8 oz. of the mix with 2 oz. of vodka into a glass with ice. Pour back and forth into another glass 3 or 4 times to mix, then garnish however you like.
  Note: If Tequilla is used instead of Vodka the drink is a Bloody Maria. If Gin is used it becomes a Red Snapper.!

Note: If you're in a rush or just simply don't want to collect and mix all those ingredients there is great quick alternative to the prepared mixer - Demitri's Bloody Mary Seasoning Classic Recipe -
Stir ingredients together for an instant Bloody Mary!
  1/2 oz. (1 Tbsp) Demitri's Bloody Mary Seasoning
  8oz. tomato juice or V8
  2 oz. vodka
Add dashes of hot sauce (Tabasco, Louisiana Hot Sauce) if it's not spicy enough!!



  Bloody Mary by the Pitcher
  Ingredients:
  1 inch (2.5 cm) of fresh horseradish
  1 teaspoon (2 g) of celery seed
  1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of freshly ground black pepper
  1/4 teaspoon (.5 g) of salt
  6 cups (1.4 L) of tomato juice or original V8 juice
  1/4 cup (59 ml) of dill pickle juice
  1/2 cup (118 ml) of lemon juice
  1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
  1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hot sauce (Tabasco, Louisiana Hot Sauce, etc.)
  16 oz. (476 ml) of vodka
  Ice
  8 celery stalks
  8 lemon wedges

Makes 8 Bloody Marys

Use Reyka Vodka or Absolut Vodka
You can use white tequila in place of vodka to make a Bloody Maria. Don Julio Blanco Tequila is excellent.

Directions:

    Muddle the horseradish and spices. Add the celery seed, black pepper, and salt to the bowl with the grated horseradish. Use a pestle or wooden spoon to pulverize the spices and muddle the mixture together into a paste.
    Combine all the juices, spices, and seasonings for the base. Transfer the horseradish mixture to a large pitcher that can hold at least 2 quarts of liquid. Pour in 6 cups (1.4 L) of tomato juice, 1 cup of dill pickle juice, and ½ cup of lemon juice, and stir the mixture to incorporate the spices. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce, then stir to combine.
    Chill the Bloody Mary in the pitcher for at least 1 hour. Once you've stirred in all the ingredients, transfer the pitcher to the refrigerator and let it chill and marinate. The longer you leave the base to chill, the more the flavors will marry and the better the Bloody Marys will taste. If you have the time, leave the base to marinate overnight. Cover the pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap if you're going to be marinating it for longer than an hour.
    Note: This Bloody Mary base mix will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    Garnish with olives (on toothpicks), lemon wedges, celery stalks (with and without leaves), and pickled veggies such as okra and/or green beans

Bonus
Here's an excellent video from America's Test Kitchen about how to make Bloody Mary's by the pitcher.



Blue Martini
    The Blue Martini is a delightful blend of sweet and citrus flavors with a strong vodka base. The blue curaçao provides a tropical orange note, while the sweetness is balanced by the dry vermouth. It's a smooth, slightly fruity cocktail with a sophisticated edge. (cocktail wave)

  Ingredients

  2 oz. Vodka:
  1 oz. Blue curaçao:
  1/2 oz. Dry vermouth:

Garnish: Lemon twist and/or Maraschino cherry

  Directions:
    Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Pour in the vodka, blue curaçao, and dry vermouth.
    Stir well (don't shake) until the outside of the glass feels cold. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and/or maraschino cherry.



  Boulevardier
    The Negroni's wintery counterpart is the Boulevardier, a whiskey cocktail invented for expat Americans bumming around Paris in the early 20th century.

  Ingredients

  1 1/2 oz. bourbon or rye whiskey
  3/4 oz. Campari
  3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

  Directions:
    Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.



  Brain Duster
    More than just a stronger Manhattan. Sometimes you want a chill night with a few easy-drinking cocktails. But for nights when you desire something a little more intense, turn to this whiskey-and-absinthe combo.

  Ingredients

  1 oz. rye whiskey
  1 oz. absinthe
  1 oz. Italian vermouth
  1 dash Angostura bitters

  Directions:
    Stir ingredients well with cracked ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.



  Brandy Alexander
    Brandy and Cognac both pair well with chocolate and this is proven by this scrumptious, velvety sweet, but not overly sweet, cocktail that has been popular for quite a while.
    "The brandy Alexander is a luscious cocktail that charmed drinkers for most of the 20th century and hasn't lost any appeal. It's not overly sweet, although it is indulgent, and the simple recipe finds a perfect balance between just three ingredients." (Spruce Eats)
    When you finish your first one you'll be disappointed if your tongue is not long enough to lick the dredges from the glass.
    BTW The original Alexander cocktail came with Gin, (that one was pretty good also), which is why this one was named 'Brandy Alexander' rather than simply 'Alexander'.

  Ingredients   If desired, Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

  Directions
    Pour the brandy, crème de cacao, and cream into a cocktail shaker 3/4 filled with ice, shake well.
    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a dusting of grated nutmeg for garmish if desired.



  Bushwacker
    This fun, creamy cocktail is essentially a chocolate Piña Colada milkshake. Need we say more?

  Ingredients

  2 oz. dark rum
  1 oz. Kahlúa coffee liqueur
  1 oz. dark crème de cacao
  2 oz. cream of coconut (provides proper sweetness)
  2 oz. milk

  Nutmeg, whipped cream, or cherry (optional)

  Directions:
    Blend ingredients with ice-start with 1/2 cup and add (to 1-1/2 cups) from there-until the mix reaches milkshake consistency. Pour into a hurricane-style glass, then garnish with grated nutmeg, whipped cream, and/or a Maraschino cherry.
 This drink needs a straw!



  Cape Codder
    Down these classic cocktails while you're sporting boat shoes and a preppy sweater around your shoulders to really nail the vibe. But don't be too intimidated: It's basically a vodka cran.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. vodka
  2-3 oz. cranberry juice cocktail
  1/2 oz. lime juice
  Club soda

  Directions (Can be made either way)
Pour vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice into a Collins glass over ice. Stir. Top with club soda, then garnish with a lime wedge.
or
  Directions:
    Combine the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.



  Caribbean Rum Punch
  (two recipes)

  Directions:
Using either recipe

    Mix all the ingredients together in a large pitcher (large enough to hold at least 12 cups easily).
    Refrigerate to chill for at least one hour before serving.
    You can make this a day ahead of your gathering. Serve in a tall glass over plenty of ice.
    Garnish the glass with fresh slices of lime, pineapple or orange.

  Ingredients (Strong)
  (Makes 10 8 oz. or 20 4 oz. servings)
  1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  2 cups grenadine syrup
  2 cups dark rum
  1 cup light rum
  2 cups pineapple juice
  2 cups orange juice
  Fruit for garnish (optional)

  Ingredients (Medium)
  2 cups pineapple juice
  2 cups orange juice
  1/4 cup grenadine
  ¼ cup Triple sec orange liqueur
  1 cup Sprite
  2 cups Rum (light or dark)




  Champagne Cocktail
    Sure, you could just order a glass of champagne. Or, you can request this champagne cocktail, which brings bitters, lemon, and a little bit of sugar into the equation.

  Ingredients

  Brut champagne or Sparkling Wine
  1 sugar cube
  2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  Lemon twist
  1 ounce vodka or gin (optional kick)

  Directions:
    Place a sugar cube in a chilled champagne flute, lash it with 2 or 3 dashes of bitters, and any other optional spirits and fill the glass with brut champagne or sparkling wine. Squeeze a lemon twist on top, then use as garnish.



Corpse Reviver No. 2
    The Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a classic drink that belongs to a family of tongue-in-cheek hangover cures. Since Prohibition it has somewhat faded into obscurity. But recently it has seen its popularity rise again.

  Ingredients

  Absinthe, to rinse
  3/4 oz. London dry gin
  3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc Aperitif
  3/4 oz. orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier)
  3/4 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  Directions:
    Rinse the inside of a chilled coupe or cocktail glass with a bit absinthe, discard excess and set the glass aside.
    Add the gin, Lillet blanc, orange liqueur and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into the prepared glass.



  Cosmopolitan
    Yeah, yeah, we won't remind you that this classic cocktail was popularized by Sex and the City. All you really need to know is that it's every bit as enticing as it looks.


  2 oz. vodka
  1 oz. Cointreau orange-flavoured triple sec liqueur
  1 oz. cranberry juice
  1 oz. Rose's lime juice

  Directions:
    Shake the ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then garnish with lime.



Cuba Libre
    The Cuba Libre cocktail or Free Cuba! is nothing more than a Rum and Coke with a dash of lime juice. However, it is still one of the most popular drinks of all time!

  Ingredients

  1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1/2 lime
  2 ounces rum (light or dark) Plantation Rum is excellent!
  4 ounces cola

  Directions:
    Add the lime juice into a collins or highball glass. Fill glass with ice cubes and pour in the rum & cola, then stir gently.
  Garnish a lime wheel, if desired.



Cyclone
    The Cyclone cocktail offers a delightful balance of sweet and sour flavors.

  Ingredients:
  1 oz. Grand Marnier
  2 oz. Grapefruit juice - fresh squeezed
  1 oz. Citron vodka
  2 oz. Lemonade
  3/4 oz. Cranberry Juice

  Directions:
    Add all ingredients except the lemonade and cranberry juice into a shaker half filled with ice.
    Shake well, strain into 12 oz. glass 3/4 filled with ice. Add lemonade, float cranberry juice on top.
  Garnish with cherry and 1/2 orange slice. Add a Straw.



  Daiquiri
    A citrus-y marriage of rum and lime in the Caribbean gave us the simple yet satisfying Daiquiri. Strain it and serve sans ice in a chilled glass.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. white rum
  3/4 oz. simple syrup or demerara syrup
  3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

  Directions
    If your glass is not chilled, do so by placing some crushed ice in it and set it aside while you prepare the cocktail.
    Squeeze lime into a shaker, stir in sugar or syrup, then add rum. Shake well with cracked ice and strain into the chilled cocktail glass without ice.
  Garnish with a twist of lime peel.
Adding Spearmint to a Daiquiri essentially turns it into a Mojito!
    Some people prefer their daiquiri frozen. If you're one of them, here's a Frozen Daiquiri Recipe from epicurious.com if you want to try it yourself!
Recipe for Frozen Daiquiri:
2 oz. white rum
1 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 oz. simple syrup or demerara syrup
Add all ingredients into a blender with 3/4 cup of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy!



  Dark and Stormy
    Sweet and sharp, the Dark and Stormy climbed out of the Bermuda Triangle to become one the most popular Caribbean rum cocktails you can make.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. dark rum
  3 oz. ginger beer
  1/2 oz. lime juice (optional)

  Directions:
    Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Add rum, then pour in ginger beer and lime juice. Stir with a bar spoon. Garnish with a lime wedge.



Death by Chocolate
    For a frozen vodka cocktail, it does not get much more indulgent than this. This drink is sure to kill your sweet tooth craving.

  Ingredients

  1 oz. vodka
  1 oz. coffee liqueur - Kahlua Coffee Liqueur is excellent
  1 oz. dark crème de cacao liqueur
  2 scoops chocolate ice cream
  2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
  1 cup crushed ice

  Whipped cream & Maraschino cherry, for garnish

  Directions

    Pour the vodka and coffee and chocolate liqueurs, then add the ice cream, chocolate syrup, and crushed ice into a blender.
    Blend until smooth. Then pour into a stemmed Hurricane glass. Garnish with whipped Cream and a Maraschino cherry - add a straw.



  Dirty Martini
    Nothing hits the spot quite like a bold, briny martini. Pro tip: Ask your bartender to make it "extra dirty" (meaning, with extra olive juice).

  Ingredients

  2 oz. gin
  1/2 to 1 oz. dry vermouth To taste.
  1/4 to 1/2 oz. olive juice (normal or extra dirty)

  Directions:
    Combine the gin, vermouth, and olive juice in a mixing tin with ice. Stir well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with as many olives as you'd like.
    If you don't like this one try the classic Dry Martini



  Dry Martini
    A classic martini technically should be made with gin and served bone-chillingly cold. Order it stirred, not shaken (sorry, 007).

  Ingredients

  2 oz. gin
  1/2 oz. dry vermouth
  1 dash orange bitters (optional)
  Garnish with olives or lemon twist

  Directions:
    Add the gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters (if using) into a mixing glass with ice and stir until very cold.
    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with olives or a lemon twist.
Note: If you're not quite sure about a Dry Martini, you may want to try a Wet Martini or even a Dirty Martini before giving up!

  If this drink is made with vodka it, of course, becomes a Vodka Martini.



  French 75
    It looks like bubbly effervescence, but looks deceive. The French 75, with gin and champagne, packs a wallop, made all the more dangerous by how delightful it is to drink.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. London dry gin
  1 tsp. superfine sugar
  1/2 oz. lemon juice
  5 oz. brut champagne or sparkling wine

  Directions:
    Shake gin, sugar, and lemon juice well with cracked ice in a chilled cocktail shaker. Strain into a Collins glass half-full of cracked ice. Top off with champagne.



  Gimlet
    Rose's lime cordial is perfectly balanced by herbaceous dry gin in this tart and refreshing British cocktail.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. London dry gin
  1 oz. Rose's or fresh lime juice
  1/2 ounce simple syrup

  Directions:
    Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with a lime.



Gin & It Martini
    This cocktail is nothing more than a 'Sweet Martini'. The 'It' stands for Italian sweet vermouth (such as Carpano). However, Dubonnet (French) Vermouth is also recommended.
    Even though some will tell you different, it's always best to serve any martini very cold.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. gin
  1 oz. sweet vermouth

  1 or 3 Maraschino cherries, for garnish

  Directions:
    Add the ingredients into a mixing glass, stir it with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  Garnish with cherries.



  Gin Rickey
    If you love an herbaceous cocktail, cool down with a simple gin rickey this summer. It's only three ingredients, and they combine beautifully for a refreshing drink.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. gin
  1/2 fresh lime
  6 oz. club soda (to top off)

  Directions:
    Squeeze the juice from half a lime into a highball glass filled with ice cubes. Drop the lime shell in the glass. Pour in the gin, then fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Stir.



  Godfather
    If you like an Old Fashioned, you should love this easy-to-make Godfather.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. blended scotch or bourbon
  1/4 to 1/2 oz. Gabriello Amaretto or Disaronno Amaretto (Amount according to taste.)

  Directions:
    Pour ingredients into an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes, stir well.
  Note: Use top shelf ingredients for best results!



  Golden Cadillac
    The Golden Cadillac is a delighful after-dinner cocktail reminiscent of a Brandy Alexander, but not quite as boozy.
    It is a very easy drink to make as well as consume. Mikey says, "Try it you'll like it."

  Ingredients

1 oz. Galliano L’Autentico liqueur
1 oz. white creme de cacao
1 oz. heavy cream

Garnish: chocolate shavings

  Directions:

    Add the Galliano, white creme de cacao, and heavy cream into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into a cocktail glass or coupe glass.
    Garnish with freshly shaved chocolate.



  Gold Rush
    Tip: Choose a bourbon you're fond of, since those flavors will truly shine in this simple, straightforward cocktail.
  Ingredients

  2 oz. bourbon
  3/4 oz. lemon juice
  3/4 oz. honey or honey syrup (is preferred)

  Directions:
    If using Honey - Add the ingredients into a shaker without ice and shake until well-mixed. Strain into glass with ice.
    If using honey syrup add ingredients into shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into a chilled rocks or old fashioned glass, preferably over one large ice cube.
  Garnish with lemon twist.



  Grasshopper
    This previously popular after dinner or sweet nightcap drink was allegedly created in 1919 at Tujague's Restaurant in New Orleans, but it didn’t become a household name until the 1950s. This scrumptious cocktail has what it takes to become popular again!
    Just as Mikey always says, "Try it, you'll like it!"

  Ingredients

  1/2 to 3/4 oz. green creme de menthe
  1 oz. white creme de cacao
  1 oz. heavy cream

  Garnish: nutmeg, freshly grated (optional)

  Directions
    Add the green creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and heavy cream into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled.
    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
    Grate nutmeg over the top of the drink, if desired.



  Greyhound
    If you're intrigued by the idea of a Paloma but want your grapefruit to lead the flavor profile, order this instead. It relies on straight-up grapefruit juice rather than grapefruit soda.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. vodka
  4 oz. grapefruit juice
  1 tsp. Fine Sugar

  Directions:
    Add vodka, sugar, and grapefruit juice to a glass over ice. Stir until mixed.



Harvey Wallbanger
    The Harvey Wallbanger is basically a Screwdriver with the addition of Galliano, an Italian liqueur.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. vodka
  1/2 oz. Galliano L’Autentico liqueur
  4 oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed

  Garnish: orange slice and or a maraschino cherry

  Directions:
    Fill a tall glass with ice, then add the vodka and orange juice and stir.
    Float the Galliano on top.
  Garnish with a skewered orange slice and maraschino cherry.



  Hot Buttered Rum
    This cozy drink is especially enjoyable on a cold winter night, but butter, sugar, and rum is a winning combo any time of year.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. dark rum
  2 sugar cubes
  1 pat unsalted butter

  Directions:
    In a mug, dissolve the sugar cubes in a little hot water. Add rum and butter. Fill the mug with hot water. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.



  Hot Toddy

  Ingredients
  Boiling water, as needed
  2 oz. liquor (scotch, bourbon, rye, Irish whiskey, dark rum, cognac or amaro)
  ¾ oz. light honey, such as acacia, or maple syrup (or 1 teaspoon Demerara sugar)
  1(3-inch) lemon peel
  Garnishes: (optional) Cinnamon stick and whole star anise

  Directions:
    First, warm the mug with hot water, which primes the vessel to hold heat longer, yielding a truly hot toddy to the last sip. Then add scotch or bourbon, or for a modern twist, rum, cognac or amaro. Stir in a little honey, maple syrup or Demerara sugar, add hot water and stir to dissolve. Garnish with lemon peel and spices, if you like.
    Fill a 6-ounce heatproof mug or glass with boiling water and set aside, 1 minute. Pour out the water then add the spirit and honey to the warmed glass. Top with boiling water and stir until the honey is dissolved. Garnish with the orange or lemon peel, cinnamon stick and star anise, if desired. Let cool slightly before enjoying.



Hurricane
New Orleans Style Classic Big Easy Cocktail
    The Hurricane became popular at Pat O'Briens bar in 1940's New Orleans, and is now an iconic staple of New Orleans. The story behind the drink claims that it debuted during the 1939 World's Fair in New York City and got its name from the hurricane lamp-shaped glasses that the first drinks were served in, and still known as hurricane glasses today. Enjoy our version of this classic made famous in the Big Easy.
    With 4 oz. of Rum this cocktail packs a heck of a punch, so please enjoy responsibly.
Ingredients: Garnish
Fresh slice of orange and/or a Maraschino cherry with a stem

Directions for Hurricane
    Into a cocktail shaker half filled with cubed ice, add: grenadine, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juices, orange juice, simple syrup, mango passion fruit juice, white rum, dark rum.
    Place the lid on the cocktail shaker and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds.
    Strain cocktail into a 20-ounce Hurricane glass 3/4 filled with cubed ice. Garnish with orange slice and a single Maraschino cherry. Add a straw then serve, sip, enjoy.

Using Pat O'brien's Hurricane Mix
    As an alternate use Pat Obrien's Hurricane Mix to create the same drink Mix 4oz dark rum with 4oz Hurricane Mix in a 16 to 20oz glass 3/4 filled with ice. Mix well and enjoy



Irish Coffee
    If you choose an excellent Irish whiskey and follow the recipe, and you'll discover why this classic is considered one of the best cocktails of all time.

  Ingredients:

  2 teaspoons brown sugar, or to taste
  4 oz. strong, hot coffee
  1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
  1 oz. heavy cream, lightly whipped

  Directions:
    Place the brown sugar into a warm Irish coffee glass, mug, or other heatproof glass.
    Add the coffee and Irish whiskey. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
    Float the lightly whipped heavy cream on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon.
  Do not stir. Instead, drink the Irish coffee through the cream.



Irish Wake
    The Irish Wake is a strong, fruity cocktail, which is especially popular in Irish-themed bars.
    This drink is typically served in a mason jar with a handle, adding to its rustic charm.

  Ingredients:

  1.5 oz. Irish Whiskey
  1.5 oz. Rum
  4 oz. orange juice (freshly squeezed)
  4 oz. pineapple juice
  1 tsp. Grenadine syrup

  Garnish with mint sprig, orange slice, & Maraschino cherry

  Directions:
    Add the Irish whiskey and rum to a mason jar filled with ice. Add the orange juice and pineapple juice, then stir.
    Float the Grenadine over the back of a bar spoon to create the layered effect. Add a straw.



  Jungle Bird
    The Jungle Bird was created in Malaysia in the 1970s and took a while to migrate to Americs. Now it is common on Tiki Bar and Cocktail bar menus.

  Ingredients

   1 1/2 oz. blackstrap rum Cruzan or Goslings
   3/4 oz. Campari
   1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
   1/2 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
   1/2 oz. demerara syrup

  Garnish: pineapple pieces or wedge

  Directions
    Pour the rum, Campari, pineapple juice, lime juice, and demerara syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or pieces on a toothpick.



Long Island Iced Tea
    Long Island Iced Tea is a boozy cocktail made popular in the 1970s, which still remains popular.
    This easy-to-make cocktail has a long list of ingredients, which still manage to work together to make it taste good! For something with such a large amount of booze in it, this cocktail is surprisingly drinkable and refreshing

  Ingredients
  •   3/4 oz. vodka
  •   3/4 oz. white or dark rum
  •   3/4 oz. silver tequila
  •   3/4 oz. gin
  •   3/4 oz. triple sec - Cointreau and Grand Marnier are two of the best!
  •   3/4 oz. simple syrup or demerara syrup
  •   3/4 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed is best!
  •   Cola, to top

  •   Garnish: lemon wedge
  Directions:
    Add the vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, simple syrup and lemon juice to a 12 to 14 oz. Collins glass filled with cubed ice.
    Top with a splash of the cola and stir briefly. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Pop in a straw.



Mai Tai
    The Mai Tai is "out of this world" popular. While the taste is fascinating and complex, it's not as fruity as most other tropical cocktails.

  Ingredients

  1 oz. rhum agricole (fresh sugarcane rum), or aged rum
  1/2 oz. orange/triple sec/curaçao liqueur
  1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
  1/2 oz. Orgeat Almond Syrup this one or that one
  1/4 oz. simple syrup
  1 oz. - Dark Rum - Both Cruzan & Myers are pretty darn good!

  Lime slice and Fresh mint sprig for garnish

  Directions:
    Pour the rhum agricole, orange curaçao, lime juice, orgeat, simple syrup, and a few ice cubes into a shaker.
    Shake well until frosty. Strain into a short Collins or double Old Fashioned glass about 3/4 filled with crushed ice.
    Float the dark rum on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a lime slice, if desired.
  Alternately: You can keep this recipe simple by simply mixing all the ingredients in the shaker, including the Dark Rum, and forget about the floating rum over the spoon.



  Manhattan
    A Manhattan is strong in all ways. The flavor is deep and unabashed, and the ABV is nothing to scoff at. It's a cocktail stalwart, and not for the faint of heart.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. rye whiskey
  1 oz. Italian sweet vermouth
  2 dashes Angostura bitters

  Directions:
    Stir ingredients well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist or maraschino cherry.
    If Scotch Whiskey is used instead of rye whiskey, it is called a Rob Roy!



  Margarita
    The Margarita is the workhorse of summer. As Jimmy Buffet said, "If life gives you limes, make Margaritas."
    There are a lot of variations of this recipe. Some people prefer to use a balanced approach, using equal parts tequila, triple sec and lime juice, which makes a tart margarita.
    Some prefer Grand Marnier or Patron Citrónge Orange Liqueur instead of Cointreau for the triple sec/orange liqueur portion. But many people think a Margarita is best made with Cointreau. And if you like it even sweeter, 1/2 oz. of either agave syrup or simple syrup is a killer addition.
    If you use Vodka instead of Tequilla this drink becomes a Kamikaze Cocktail!
  Ingredients
    *You can alter the amount of tequila and/or lime juice to suit your taste.*
  • 1 to 2 oz. silver or blanco tequila (Patron Silver, Don Julio Blanco or Espolòn Blanco)
  • 1 oz. triple sec/orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Patron Citrónge)
  • 1/2 to 1 oz. lime juice - fresh squeezed is always best! (1/2 oz. is standard)
  • 1/2 oz. of agave syrup or simple syrup (optional, if you like it sweeter)

  • Garnish with a slice of lime and coarse salt for the rim of the glass!
  Directions
    Rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with lime juice and dip in coarse salt. Some think this is unnecessary and prefer a clean rim. Whichever way you like, shake the tequila, your choice of triple sec, lime juice, along with ice in a shaker until very cold. Then strain into the pre-chilled serving glass, or even over cubed or crushed ice.

    If you like it even colder try a Frozen Margarita.
    Recipe for Frozen Margarita:
  • 1-1/2 oz. blanco tequila
  • 1 oz. triple sec/orange liqueur
  • 1 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 oz. of agave/simple syrup (optional)
    Add all ingredients into a blender with 3/4 cup of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy!

Extra: Patron has their own Patron Perfect Margarita recipe and it's a good one!
    Recipe for Patron Perfect Margarita:
  •     1.5 oz PATRÓN Silver
  •     1 oz Citrónge Orange Liqueur
  •     .75 oz Fresh lime juice
  •     .25 oz Simple syrup
  •     + Lime wedge for garnish (optional)
  •     + Kosher salt (optional)
    Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice to chill.

Bonus!
For another look at the Margarita see this recipe from SpruceEats.



  Mimosa
    The first mimosas were likely equal parts of orange juice and Champagne. In David Embury's 1948 book, "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks," he describes it as "Just another freak Champagne mixture..." This recipe adds an ingredient and depth to produce a more interesting cocktail.

  Ingredients

  1 oz. Cointreau orange-flavoured triple sec liqueur
  2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled
  4 oz. sparkling wine, Champagne, or Prosecco, chilled

  1/4 or 1/2 Orange slice, for garnish

  Directions
    Pour the orange liqueur and orange juice into a Champagne flute. Tilt glass and pour as you would beer, top the mimosa with sparkling wine.
Garnish with an orange slice quarter or half if desired. (Some use a twist of orange.)

  By the Pitcher
    Make a pitcher of mimosas by increasing the ingredients proportionately. Wait to add the sparkling wine until you're ready to serve to ensure it stays bubbly.



  Mint Julep
    If you have access to fresh Spearmint leaves, try a Mint Julep.
    The Mint Julep is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby.
    Drinks this popular can sometimes seem difficult to make, but this recipe is rather easy and requires only a few ingredients.

  Ingredients

  5 to 9 mint leaves (depending on how minty you like it)
  2 sugar cubes, or 1/2 oz. simple syrup (double this if you like it sweeter)
  2 oz. bourbon (the good stuff, at least 80 or 90 proof)
  crushed ice
  Garnish: mint sprig
  Garnish: Angostura bitters (optional)

  Directions
    In a Julep Cup or a Collins glass muddle the mint leaves with the syrup, easy does it, don't tear the mint leaves up!
    Add the bourbon. Then fill the glass with crushed ice and stir gently, but well until the glass becomes frosty. Garnish with a mint sprig
  Note: Always use Spearmint rather than peppermint leaves in your Mint Julep.
  A barman from New Orleans once acidly commented: "the man who would put peppermint into a mint julep would put scorpions into a baby's bed."

Alternate recipe:
    Instead of muddling the mint you can try spearmint syrup instead. Use prepared spearmint syrup or get the recipe here.
    Mix the drink by adding 2 oz. bourbon along with 1/2 oz. spearmint syrup to a glass filled with ice.
    Stir and garnish with mint sprig, if available.



  Mojito
    It's difficult to imagine a combination more refreshing than rum, lime, mint, and bubbles. We have Cuba to thank, and thank heartily, for the Mojito.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. white rum
  1/2 oz. lime juice (squeezed fresh)
  1/2 oz. simple syrup
  3 to 6 spearmint leaves
  club soda or seltzer

Directions:
    In a smallish Collins glass, muddle lime juice with 1/2 to 1 tsp. superfine sugar or simple syrup. Add the mint leaves, gently mashing them against the side of the glass, then fill the glass 2/3 with cracked ice and pour in the rum. Pitch in the squeezed-out lime shell and top off with club soda or seltzer.
Note:
Recipe can be simplified by substituting spearmint syrup (also used for Mint Juleps) for the simple syrup and the mint leaves.



  Moscow Mule
    This cocktail is crisp and cooling, and good for any season. Plus it (usually) comes in a copper mug, which is neat.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. vodka
  4-6 oz. ginger beer
  1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

  Directions:
    Squeeze lime juice into a Moscow Mule mug (or highball glass), and drop in the spent lime shell. Add 2-3 ice cubes and vodka, then fill with ginger beer.



Mudslide
    The Mudslide may be one of the cocktail world’s most decadent, guilty pleasures. Only Death By Chocolate may be more extreme, but the Mudslide is a little more boozy. Thank goodness it's not too hard to make.

  Ingredients

  1 oz. vodka
  1 oz. coffee liqueur
  1 oz. Baileys Irish cream
  1 oz. heavy cream

  Garnish: chocolate shavings, or chocolate syrup, whipped cream, cherry

  Directions:
    Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, Baileys and cream to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into a chilled fizz glass or coupe.
    Garnish with a bit of freshly shaved chocolate.
    OR - A drizzle of Chocolate syrup with Whipped Cream and a Maraschino Cherry on top is truly luscious served in an Old Fashioned glass.



  Negroni
    The Negroni is the epitome of refined summer drinking: sweet and bitter and invigorating.
    This cocktail is a good as it is popular, and it's extremely popular!

  Ingredients

  1 oz. London dry gin
  1 oz. Campari (Italian bitter apéritif)
  1 oz. vermouth rosso (sweet vermouth)

  Directions:
    Add the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker. Stir well with cracked ice. Strain into a glass over cubed ice, then garnish with a twist of orange peel.



  Old Fashioned
    The Old Fashioned is as classic as they come - the original Bourbon Whiskey cocktail - One of the most popular drinks of all time!
    Even in the two centuries since its inception, it's still the most respected cocktail in the world, and not the least bit musty for its age.
    But if you prefer Rye Whiskey you may as well make a Sazerac.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. bourbon
  1-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  1 - 2 sugar cube(s) or 1 - 2 tsp. granulated sugar (depending upon how sweet you like it. Don't overdo it!
  1 splash of club soda - or plain water (no more than an ounce, but at least enough to disolve the sugar)
  1/2 tsp. of Maraschino cherry syrup - for color (especially if you have no cherries, optional)
  1 drop of orange extract - especially if you have no orange to peel (also optional)

  Directions:
    Place sugar in an Old Fashioned glass. Wet it down with Angostura bitters and a splash of club soda (or water), then muddle. Add a large ice cube(s) (no crushed ice for this classic, thank you) and then the bourbon. Stir, then garnish with an orange twist and/or a Maraschino cherry.

Note: If you don't care to mix your own Handy & Schiller Old Fashioned Cocktail 750ml is an acceptable alternative.

FYI - This drink can also be made with rum, however a good aged rum like Appleton Estate 12 year should be chosen and Demerara syrup should be used rather than sugar or simple syrup.



  Painkiller
    Forget wasting away in Margaritaville: Change things up with this creamy rum cocktail made with two kinds of fruit juice. Originally made with Pusser's British Blue Label Rum.
    This cocktail is easy to make and easy to drink, especially on a hot summer day on the patio on by the pool.
    If you can't find Pusser's Rum then Myers's Dark is quite good.

  Ingredients

  3 oz. dark or gold rum
  4 oz. pineapple juice
  1 oz. orange juice
  1 oz. Coco Real Cream of Coconut

  Directions:
    Shake ingredients well with ice in cocktail shaker. Strain into a hurricane glass over fresh ice cubes.
    Garnish with orange slice and a bit of grated nutmeg.

To make a Painkiller truly Pain-Free try Gosling's 151 Rum, Don Q 151 Rum, or Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum.



  Paloma
    When you're craving a tequila drink that's more than a mere margarita, consider the Paloma. For a smokier flavor, swap out tequila for mezcal.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. tequila reposado
  1/2 oz. lime juice
  Pinch of salt (optional)
  top with either (up to 4 oz.) Grapefruit soda or grapefruit juice

  Directions:
    Combine the tequila, lime juice, and salt in a tall glass. Add ice, top off with grapefruit soda or juice, and stir.
  Note: The original recipe calls for Grapefruit Soda, but Grapefruit Juice can be used without changing the drink too radically if you have no soda.



Penicillin
    Created in the mid 2000s this cocktail is an ever popular take-off from the "Gold Rush", but using Scotch instead of Bourbon and topped with single malt scotch.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. blended scotch
  3/4 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  3/4 oz. honey-ginger syrup*
  1/4 oz. Islay single malt scotch

  Garnish: candied ginger

  Directions:
    Add the blended scotch, lemon juice and syrup into a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled.
    Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with the Islay single malt scotch.
  Garnish with a piece of candied ginger.

Note: *Make your own honey ginger syrup from recipe at liquor.com or get Ginger Honey Syrup from Amazon.



Pimm's Cup
    Pimm's Cup, health drink or summer cocktail?
    While Pimm's Cup is certainly not unhealthy, it has much more in common with summer cocktails. It has been pleasing and refreshing folks for a long time, whether in England, at Wimbleton, or the American Deep South, in New Orleans.

  Ingredients

  2 oz. Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur
  1/2 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  Ginger ale, to top


  Garnish: Pop in a cucumber slice, if you like, then top with a mint sprig and a skewered strawberry.
  Add an optional lemon and/or orange wheel.

  Directions:
    Add Pimm’s No. 1 and lemon juice into a highball glass over ice, then top with ginger ale and stir briefly to combine.
  Garnish with a cucumber slice, mint sprig, skewered strawberry and optional lemon and orange wheels.



  Piña Colada
    This popular Puerto Rican Cocktail can be created with either a shaker or a blender using the same ingredients.
    Either way it's delicious!

  Ingredients