Crème de Violette - June 5, 2016

Creme de violette, or more simply violet liqueur, is an old classic which has only recently begun a resurgence in the United States. It is considered to be the key ingredient in the Aviation cocktail; though lesser establishments may try to substitute something else or leave it out entirely. Creme de violette can be brandy or neutral spirit based, but does not have any citrus - for most applications you want to avoid the cheaper Parfait Amour, which is actually based on Curacao. Creme de violette is a something of a delicate flavor which requires some forethought as it can be easily muddled. We've found that gin and champagne work best as bases. Of course if you find yourself stuck, the Aviation is still our go to cocktail for good reason.

Note: All drinks marked with an asterix are from external sources. Clicking on the drink name will take you to our references page.

7-Layer Shot

Ingredients:
.25 oz Overproof Rum
.25 oz Velvet Falernum
.25 oz Crème de Violette
.25 oz Limoncello
.25 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
.25 oz 100 Proof Peppermint Liqueur
.25 oz Crème de Noyaux

Instructions:
Put all ingredients except for the overproof and the peppermint into the freezer for an hour. Carefully, with the help of a spoon, layer the ingredients in the following order: Velvet Falernum, Crème de Noyaux, Crème de Violette, Limoncello, Orange Liqueur, 100 Proof Peppermint Liqueur, Overproof Rum.

Aviation

Ingredients:
2 oz Gin
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Maraschino Liqueur
.25 oz Crème de Violette

Instructions:
Combine lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, and gin in a cocktail shaker and shake until cloud. Pour into a martini glass. Add the violet liqueur and garnish with a maraschino cherry

Violet Blossom

Ingredients:
1 oz Crème de Violette
4 oz Champagne
.25 oz Licor de Vainilla Nany's

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a champagne flute and serve.

Violet Fizz

Ingredients:
1 oz Gin
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Crème de Violette
.5 oz Egg White
4 oz Champagne

Instructions:
Pour the champagne into a glass. Combine the other ingredients into a cocktail shaker and combine. Strain the mixture into the martini glass.

Spiced Pear Liqueur - April 17, 2016

St George's Spiced Pear Liqueur is a blend of pear brandy, more pear juice, cinnamon, and cloves. The result is warmly smooth, and a delicate balance between sweet and spicy. Now, we're not doing anything radical here - you could certainly take your favorite pear liqueur and add spices to it yourself. But St George has made a very good blend using flavors you probably wanted already, so if you're a pear aficionado like us, you'll appreciate the effort.

Note: All drinks marked with an asterix are from external sources. Clicking on the drink name will take you to our references page.

Dutch Pear Pie

Ingredients:
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.25 oz Allspice Liqueur
2 oz Whisky
1.5 oz Spiced Pear Liqueur

Instructions:
Lightly mix all ingredients in a shaker and serve in a martini glass

Imperialism

Ingredients:
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Nardini Amaro Bassano
1 oz Spiced Pear Liqueur
2 oz Pineapple Dark Rum

Instructions:
Shake all ingredients in a shaker until cloudy. Serve in a martini glass

NAFTA

Ingredients:
1 oz Crema de Tequila
2 oz Tequila Reposado
Dash Pumpkin Spice
1 oz Spiced Pear Liqueur

Instructions:
Mix all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice until frothy. Pour in a martini glass and garnish with pumpkin pie spice. If you're curious about the name, look up the Mexican-US relationship with the pear.

Espresso Liqueur - March 18, 2016

Our next Drink of the Month is espresso liqueur. Like the drink espresso liqueur is rather bitter, so it is best used to dull the sweetness of other flavors in your cocktail. Since so many other liqueurs tend to be overly sugary, this technique is useful more often that you might think. Of course, there are other ways to add a coffee flavor to a drink: you could use a coffee cream like Kahlua, or even roast the espresso beans directly on top of your flaming sambuca. However, a good liqueur like the one made by Stirrings will be the most versatile option. Try it out today!

Note: All drinks marked with an asterix are from external sources. Clicking on the drink name will take you to our references page.

Bahamian Coffee

Ingredients:
2 oz Dark Rum
.5 oz Espresso Liqueur
1 oz Nassau Royale

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and mix until murky. Pour into martini glass

Cheap Delivery

Ingredients:
.5 oz Crema de Tequila
.5 oz Amaretto
.25 oz Espresso Liqueur

Instructions:
Pour crema de tequila, then amaretto, then espresso liqueur into a shot glass.

Lofty Bourbon

Ingredients:
.5 oz Espresso Liqueur
2 oz Bourbon Cream
5 oz Club Soda
.5 oz Praline Liqueur

Instructions:
This is a variation on the Bourbon Lift. Combine all ingredients except for the club soda into a shaker. Mix and strain into a tall glass. Slowly pour the club soda into the mixture as though it were an ice cream float. The bubbles should rise up above the edge of the glass if you add enough and are careful.

Morning Commute

Ingredients:
1 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
1 oz Espresso Liqueur

Instructions:
Layer the espresso liqueur on the bottom and the orange liqueur on top. Pretend it's the sun rising over the city smog

Permafrost

Ingredients:
2 sprigs Mint
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Espresso Liqueur
1 oz Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur

Instructions:
Combine espresso and dark chocolate liqueur to a glass filled with crushed ice. Top with vodka and add mint leaves, like plants sticking out of the frozen tundra.

Thin Blue Line

Ingredients:
.25 oz 100 Proof Peppermint Liqueur
.5 oz Espresso Liqueur
.5 oz Godiva Milk Chocolate Liqueur

Instructions:
Combine Godiva and espresso liqueur into a shot glass. Float peppermint liqueur on top.

Amaretto - February 13, 2016

It was much to our chagrin that we realized we have never featured amaretto as a Drink of the Month. Amaretto is a must-have for any bar and should always be in stock. Literally "a little bitter", this almond flavored liqueur is actually reasonably sweet with a distinctive flavor so popular it is commonly mimmicked in ice cream and candies. In recent years, amaretto has become so popular that if you're reading this, you probably already know exactly what we're talking about. If you don't, order up an amaretto sour today and learn what you've been missing.

Note: All drinks marked with an asterix are from external sources. Clicking on the drink name will take you to our references page.

Almon-Riss

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Crema de Tequila
.5 oz Amaretto
.5 oz Tequila Reposado
1 oz Heavy Cream
.5 oz Maple Syrup

Instructions:
Crush almonds into small pieces and rim old-fashioned glass with almonds and crema de tequila. Drizzle chocolate sauce along inside of the glass. Pour rest of the ingredients into a blender with ice and blend till frothy. Pour the mixture into the prepared glass.

Ancho Reyes Shake

Ingredients:
1 oz Amaretto
1 oz Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
4 oz Club Soda
1 oz Cabo Diablo Coffee Liqueur
1.5 oz Ancho Reyes Ancho Chili
2 oz Whipping Cream

Instructions:
Chill all ingredients in the freezer until they are very cold, like ice cream. Then, mix together everything but the 4 oz of club soda. Pour mixture into a glass and then pour the club soda on top. Optionally add chocolate powder to top

Cheap Delivery

Ingredients:
.5 oz Crema de Tequila
.5 oz Amaretto
.25 oz Espresso Liqueur

Instructions:
Pour crema de tequila, then amaretto, then espresso liqueur into a shot glass.

Darkest Desire

Ingredients:
.75 oz Amaretto
1.25 oz Blood Orange Juice
1 oz Vodka
1.5 oz Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and pour in a martini glass

Peppermint Float

Ingredients:
3 oz White Rum
1.5 oz Amaretto
10 oz Peppermint Ice Cream
2 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
2 oz Whipping Cream

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until combined and slightly frothy

Whisky - January 15, 2016

Whiskey as a cocktail ingredient? Isn't that sacrilege? On the contrary, even a whiskey purist like myself will admit that there is a time and place for such classics as an Old Fashioned or a Whiskey Sour. The key is picking the right whiskey for the job. Perhaps surprisingly, price doesn't have much to do with this decision. You wouldn't rush out and find a 19 year old single malt scotch; the complexities would be lost and your drink would be muddled. On the other hand, penny pinching on a cheap rotgut will bring your whole cocktail down. Always try the whiskey by itself first, so you'll know if you have a good choice. You're looking for something distinctive but simple and smooth. This is what makes bourbon such a popular choice for cocktails, and a good starting point if the idea makes you a bit wary. If you're looking for a richer, creamier taste, a number of the cheaper blended scotches will do nicely as well. As the whiskey will most likely be the main liquor in the drink, you'll also want something with a bit of a kick. This normally implies a higher proof, but sometimes that can surprise you. And of course, if you do happen to find a dud of a whiskey you just can't bring yourself to enjoy neat, some mint and bitters might render it salvageable... just don't expect too much.

Note: All drinks marked with an asterix are from external sources. Clicking on the drink name will take you to our references page.

Caribbean Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
6 oz Champagne
1.5 oz Whisky
1 oz Golden Falernum

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients into a long drink glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with orange zest.

Mint Julep

Ingredients:
2 sprigs Mint
.5 oz Simple Syrup
2 oz Whisky

Instructions:
Muddle mint leaves in a glass with ice. Add simple syrup and whisky.

Nardini Mint Julep

Ingredients:
3 Sprigs Mint
.5 oz Simple Syrup
2 oz Whisky
.5 oz Nardini Amaro Bassano

Instructions:
Crush the leaves and add to an ice-filled glass. Stir the other ingredients into the glass

Smokey Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
.25 oz Maraschino Liqueur
A Dash Angostura Bitters
2 oz Whisky
Heavy Smoke

Instructions:
Mix ingredients together in a large glass or decanter. Fill the decanter with smoke and store in the fridge until the smoke settles. Pour over ice.

Sugar Plum Dreams

Ingredients:
4 oz Champagne
3 slices Plum
1 oz Cherry Kijafa
.5 oz Whisky

Instructions:
Place the sliced plum in the bottom of a champagne flute. Add the whisky and Kijafa and muddle slightly. Top with champagne.

Whisky Seduction

Ingredients:
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.75 oz Pinot Noir
2 oz Whisky
.5 oz Blackberry Liqueur

Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine rye whiskey, wine, liqueur, and lemon juice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.