Spirit Forward Flavor
Cocktails featuring Spirit Forward notes.
Bourbon Manhattan
A cornerstone of classic American cocktails, this sophisticated and spirit-forward libation elegantly balances the sweetness and spice of bourbon with the herbaceous complexity of sweet vermouth and the aromatic punctuation of bitters.
Negroni
A perfectly symmetrical mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth that defined the bitter-sweet aperitivo and spawned a family of riffs.
Old Fashioned
The primordial cocktail—whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water—showcasing the base spirit in its purest, most aromatic form.
Manhattan
The quintessential whiskey cocktail—rye, vermouth and bitters in perfect harmony—serving as the template for a whole family of spirit-forward drinks.
Classic Martini
The king of cocktails—minimalist, elegant and endlessly riffed—balancing aromatic gin with a restrained measure of vermouth. Orange bitters optional.
Black Manhattan
A modern classic swapping sweet vermouth for Averna amaro—rye, Averna, and bitters stirred silky cold for a brooding, bittersweet sipper.
Bourbon Vieux Carré
A timeless New Orleans classic that beautifully encapsulates the city's multicultural heritage. This sophisticated cocktail masterfully blends American rye whiskey, French cognac and Bénédictine, Italian sweet vermouth, and Creole bitters for a harmonious and richly layered experience.
Bijou
A Gilded‑Age jewel: gin, sweet vermouth, and Green Chartreuse stirred with orange bitters—herbal, aromatic, and spirit‑forward.
Black Russian
A minimalist mix of vodka and coffee liqueur that delivers bold, roasty sweetness—essentially a White Russian without the cream.
Top Shelf Alaskan
The pinnacle expression of the classic Alaskan cocktail, featuring premium high-proof London Dry gin, Yellow Chartreuse, and orange bitters. This spirit-forward masterpiece showcases the art of balance in pre-Prohibition cocktail culture.
John Collins
The bourbon take on the 19th‑century gin punch from Limmer's Old House—spirit, lemon, sugar and sparkling water built tall and fizzy.
Picador
The definitive blueprint for the Margarita, this 1937 London creation combines tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice in perfect harmony—the Margarita in its purest, unadorned form.
Rye Boulevardier
A sophisticated defiance of the classic Negroni, featuring assertive rye whiskey balanced by the bittersweet complexity of Campari and rich sweet vermouth.
Spicy Oaxaca Old Fashioned
A masterful evolution of Phil Ward's Oaxaca Old Fashioned, introducing calculated heat that elevates the cocktail's smoky, agave-forward soul with a thrilling complex spice.
Alaska
A silky, spirit-forward gin cocktail where honeyed Yellow Chartreuse and citrus bitters create an aromatic, golden Martini sibling.
Oriental
A sophisticated pre-Prohibition cocktail representing the intersection of American whiskey tradition and early 20th century's global cocktail culture. The elegant balance of spicy rye, rich sweet vermouth, bright orange curaçao, and tart lime creates a complex yet refreshing flavor profile.
Ti' Punch
Martinique's elemental ritual: rhum agricole blanc lightly sweetened with cane syrup and perfumed by a lime coin—served neat, small, and potent.
Ward Eight
Boston's most significant contribution to classic cocktail canon, a robust and nuanced riff on the Whiskey Sour. This testament to Gilded Age political history balances the spicy character of rye whiskey against bright citrus and the subtle complexity of real pomegranate grenadine.
Stinger
A classic duo: rich Cognac cooled by minty white crème de menthe—silky, bracing, and deceptively simple.
Kyoto Flyer
A sophisticated Japanese-American classic that elegantly showcases Japanese whisky with floral maraschino, bright yuzu, and aromatic orange bitters—capturing the cultural exchange of mid-century Kyoto.
Rum Old Fashioned
A masterful intersection of classic cocktail simplicity and the rich, diverse world of sugarcane spirits, showcasing rum's rightful place among great sipping spirits.
Vodka Gibson
A study in elegant austerity, this cocktail strips the Martini to its barest essentials and pivots with a single, savory grace note—the distinctive umami of a pickled onion.
Angel Face
An all-spirit trio of gin, apricot brandy, and Calvados from the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.
Rusty Compass
A modern craft cocktail that brilliantly reimagines the classic Rusty Nail, steering it into smokier, more complex territory with peated Scotch, Drambuie, and Cherry Heering.
Rum Vieux Carré
A modern adaptation of the classic New Orleans Vieux Carré, substituting aged rum for cognac to create a warmer, sweeter profile that bridges Caribbean and Crescent City influences.
Nome
A variation of the Alaska cocktail that adds a touch of dry sherry for nutty, saline complexity alongside gin, Yellow Chartreuse, and orange bitters.
Rosemary Gibson
A modern aromatic twist on the classic Gibson, featuring gin, dry vermouth, and a fresh rosemary sprig that adds herbal complexity to the savory cocktail onion garnish.
Clavo Ahumado
A bold and sophisticated modern classic that brilliantly reimagines the iconic Rusty Nail by substituting Scotch whisky with the earthy, smoky character of mezcal.
Cognac Sazerac
The original incarnation of what is arguably America's first cocktail, a cornerstone of classic mixology born in the spirited heart of 19th-century New Orleans.
Donald Sutherland
Canada's answer to the classic Rusty Nail, substituting Scotch with the distinctively spicy and smooth character of Canadian rye whisky.
Dublin Minstrel
A modern classic cocktail that reimagines the Last Word with Irish whiskey, created by Simon Difford in 2015.
Equal Parts MacElhone (Boulevardier)
A rich and sophisticated sibling to the Negroni, the Boulevardier swaps gin for the warmth of whiskey, creating a timeless cocktail that embodies the spirit of 1920s Paris.
French Connection #2
A sophisticated and deceptively simple two-ingredient cocktail that elevates the classic after-dinner drink, substituting Amaretto with the complex, orange-laced elegance of Grand Marnier.
Irish Nail
The Hibernian counterpart to the classic Scotch-based Rusty Nail, a simple and profound cocktail with robust Irish whiskey and the honeyed, herbal liqueur Irish Mist.