The Buffalo Red started out as a Sazerac, but has come a long enough way from its roots that I don’t feel bad claiming it as my own. It still retains the wash with anise-based liquor, and the Peychaud’s bitters, but we replace rye with bourbon, and bring both maple bitters and Muscovado simple-syrup to the party. The resulting drink is warming, earthy, and not-too-sweet. Urban Moonshine makes the maple bitters, and you can easily buy them on Amazon.com if they’re not available at your local quality liquor store.

To make Muscovado simple syrup, just buy Muscovado brown sugar (easily found at local mega-marts or organic groceries) and then heat it with an equal portion of water until it dissolves. Cool the resulting liquid and store in the fridge.

Here’s the recipe:

The Buffalo Red

• 2.5 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (other bourbons will, of course, work too.)
• .33 oz Muscovado Simple Syrup
• 1 tsp Pernod
• 6-10 drops maple bitters
• 1 heavy dash Peychaud’s bitters

Pour Pernod into an empty rocks glass and swirl to coat. Discard excess Pernod. Fill rocks glass with a few large, solid ice cubes. Add all ingredients to the rocks glass and stir several times to combine. Flame an orange peel over the glass, and drop it in. The resulting drink should be a beautiful reddish-brown, like Autumn leaves. Sit back in a comfy chair, take a sip, and relax.

Oh, and just for the record: no one from Buffalo Trace paid me in cash or free samples to write this recipe or even asked me to promote their bourbon. I’m an honest fan of the product, and it’s my go-to bourbon for day-to-day mixing.

This one deals with straight-up cocktails, and could also have been titled “Up Drinks”, but the idea remains the same: these are drinks served as-is, without any ice (though they are shaken or stirred on it). These are the drinks that most people think of when someone says “cocktail” or … ugh … “Martini” (they’re not Martinis. If you love Martinis like I love Martinis, you will stop calling them Martinis).

I provide some history and four delicious drink recipes. Sound interesting? Take a look!

The fine folks at Primer did a killer job with the photos, as they always do. One of the great pleasures of writing for them is the knowledge that I’ll get to see my drinks (and many drinks that I love but can’t take credit for) looking fantastic. Go check it out!

I don’t know about the rest of you, but where I lived it was a long, cold winter followed by a very dreary spring. We saw a lot of the kind of weather that makes a cocktail fan long for mulled wine, spiced rum, cider drinks, and anything else that can bring a little warmth to the party. Now, at long last, we’re starting to see some nice days! It’s a welcome change, and it’s a good time to break out the list of summer drinks: refreshing cocktails that are made to be sipped while sitting on the back porch and watching fireflies dance through the air.

This article features two of my own drinks, and two classics worth investigating. As usual, the Primer folks have done a fantastic job photographing the cocktails. Check it out!

The English Bulldog

This drink was entered into the amateur portion of Tanqueray’s “Best T&T” contest and took the grand prize. It is a play on the traditional gin and tonic that incorporates additional ingredients which bring an increased complexity to the drink. The orange marmalade, in particular, is a nod to British history, which I thought was fitting for a British drink made with British gin.

Refreshing and not too strong, the English Bulldog is a great beverage for a summer picnic or a Sunday afternoon. Here’s the recipe:

The English Bulldog

• 1.25 oz Tanqueray Gin
• .75 oz Dry Vermouth
• .5 oz Lime Juice
• 1 bar spoon Orange Marmalade
• 1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters
• Tonic

Fill a Collins glass with ice cubes and set aside. Combine first five ingredients in a shaker with cracked or crushed ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the Collins glass, top with tonic water, stir gently and garnish with an orange peel (flaming optional) and a lime.

Standard Tanqueray London Dry will work just fine, and is the gin that this recipe was based off of. Tanqueray Rangpur will bring even more citrus notes to the party and is definitely not a bad alternative. You could also use Tanqueray Ten, but personally I think if you’re going to buy an ultra-premium like that, you shouldn’t cover it up with too many other flavors. Better to just add some vermouth and a couple of olives and call it a day.

Oh, and if you prefer short drinks to long, you could always strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass, omit the tonic, and quaff it straight. Cheers!

So, it’s happened: you’ve invited a lady friend over for an evening of intellectual, witty conversation augmented by adult beverages, and she’s agreed to your suggestion. Now you need to put together some drinks she can appreciate, but you know nothing about mixology and your current bar contains exactly one bottle of Jack Daniels, and a container of grenadine so old that the cap has fused to the glass. You know that the woman you’re interested in has moved past the likes of Michelob Ultra and bad appletinis, but you’re not sure what would impress her. What to do?

Interested? Check out the whole article over on Primer!

Photo by Lisa Salamida

The Manhattan. One of the quintessential cocktails, it was invented by a British lady, uses what was at the time the great American spirit as its base, and is named after one of the most international islands on the planet. It’s also my most favorite of cocktails, the drink that — were I forced to choose one elixir to tide me over for the rest of my days — I would pick over any other.

Yes, it’s an excellent cocktail, but even the stately Manhattan can do with some jazzing up from time to time. So I present to you these eight excellent Manhattan variations. Each has its own subtleties and all are delicious. Enjoy!

1. The Classic Perfect Manhattan

• 3 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir thoroughly with a bartender’s spoon until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with maraschino cherry.

2. Chris’s Manhattan

• 3 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 3 heavy dashes Angostura Bitters
• Orange Peel

Combine all liquid ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir thoroughly with a bartender’s spoon until well-chilled. Strain mixture into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame an orange peel over the liquid, rub it once around the glass’s rim, and drop it into the drink.

3. The Bourbon Manhattan

• 3 oz Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine and serve as if making a Perfect Manhattan.

4. The Heering Manhattan

• 3 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Cherry Heering
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine and serve as if making a Perfect Manhattan.

5. The Italian Manhattan

• 3 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Amaretto
• 1 dash Campari
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine and serve as if making a Perfect Manhattan.

6. The Tropical Manhattan

• 3 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Curacao
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• Orange Peel

Combine and serve as if making Chris’s Manhattan.

7. The Smokey Manhattan

• 2.5 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Smokey Scotch
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine and serve as if making a Perfect Manhattan.

8. The French Manhattan

• 2 oz Calvados (Apple Whiskey/Brandy)
• 1 oz VS or VSOP Cognac
• 1 oz Dry Vermouth
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Maraschino Cherry

Combine and serve as if making a Perfect Manhattan.

… Okay, I admit, that last one’s a bit of a stretch! If you want it to be a little more Manhattan-y and a little less French, replace the Calvados with Rye whiskey. The important thing is: experiment with your drinks! Even a classic cocktail can yield many interesting variations.

The French Caribbean - 70s Magazine Style

This cocktail has a fairly long ingredient list, but I think you’ll find that the flavors all play very well together. Rum and cider are a match made in heaven, and the cognac helps to refine the party a bit while the citrus juices give it a playful tang (and a nice color). The bitters and chartreuse bring some lovely herbal notes to the drink as well. Overall the French Caribbean is easy to drink, and not too boozy. Perfect for a relaxed autumn evening in front of the fire.

The French Caribbean

1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Cognac
1 oz Apple Cider
3/4 oz Orange Juice (approx half an orange)
1/3 oz Lemon Juice
1 cap-full Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 piece Orange Peel

Combine all ingredients except the orange peel in a mixing glass. Shake thoroughly over cracked ice to combine, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame the orange piece over the glass, rub it around the edge once, and drop it in. Enjoy!

Oh, PS: the cocktails page is now ordered by type of base spirit, for easier use. Woo!

Sometimes we experiment with champagne cocktails, and this drink — The ChaChaCha (short for Charlotte’s Champagne and Chartreuse) — came as a result of careful testing with various amounts of liqueur, bitters, and sparkling wine. I must give her full credit on this one: we both played around with a lot of recipes, but she’s the one who found the right balance.

It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s absolutely delicious. Dry and herbal with a hint of sweetness and a satisfying zing. What more can you ask for from a cocktail?

The Recipe

• .75 oz Green Chartreuse
• Generous Dash of Peychaud’s Bitters
• Extra-Dry Sparkling Wine

Pour the Chartreuse and bitters into a champagne goblet or flute. Top off with sparkling wine. Enjoy!

The end result? The Arizona Gimlet, which I’m really quite happy with. It’s got a real citrus kick, but the vermouth helps smooth things out and keeps the gin from being overpowering, and the agave syrup, when used with a light touch, avoids the cloying sweetness that Rose’s lime sometimes delivers. I’ve even come up with two different preparations, depending on what mood you’re in. Give it a try!

The Recipe

2 oz gin
1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/3rd oz Agave Nectar (raw, amber, light … whatever kind you want)

Preparation 1: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker, shake like crazy, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve with a twist of lime. Delicious and potent!

Preparation 2: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker, shake like crazy, strain into a rocks glass over ice, top with club soda and stir. Serve with a lime wedge. Refreshing!