At this point, you should have a pretty good range of staple spirits. Now it’s time to start adding some abstract flavors and higher end spirits that can be enjoyed straight or on a large ice cube. This list builds on the spirits already listed in the beginner and intermediate bar.

Adding More Flavors To Your Bar

Cocktail Ideas

We hope you are as excited as we are at this point! You have so many options when it comes to crafting cocktails. If you need some ideas to get you started here's a list of ideas that you can now make with your fully stocked bar!

Made famous by the TV show Sex in the City, this pretty pink cocktail served in the stiletto shape martini glass may be one of the most widely recognized cocktails in the world next to the classic Martini.

Variations 

Since its birth, regardless of who created it, bartenders across the world have been recreating this iconic libation using their own flair and creativity. There are so many flavored vodkas available today, you can achieve just about any flavor your heart desires! Use your favorite gin in place of vodka for a delicate twist! 

Dale DeGroff's Cosmopolitan

History 

The drink first appeared on menus in the 1980s in both the San Fransisco and Manhattan with each location claiming to be the originator. Many have been credited for the creation, but popular rumor states a mysterious woman named Cheryl Cook invented it in South Beach, Miami.

A Vodka Gimlet?

Famed bartender John Caine claims that the Cosmo was originally called a Vodka Gimlet and dates back to pre WWII. Gimlets were drinks with added sugar and lime to mask the flavor of well liquor. After WWII Cointreau (a French orange liqueur) was discovered and the Kamikaze was born. The Kamikaze is essentially the Cosmo minus the Cranberry but we’ll talk more about that later.

According to Dale DeGroff, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice promoted spirits heavily and between 1956 and 1970 they aggressively marketed a collection of cocktails. One of the drinks called the Harpoon was the Cosmo minus the orange liqueur. DeGroff, also heavily credited for its creation, put it on his menu at the Rainbow Room in 1996. In his book The Craft of the Cocktail, he states, “Shortly after that, Madonna was spotted drinking one, and overnight I was getting calls from as far away as Germany and Australia for the recipe.”

Toby Cecchini (owner of Long Island Bar in New York) claimed that he took the disgusting west coast version which consisted of Rose’s lime juice and Rose’s grenadine and reconstructed it using fresh ingredients, Cointreau and Absolute Citron, which had just come out. Regardless of the origins, this tasty martini deserves a spot in your cocktail database.

Calories in a Cosmopolitan

Deliciously refreshing and simple to make, this slightly citrusy, slightly spicy, super fizzy cocktail is sure to be a hit for any occasion. The recipe calls for vodka, lime juice and ginger beer and is traditionally served in a copper mug.

Moscow Mule

There are 2 main claims to the origin of the Mule. Possibly the most popular belief is that the drink was created circa 1941 when Cock 'n' Bull owner, Jack Morgan, arrived at Chatham Hotel in New York City carrying a case of his crafted ginger beer. Joining him would be John G. Martin, president of G.F. Heublein Brothers Inc. (also known as Heublein Spirits: an American Alcoholic beverage distributor in the 20th century) and Rudolph Kunett, president of the Pierre Smirnoff, Heublein’s vodka division. 

I bet you can guess where this story is headed! While siping on vodka, the idea to combine the 2 ingredients seemed obvious. Lemons, mugs and ice were procured and the potion did not disappoint. 

Another version is that a bartender at the Cock n' Bull Bar Restaurant when a bartender was trying to clear out old inventory. After serving it to the actor Broderick Crawford the drink became tremendously popular.

In 2022 some bars across America and Canada began referring to the cocktail as the "Kyiv mule" - referring to the Ukrainian capital - in protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Variations

There are endless possibilities when it comes to different flavors for a mule. You can add fresh herbs or muddle fruit. Purees and liqueurs are often added for more complex flavors. Here's a list of some of the more popular variations on the Moscow Mule:

Berlin Mule: Jagermeister

Bohemian Mule: Absinthe

Dead Man's Mule: Absinthe & Cinnamon Schnapps

London or Munich Mule: Gin

Glasgow Mule: Scotch and St Germain

Irish Mule: Irish Whiskey

Jamaican Mule: Spiced Rum

Kentucky Mule: Bourbon

Mexican Mule: Tequila

Mezcal Mule: Mezcal

New Orleans Mule: Bourbon & Coffee Liqueur

Oslo Mule: Akvavit

Southern Mule: Southern Comfort

Tennessee Mule: Tennessee Whiskey

Tuscan Mule: Tuaca

The Copper Mug

Why use a copper mug? Well, it's functional for one. People have been using copper mugs as drinking vessels for thousands of years. Not only does a copper mug just look cool, its temperature transferring properties insulate the beverage inside. Some even claim this adds to the fizziness of the ginger beer. 

However, the ingredients of a mule are considered acidic and over time, that acid can erode a traditional copper mug. In 2007 the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division issued a statement declaring pure copper mugs unsafe in the use of acidic drinks. Not to worry, if this concerns you, simply look for copper mugs that are lined on the interior with stainless steel.

Regardless, we can't see ourselves drinking a Mule out of any other vessel! So grab your mug, some ginger beer and whatever liquor suits your taste and get to mixing!

When James Bond wasn't in the mood for his usual Martini, he was sipping Negronis. The Negroni is strong with a pleasant balance of sweet and bitter.

Negroni

Variations

Boulevardier (In this version bourbon is used in lieu of gin. According to tales it was the signature drink of Alfred Vanderbilt’s nephew, Erskine Gwynne who was an expatriate writer and the editor of The Boulivardier, a French magazine. The renowned bartender Harry MacElhone, previously of the Plaza Hotel in New York City, had also relocated to Paris during prohibition. There he purchased a bar which he renamed Harry’s New York Bar (now one of the most famous bars in the world) which was frequented by famous writers, Gwynne being one of them. He requested the cocktail so often that Harry eventually added it to the menu and named it after his magazine.

Boulivardier

*Play around with the ingredients! Try subbing mezcal for gin to get a smokey agave flavor. You can use Prosecco in place of gin for a Negroni Sbagliato or perhaps try a dry vermouth instead of sweet. If you don’t have dry vermouth use Lillet or sherry. Replace Campari with its slightly lighter, sweeter cousin Aperol if you want to dial back the bitterness. An herbal Amaro can be fun too! 

History

Possibly the most well known story is that this classic was originates in Florence circa 1919. when customer Count Camillo Negroni asked his friend and bartender Forsco Scarselli, to use gin instead of soda in his favorite cocktail, the Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth and soda). 

However, like most other cocktails their true origins will never really be known and many lay claim to their creation. 

Drinking Cup published an article declaring the Negroni was actually created in Africa by French General Pascal Oliver Comte de Negroni, who fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, introduced the vermouth based cocktail at a party with his friends. According to Negroni family members, they have the documentation to back it up.

We see two recipes in print that are in The Joy of Mixology, both from 1955. One appears in in the U.K.B.G. Guide to Drinks, a UK publication, and the other was Cocktail and Oscar Haimo's Wine Digest out of NYC. 

A delicately floral, beautifully balanced, crisp and refreshing cocktail, the Aviation is as attractive as it is delicious! So grab a bottle of gin, some maraschino liqueur and créme de violette and let's make this delightful, sky purple hued classic cocktail. 

Aviation

History

This early twentieth century creation, technically a gin sour,* was brought to us by the Hotel Wallick’s head bartender Hugo Ensslin in New York. The first printed recipe appears in Ensslin’s 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. The original recipe was 1.5 oz. El Bart gin, .75 oz. lemon juice, 2 dashes maraschino liqueur, and 2 dashes crème de violette. The light floral flavor combined with soft citrus and sweet Maraschino coats the mouth with elegance and sophistication.

As with most cocktails, there are many tales of origin. Another popular one is that is was invented at Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Manhattan, NYC by Oscar Tschirky, better known as "Oscar of the Waldorf". Funny enough he's also credited for the creation of the Waldorf salad and Eggs Benedict even though he was never a chef. He simply used his reputation as maître d'hotel for credibility and also authored a cocktail book! 

Creme de Violette

There are a ton of different recipes for this cocktail and many of them omit the violette liqueur because it was so scarce. In the 1960s it disappears from the U.S. market altogether. It takes nearly 50 years before Rothman & Winter teames with Haus Alpine in 2007 to revive, bottle and import the delicious violette liqueur. Now there are a few brands who produce the pretty purple cordial like The Bitter Truth and Gifford.

* A sour is a category of cocktails containing a spirit(s) with citrus and sweetener. In this case, the maraschino would be the sweetener.

Variations

The Blue Moon Cocktail omits the maraschino liqueur and The Moonlight cocktail uses gin, lime, orange liqueur and crème de violette.

Featured on the back of the Crème Yvette bottle circa 1940, the Blue Moon Cocktail (aka Blue Devil Cocktail) omits the maraschino liqueur. Crème Yvette and crème de violette are used interchangeably in this cocktail with Yvette lending a more pale pink drink and violette yielding a pale, purple-grey cocktail. 

Some recipes use egg white, some do not. We love the texture and "fluff" egg white brings to a cocktail so if you haven't tried adding it, you definitely should! (Unless egg whites freak you out, then you definitely shouldn't.) 

Another adaptation is the Moonlight Cocktail which introduces Cointreau and substitutes lemon for lime juice. 

Blue Moon Cocktail

The Margarita could quite possibly the most popular cocktail in America. And, it is the third most consumed alcoholic morning beverage! 

Margarita

This super customizable drink can be served frozen, straight up or on the rocks, with or without salt and with an endless variety of flavors. It’s even served in a wide assortment of vessels from the eponymous stepped adaptation of the original champagne glass to a rocks glass, wine glass, pint glass, or almost any other drinking receptacle. There’s no wrong when it comes to this one, so have fun and experiment with different styles!

Variations

Oh the endless possibilities!!! Since the flavors are literally illimitable, here’s a few of my favorites to get started.

Spicy: Infuse your tequila with jalapeños for 3-7 days. (be sure to taste daily to get the desired amount of spice.) If you didn't get a chance to prepare the tequila in advance, you can just muddle the jalapeño. If you don’t keep jalapeños on hand for that random moment you want some spice, try adding some spicy tinctures to your collection. I always have a bottle of Bitterman’s Hellfire Habanero Shrub handy. You’ll only need a few drops so a bottle is well worth the investment. I also really like the way ginger plays in a margarita so again, you can muddle fresh ginger or for less kick, sub the triple sec for a ginger liqueur. My favorite brand is Stirrings but Domaine de Canton, slightly more expensive, is nice too.

Floral: Use elderflower liqueur like St. Germaine or St. Elder in place of the triple sec.

Herbal: Muddle fresh herbs or try replacing Green or Yellow Chartreuse for triple sec.

Fruity: Here we go! Muddle any fresh fruit (especially berries) for great summer sippers. Only have frozen? Fantastic! Throw it in a blender to make your favorite flavored frozen beverage.

Note: Margaritas fall under the category of sours so some people add a splash of egg white to achieve a foamy texture.

History

As with most cocktails, the true origins of the Margarita are unclear but there are a few plausible stories. The earliest starts in 1938 somewhere between Tijuana and Baja California at a restaurant named Rancho La Gloria. Owner Carlos Herrera supposedly created it for the Broadway actress Marjorie King who was allergic to most alcohol but allegedly not to tequila.

The Daisy

Also worth noting, the Margarita falls into a category of drinks known as Daisys which combine spirit, liqueur, and lime. The word daisy translated in Spanish is margarita. Since many Americans traveled to Mexico during prohibition to imbibe, it is possible they brought the “margarita” back with them.

Mexico’s news agency at the time along with many others like to to credit “Pancho” Morales who is said to have first made the drink at Tommy’s Place Bar in 1942 in Juárez.

Still another popular legend claims Margarita Sames, a wealthy socialite from Dallas, created the drink in her Acapulco vacation home in 1948 when she was entertaining her guests. Among her prominent guests was Tommy Hilton who apparently brought the cocktail back to his hotel chain. This is unlikely though because Jose Cuervo began a campaign for the Margarita in 1945 with the tagline, “Margarita: It’s more than a girl’s name.” Cuervo claimed the drink was named in honor of a Mexican showgirl named Rita de la Rosa and invented in 1938.