09-08-2025

This cocktail was created by Devin Espinosa for Djinn at Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara, CA. Mezcal brings smoky, earthy depth, Aperol adds a touch of bitter brightness, and pineapple juice keeps it juicy and tropical. Lemon juice sharpens the flavors, and a hint of simple syrup smooths everything out. Cheers y’all!

09-07-2025

This cocktail was created by Shannon Mustipher and found in her book TIKI. This is an agricole-forward riff on the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club daiquiri. Rhum agricole forms a bright, grassy base, Suze adds subtle citrus and spice, and falernum brings soft sweetness with warming aromatics. Fresh lime juice lifts the flavors, keeping the cocktail balanced and lively. Cheers y’all!

09-06-2025

This cocktail was created in 2009 by Joaquín Simó and appears in Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails (@deathandcompany). He once described it as the best stirred tequila cocktail he had ever come up with, and I can see why. A Manhattan variation at heart, it swaps whiskey for aged tequila, layers in amaro as the softening agent, and lifts everything with the floral sweetness of elderflower. Rest assured, this one is lovely. Cheers y’all!

09-05-2025

I built this espresso martini after tasting something similar at a bar and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I didn’t have the specs, but I knew I wanted aged tequila as the base and Averna to add depth. Tequila and Cointreau are already a classic pair, and orange with coffee is a natural match. Expressing an orange peel over the top seals the deal, so the first thing you catch is that bright citrus aroma. Cheers y’all!

09-04-2025

I am not exaggerating when I say that this is easily the best cereal milk punch I’ve had. This one was created by my friend Isaiah LaBelle (@onesipclub). It tastes like breakfast in a glass with cozy cinnamon from Cinnamon Toast Crunch and roasted coffee notes. The cachaça aged in amburana wood adds spice and depth while Italicus layers in floral citrus that rounds out the sweetness. I already finished this batch so a larger one is definitely in order. And let’s be honest, Cinnamon Toast Crunch will always hold the title for best cereal. Cheers y’all!

09-03-2025

This cocktail was created in the early 2010s for the Fairmont Hotels' global cocktail program. I stumbled across this when Jean-félix Desfossés (@jfdesfosses) shared it recently. It’s an equal parts cocktail, which are always lovely, with influences from the Last Word and Corpse Reviver No. 2. This one is bright and floral. Cheers y’all!

09-02-2025

This equal parts cocktail was created in 2016 by Grant Wheeler at The Garret (New York City). It is similar to a Naked and Famous, but with added island warmth from falernum and a subtle fiery kick from habanero. The spice lifts the smokiness of the mezcal while the Aperol keeps everything bright and refreshing. Cheers y’all!

09-01-2025

This one is a Last Word riff created by Chuck Taggart (@sazeracla). It swaps out gin for Jamaican rum, bringing funk while keeping that equal parts balance intact. It reminds me of the Slurred Word, another Jamaican rum riff on the Last Word, though that one brings in pineapple juice and breaks from the equal parts build. Cheers y’all!

08-31-2025

This cocktail was created by Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm) and is named after the Les Baxter exotica track. Yarm remade it in 2025 for a Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum competition, swapping the original old-fashioned serve with a Nick and Nora and specifying Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac. Pineapple rum and cognac provide a rich, tropical backbone, Cynar and coffee liqueur add depth and bittersweet complexity, and mole bitters round out the layers with subtle spice. Cheers y’all!

08-30-2025

Here’s one I came up with that reminds me of a Negroni, just a bit lighter and with some fruit showing through. The balance of bitter, bright, and smoky makes it an easy one to sit with. Grapefruit and mezcal are a lovely combo. Even in small amounts, they bring an extra layer of aroma that makes the drink pop. The pineapple distillate ties it all together. It’s not sweet, but with just enough fruit character to lift the whole thing. Cheers y’all!

08-29-2025

This is my twist on the Zacapa Espresso Martini, built to highlight flavors that pair beautifully with Zacapa No. 23’s Guatemalan roots. Espresso and coffee liqueur bring bold depth, cinnamon adds warmth, and chocolate bitters echo the richness already in the rum. A touch of salt accentuates all those flavors and brings the smooth balance you want at 6pm. Cheers y’all!

08-28-2025

Created by Gabe Fonseca for Polite Provisions in San Diego, this cocktail is a tropical-tinged rye sour. Peychaud’s bitters give the drink its lovely light pink color, pineapple and orgeat add a bright, tropical bent, and rye whiskey provides a spicy backbone. This one is a perfect tiki drink for those whiskey lovers in your life. Cheers y’all!

08-27-2025

The Martinez is a classic gin cocktail with a rich history. First printed in 1884 as “the same as a Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whiskey,” it’s been evolving ever since, shaped by the styles of gin, the sweetness of vermouth, and the trends of its time. Early versions leaned on orange curaçao before maraschino liqueur took its place, changing the drink’s character entirely. Some say it’s the bridge between the Manhattan and the Martini, but I like to think of it as a reminder that classics stay alive because they keep changing. Source: Raising The Bar by Brett Adams and Jacob Grier. Cheers y’all!

08-26-2025

This cocktail appears in the 1922 edition of Harry McElhone’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails. A split of blended Scotch and Irish whiskey form a smooth, layered base, while lemon juice and orgeat bring brightness and subtle nuttiness. It’s a well-balanced drink that manages to be both lively and approachable. Cheers y’all!

08-25-2025

This cocktail was created by Dan Greenbaum at Diamond Reef in New York City. It’s built off the Bamboo template, essentially an equal-parts Adonis riff with banana liqueur added for sweetness and texture. Sherry and sweet vermouth provide a rich, nutty backbone, while the banana adds a playful, tropical note. Cheers y’all!

08-24-2025

This cocktail was created at Barely Disfigured (@barelydisfigured; Brooklyn, NYC). In their version, they infuse Aperol with red chiles, though I opted for a habanero shrub. I love splitting my agave spirits, so when I saw the tequila/mezcal base here, I was stoked. The Aperol brightens it and the little bit of heat goes so nicely with the pineapple and lime. Cheers y’all!

08-23-2025

This cocktail was created by Kjell (@abartenderdad) and submitted through my Instagram followers’ original recipes. At its base, it’s a Manhattan riff – Japanese whisky replaces the usual rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters keep it familiar, and elderflower liqueur adds a delicate floral edge. It’s a balanced, approachable take with distinctly Japanese roots. Cheers y’all!

08-22-2025

This daiquiri-style cocktail was created by Jason Kilgore and Richard Boccato at Dutch Kills in New York City. Rhum agricole provides grassy, tropical depth, Montenegro adds warmth and gentle spice, and maple syrup balances it with sweetness. A subtle sprinkle of cinnamon adds aromatic complexity and completes the drink. Cheers y’all

08-21-2025

This cocktail is from Liber & Co’s website. Bourbon gives the backbone, lemon keeps it bright, peach syrup adds sweet fruitiness, and egg white gives it a silky texture. Finished with Angostura bitters for a subtle aromatic lift, it’s just peachy in every sense. Cheers y’all!

08-20-2025

I came across this cocktail on Liber & Co’s site, and it immediately caught my eye. Tequila and red bitter liqueurs like Campari always shine together (think Party Line, Baby Turtle, Rosita). This one feels like a peach margarita, but the Campari makes it brighter and gives it that touch of bitterness. Cheers y’all!