06-18-2025

I took the Paloma format and gave it a twist. Mezcal adds that earthiness & smoke, cantaloupe syrup brings mellow summer sweetness. The citrus keeps it bright, and the salt pulls everything together. If mezcal’s not your thing, tequila works great here too. Easy drinking with a little edge. Cheers y’all!

06-17-2025

This cocktail was created by Kirk Estopinal for Cure in New Orleans. Inspired by the classic Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, this drink takes the Old Fashioned structure and reimagines it with tequila—a bold move in 2010, when aged agave spirits were still far from mainstream. As Estopinal explains, “The Bénédictine was a way to bridge the chocolaty vibes of the tequila, and the crème de menthe adds mint but also a drying, refreshing, cooling note.” The result is a spirit-forward sipper that highlights the depth of añejo tequila while staying balanced and compelling to the last sip. Cheers y’all!

06-16-2025

This is my take on a strawberry Clover Club. The specs stay pretty similar to the original, but I bumped everything up a tad besides the gin. Just like the original, gin, berries, and lemon are a trifecta of flavors. Hope you give this one a try! Cheers y’all!

06-15-2025

This one was created by Tony Burke (@barrelagedtony; Washington D.C.) and featured in The Bourbon Review’s Father’s Day cocktail article (2018). He made it for his dad who absolutely loves Bananas Foster and all things ginger. The name pokes fun at his dad, who doesn’t drink because “I don’t want to lose control of my faculties.” This one is a banger and even loved by my partner who isn’t big on whiskey and sours. Cheers y’all!

06-14-2025

I came up with this one after making cantaloupe syrup for the Jets to Brazil cocktail I posted earlier. Tequila felt like the right move—it plays well with summer fruit and keeps things bright. I’m a sucker for a bitters float, and the color contrast never misses. Cheers y’all!

06-13-2025

I’ve been slacking sharing on here the last few days. Rest assured, daily cocktails have still been happening via Instagram. Here’s one created by Connor Stehr (@shake_and_stehr), which makes me think what a Last Word would taste like as a nightcap. Cheers y’all!

06-12-2025

A riff of a riff of a love child between a Last Word and a Paper Plane. If you followed that family tree: this cocktail—Walk of Fame—was created by Paul Broadby (@theaussiebartender) as a riff on Laura Bishop’s Almost Famous, which itself riffs on Joaquín Simó’s (@simojoaquin) Naked & Famous, born in 2011 at Death & Co. Simó called his drink the “bastard love child” of the Last Word and Paper Plane. Broadby’s version keeps the Jamaican rum from Almost Famous, dials up the tropical with pineapple and bitters, and swaps the coupe for a pile of crushed ice. Cheers y’all!

06-11-2025

Alta California refers to a time before this land was claimed and divided by the U.S. That history still echoes today, especially when people are made to feel unwelcome on ground their ancestors helped build. Created in 2009 by Alex Day (@apday) for Death & Co. (@deathandcompany), this one is clean and layered. Tequila leads in this spirit-forward cocktail, while the Chartreuse adds herbal complexity. The cinnamon sits quietly in the background but brings it all together. Cheers y’all!

06-10-2025

This cocktail was created by Christina Rando at Cure (New Orleans, LA). Melons are tough in cocktails, but turning cantaloupe into a syrup concentrates its flavor. Paired with aged cachaça and Aperol, it makes for a standout melon sour. I’ll be sipping this all summer long! Cheers y’all!

06-09-2025

This cocktail was created by Jean-Félix Desfossés (@jfdesfosses). It is herbal, bright, and refreshing at the same time. The dill, olive, and pinch of salt bring out a savory, briny edge that makes this drink stand out. I could easily drink three of these. Cheers y'all!

06-08-2025

This is an original of mine. A former student asked me to make a cocktail inspired by the song Générique by Miles Davis. Moody. Elegant. A little smoky. Subtle strawberry note for summer. Cognac felt right for Miles. A bit of amaro for depth, a touch of Islay Scotch for smoke. This sipper was made to be enjoyed on a nice summer evening. Cheers y’all!

06-07-2025

I wanted something blended with coffee…because it’s summer and that’s what I need. As the name suggests, it’s my take on a frozen Carajillo with some aged tequila. Xanthan gum gives it body and make sure the cocktail doesn’t separate after it sits for a while. Cheers y’all!

06-06-2025

This cocktail was created by Michael Yusko at Cure (New Orleans, LA) under pressure. Truly, it came together in a rush of improvisation and instinct. As Yusko puts it, “I never worked on a cocktail until there was a gun to my head.” With Cynar as the base, lime juice chosen on a coin toss, and green Chartreuse added on a whim, the drink captures the spontaneity of the moment it was created but landed with the finesse of a modern classic. Cheers y’all!

06-05-2025

This cocktail was created in 2011 by Pete Gugni at The Bedford (Chicago, IL) and I found it via Difford’s Guide. Gugni likely named this after the song of the same name by the rock band Tesla. Rightfully so, this cocktail is electric – bright, herbal, and the right kind of wild. The basil leads, cachaça follows, and Chartreuse rounds it out with a smooth, herbal edge. It’s like a mojito that’s been around. Cheers y’all!

06-04-2025

This cocktail was created by Matthias Soberon (@servedbysoberon). It is light, floral, and spirit forward. A fun way to use cachaça outside the usual tropical builds. The simple syrup is there to balance depending on your liqueur and vermouth. Taste and adjust. Cheers y’all!

06-03-2025

This cocktail was created by Resa Mueller (@resa_why) at R&D in Philadelphia. It’s hard not to like this one. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser with the vermouth adding an extra layer of depth. Cheers y’all!

06-02-2025

This cocktail was created by Liber & Co. to highlight their Tropical Passionfruit Syrup. I know it’s vodka-based—but its neutrality lets the passionfruit, cherry, and vermouth shine. I added lime for my palate—optional, but I liked the acidity to pull it all into balance. Cheers y’all!

06-01-2025

This cocktail was part of a 2022 Emo Tiki pop-up at Polite Provisions (San Diego, CA). I found the specs via Nick Welsh’s Quizlet recipe cards (thanks to @fredericyarm for pointing me this way!). Named after the song by Dashboard Confessional, this tropical bitter drink will be restirred by me again! Cheers y’all!

05-31-2025

I made a batch of these for commencement weekend. It’s my own creation, built around funky rum, tropical flavors, and the bittersweet, spiced richness of Meletti. I wanted something crowd-pleasing. And as an anatomy professor, the name felt fitting for a moment that always gets my heart racing: saying goodbye to another graduating class. Cheers y’all!

05-30-2025

I came up with this Saturn riff for my partner who just had surgery and can’t have alcohol. Who said mocktails are boring? This one is packed with all the tiki flavor. Cheers y’all!