07-30-2025

This is a tropical cocktail I pulled from Liber & Co.’s website. It’s a well-balanced build that leans bright and aromatic, with the Jamaican rum adding structure, depth, and a little funk. The apricot rounds out the acidity from the lime, and the passionfruit syrup adds a touch of sweetness and tartness. Cheers y’all.

07-29-2025

I’ve seen this cocktail by Brendan Dorr (@bmoredorr) at Pink Flamingo Baltimore making the rounds. And for good reason. It’s basically a stirred Jungle Bird, and I mean that in the best way possible. I’m already team Bruto Americano (sorry, Campari), so seeing it shine here immediately caught my attention. The pineapple gum syrup brings a soft, almost plush texture, and the lime bitters add just the right amount of citrus lift. Every element feels purposeful. This one’s officially in the rotation! Cheers y’all!

07-28-2025

I came up with this cocktail to be enjoyed for patio weather. I was inspired by the Common’s Park Swizzle by Caleb Russell. I boosted the Cognac a bit here to let it really take center stage. The banana, lemon, and orgeat stay true to Caleb’s original, but I swapped in Amontillado sherry for some of the wines he used. I also dialed up the lemon a touch to keep things bright and refreshing. The sherry adds a dry, nutty depth that balances the sweetness from the banana and orgeat, while the extra lemon juice gives it a fresh, lively edge. Mint and tiki bitters provide extra aromatics and depth. Overall, I picture this with a fresh grilled meal or a big summer salad…something crisp and fresh while the sun’s still high. Cheers y’all!

07-27-2025

This cocktail was created in 2013 by the brilliant Scott Teague (@scottjamesteague) for Death & Co. His inspiration was the fact that there weren’t many Old Fashioned style cocktails made with orgeat (almond syrup). This one follows the Old Fashioned template of a spirit, sugar, and bitters. But as Teague mentions, this one “is very pretty but a little bit crazy, just like Marilyn.” Cheers y’all!

07-26-2025

Stirred tequila, tropical fruit, and just enough bite. I recently shared the Wrong Paradise by Jordan Hughes (@highproofpreacher), a Piña Colada–inspired Negroni that totally caught my attention. This riff takes that tropical aperitivo template and heads a different direction: aged rum becomes tequila blanco, pineapple becomes mango distillate, and the coconut liqueur ties it all together. Partly inspired by the Mango Lassi at Palomar (Portland, OR), this drink is stirred into something elegant, fruity, and just bitter enough. Cheers y’all!

07-25-2025

Pronounced kai-pee-REEN-ya. The Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail, and for good reason. Bright, balanced, and full of character. I used an aged cachaça here (Avuá Amburana), inspired by a version in the Death & Co. book. Muddling the lime brings out all those citrus oils and balances the spirit beautifully. This was one of the first drinks that got me into cocktail making, after a bartender made me one years ago. Still hits. Cheers y’all!

07-24-2025

This cocktail was created in 2008 by Thomas Waugh at Death & Company in New York City. I’m a big fan of sherry cocktails, so any time I stumble across one, I immediately bookmark it. The nutty sherry pairs beautifully with the fruit, and the gin provides a botanical base that lets the flavors come together in a nutty, sweet, complex way. Cheers y’all!

07-23-2025

This cocktail was created by Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm) as a hybrid between the classic Army & Navy and the tiki Scorpion Bowl. You rarely see cocktails with orange juice because it often falls flat, but this is an excellent example of how it can be used wonderfully. Cheers y’all!

07-22-2025

This cocktail was created in 2008 by Kirk Estopinal (@kirks_quarantunes) and featured in The Bartender’s Manifesto by Emma Janzen (@emmajanzen) and Toby Maloney (@tobycocktail). Kirk set out to make a mojito that neither looked like one nor required the effort. It drinks more like a daiquiri, but the subtle mint notes give it that nod. He chose Brugal Añejo for its honeyed viscosity that holds up as the drink warms, without becoming texturally awkward. These days, he says he’d probably serve it on the rocks to make sure it evolves in a delicious way. Cheers y’all!

07-21-2025

This cocktail was created by Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm) as a mash-up of the classic tiki Nui Nui and Cure’s Drink of Laughter and Forgetting. The name comes from Doctor Yah-Yah, a New Orleans voodoo practitioner described in Herbert Asbury’s The French Quarter, tying the drink to its Crescent City roots. Bright citrus and warm spice meet a bitter, herbal base, making this a bold and layered hybrid of two very different drinks. Cheers y'all!

07-20-2025

A Negroni riff inspired by a Piña Colada?! Or is it a Piña Colada riff inspired by a Negroni? Or is it simply just a great cocktail? I hope I don’t anger too many people by posting two “Negronis” this weekend that aren’t traditional. BUT, as soon as I saw Jordan Hughes (@highproofpreacher) share this beauty, I had to make it. It’s what happens when a beach bar and an aperitivo hour fall in love. Cheers y’all!

07-19-2025

The Saturn is by far the most popular gin-based tiki drink (and my partner’s favorite). Here, I closely follow Jean-Félix Desfossés’ (@jfdesfosses) recipe, where he adds half the gin post-clarification to maintain those delicate botanical notes that are usually lost during clarification. This time I used Empress gin, but you can easily use another gin and add butterfly pea flower for color. Rum is not usually included in a Saturn, but here it helps increase the ABV and ease the clarification process. I had the same idea @storyaboutcocktails did when he saw the Saturn mold – check his variation out! Cheers y’all!

07-18-2025

Don’t cancel this Negroni. I recently saw Ed (@ed_tales) stir this one up and it definitely caught my eye. To quote Ed, “Is this a Negroni? Is a hotdog a sandwich?” Regardless of where you fall, this cocktail is delicious. This one is packed with botanicals, herbs, and bitterness. Don’t be turned away from the green (Midori), as it doesn’t dominate, but adds a nice sweetness to balance the bitter. Cheers y’all!

07-17-2025

This one comes from Teardrop Lounge in Portland, OR. I had it in person before finding the recipe online. Vodka is the base, but the passionfruit and lime bring tropical sunshine while hot honey syrup adds a gentle heat. A little bubbly on top makes it bright and refreshing. You can also try it with tequila or mezcal for a fun twist. Cheers y’all!

07-16-2025

Fernet and Campari walk into a tiki bar. This cocktail was created by the amazing Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm). It is a hybrid between the Ferrari (equal parts Fernet Branca and Campari) and Death & Co’s Gilda (tequila, lime, pineapple, and cinnamon). Yarm named it after a turn-of-the-century New Orleans crime syndicate known for blackmail and ominous death threats marked with black hands and crimson skulls. The trio of lime, pineapple, and cinnamon wonderfully balance and complement the bitter Ferrari components. Cheers y’all!

07-15-2025

An identity crisis never tasted so good. This cocktail was created by Jordan Hughes (@highproofpreacher) as part of his “New Week, New Old Fashioned” series, where he takes the old fashioned template and gets creative with it. This one, he admits, is tough to call an old fashioned, but it sure is delicious. Mezcal adds smoke, Chartreuse brings herbs, and orgeat rounds it all out with some nutty smoothness. This one is totally worth a try! Cheers y’all!

07-14-2025

This cocktail was created by the legendary Erick Castro (@hungrybartender) for his bar Gilly’s House of Cocktails (@gillyshouseofcocktails; San Diego, CA). Castro recently shared a picture of this cocktail and was so kind enough to send me the specs. I love a tropical gin cocktail, and this one hits every note. The combo of Yellow Chartreuse, honey, and absinthe brings this deep, herbal backbone that plays so well with the bright pineapple and lemon. The turmeric is visually stunning and adds a warm, earthy nose that sets the tone before your first sip. My partner is also obsessed with this drink and I have a feeling it will be in the rotation now. Cheers y’all!

07-13-2025

I found this cocktail in Sasha Petraske’s “Regarding Cocktails.” Marcos Tello took the classic gin-based cocktail The Business and gave it a smoky twist with mezcal. Then he finished it off with just a pinch of cayenne and sea salt on top. He shakes it with one big ice cube until the drink pours out with a soft, almost soapy-looking froth. That foam is not just for show. It gives the drink a silky texture and helps bring the salty spicy topping to the forefront. Cheers y’all!

07-12-2025

This cocktail was created by Brandon Bramhall (@friendzelwashington) at Attaboy Nashville in 2017. It is accurately described as “big, bold, and bitter.” This Kingston-esque Negroni hit the spot and offered herbal complexity. Simon Difford emphasizes the importance of the orange peel oil here, hence why I also used two. Cheers y’all!

07-11-2025

A daiquiri born from L.A. street tacos. This cocktail was created by the wildly talented Branden von Fugate (@thisisacocktailbook). This one was inspired by the flavors of al pastor street tacos. He survived on these for years while he lived in Los Angeles – in fact, he named this drink Los Angeles when he put it on his opening menu at Sueño, though changed it after another similar name sounding cocktail was making the rounds. The new name is a Zelda reference, but also a reference to the motorcycle he always rode to get these tacos. If you’re not already following Branden, fix that. His cocktails are thoughtful, bold, and never boring. Cheers y’all!