08-19-2025

This cocktail was created in 2015 by Scott Diaz (@scottbarfly) of Seattle, WA. The name sums it up perfectly. This drink takes smoky Scotch out of its usual lane and drops it straight into tiki territory. Banana and pineapple bring the tropics, coconut cream adds richness, and the aromatics of the fresh nutmeg take it home. It’s like finding palm trees in the Highlands. Cheers y’all!

08-18-2025

This cocktail comes from Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles, CA. Bourbon provides warmth, lemon keeps it bright, orgeat adds subtle nuttiness, and Angostura rounds it out with a gentle spice. It’s approachable, layered, and easy to sip, making it a perfect introduction to bourbon cocktails. Cheers y’all!

08-17-2025

This cocktail was created by Erick Castro (@hungrybartender) at Gilly’s House of Cocktails in San Diego, CA. It’s a mix of reposado tequila, pineapple, and lime that feels light on its feet, but the coffee liqueur and cinnamon give it a roasted depth and warm spice. I could enjoy this one year round. Cheers y’all!

08-16-2025

Back in 2019, Collin Nicholas (@uncommoncocktails) put this one together at G-Love in Portland, OR. He took inspiration from the Boulevardier, but swapped things around to let Aperol’s bright bitterness play against Cynar’s dark, earthy spice. The backbone is rye, and the whole thing gets lifted with a mist of the herbal Czech liqueur, Becherovka, that adds this warm, baking spice aroma. Cheers y’all!

08-15-2025

This one is an original of mine. I love any time I can combine pineapple and coffee. The process of making the pineapple distillate captures the essence of a pineapple in peak season, with all its succulent, bright, and juicy notes, but without the sweetness. Averna adds that bittersweet, herbal layer that ties it all together, and a touch of salt makes every flavor pop. Cheers y’all!

08-14-2025

From The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book, ghostwritten by Lou Bustamante (@thevillagedrunk). It’s a cross between a Last Word (gin, maraschino, chartreuse, lime) and an Aviation (gin, maraschino, violette, lemon). Although the ingredients more resemble an Aviation, the equal-parts nature brings it back to a Last Word. The result is a cocktail that lands somewhere between sharp and floral, striking the balance of both drinks in one glass. “Do not cross Violet, matriarch of the Crawley family, whose skill at disarming opponents and getting what she wants is supreme.” Cheers y’all!

08-13-2025

This daiquiri-style cocktail was created by Sean Hoard (@seanfromportland) at Teardrop Lounge in Portland, OR. It’s named for the Wray & Nephew rum, though any white overproof Jamaican rum will work. Pineapple juice and lime keep it bright, while Fernet Branca adds a subtle herbal bite. Cheers y’all!

08-12-2025

This cocktail was created by Liam Odien (@liamchaun) at Playa Provisions in Playa Del Rey, CA. A lover of piña coladas, Liam was inspired by the flavors of pozole verde, giving this drink a spicy, tropical lift with an herbal whisper from the absinthe. Cheers y’all!

08-11-2025

Bourbon, peaches, and Scotch? Yes please! I spotted this cocktail on Liber & Co and immediately cracked open my bottle of peach syrup. Recipe credit to the great Steve Roennfeldt (@stevethebartender). It’s built like a whiskey sour, but Steve layers in a touch of smoky Islay Scotch that plays beautifully with the peach syrup — think grilled peaches by the campfire. If you love whiskey and summer in the same glass, this one’s a must-shake. Cheers y’all!

08-10-2025

This cocktail was created by Liber & Co. It’s a stirred, spirit-forward drink that combines the warmth of Cognac and aged rum with the herbal depth of Bénédictine. Peach syrup adds a soft fruit note, and a pinch of salt rounds the flavors, making it a complex, balanced nightcap. Cheers y’all!

08-09-2025

This cocktail was created by Ten To One Rum. It’s essentially a Spicy Honeysuckle riff, swapping lime for fresh lemon. The bright citrus pairs with the warmth and sweetness of hot honey syrup for a balanced, approachable drink that’s easy to execute. Cheers y’all!

08-08-2025

I stumbled across this clever Paper Plane riff last week and had to reshake it. Created by @rumbleandstir, the name is spot on and the flavors are beautifully balanced. This one is warming enough for fall, yet bright enough to enjoy any time of year. Between the spice of the rye, the pear liqueur’s baked-fruit warmth, the Aperol-lemon brightness, and the earthy bitterness of Averna, this one really flies. Cheers y’all!

08-07-2025

This one’s from Isaiah LaBelle (@onesipclub), and it’s kind of like a Siesta that got turned into a highball. You still get that tequila-Campari punch, but with a little sparkle from soda water and the citrusy backbone of a Margarita. Super refreshing, super easy, super crushable. Cheers y’all!

08-06-2025

This cocktail was created in 2018 by Jenner Cormier (@jennercormier) at Bar Kismet in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I first came across it via Frederic Yarm, who spotted it in Imbibe. It’s one of those drinks that walks the line between bright and spirit-forward. This one is easy to sip in the middle of summer, but with enough depth to enjoy any time of year. Cheers y’all!

08-05-2025

This cocktail was created by Brett Adams and Jacob Grier, featured in their book Raising The Bar. It’s a reworking of their gin-based Jubilant, swapping in tequila blanco and lime for a brighter, more agave-driven profile. Bénédictine adds subtle herbal complexity, fresh orange and lime juice bring balanced acidity, and a touch of rich demerara syrup rounds out the flavors. The egg white gives it a smooth texture, making it a margarita riff that drinks like a refined gin sour. Cheers y’all!

08-04-2025

Someone said I hate bourbon, so here’s a cocktail you need to make. This one comes from the legendary Sasha Petraske. Bourbon, lemon, and honey already make a solid trio. Yellow Chartreuse adds an herbal twist that takes it to another level. A generous float of Angostura bitters brings even more depth. To quote Carolyn Gill, who worked at Milk & Honey, “The Stark may be a very simple drink, but the love put into it makes it very special.” Cheers y’all!

08-03-2025

This cocktail was created in 2006 by Michael McIlroy and Richard Boccato at Milk & Honey in New York City. It’s a minimalist, stirred gin cocktail that leans heavily on freshness rather than sweetness. Aperol softens the gin with gentle bitterness, while muddled cucumber brings a clean, green note that keeps the drink crisp and restrained. Simple specs, precise execution, and very much in the Milk & Honey lineage. Cheers y’all!

08-02-2025

This cocktail was created in 2009 by Thomas Waugh (@gooddaysunshine425) at Death & Co. It’s a riff on the Fitty-Fitty, the equal parts martini made popular by Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club, but with a Scandinavian twist. The name itself tells you it’s equal parts (the best kind of recipe), though it takes real finesse to keep everything in balance. Here it’s a split base of dry gin and star anise and caraway forward aquavit, with white vermouth smoothing it all out. Maybe another “one” should be added to the name for the Orange bitters, which brighten and lift the finish. Cheers y’all!

08-01-2025

This cocktail was created in 2019 by the talented Chad Austin (@chaddaustin) at Lono Bar (now closed; Hollywood, CA). I’ve shared riffs on the Trinidad Sour before, which led me to come across this one. WOW, I can’t believe it took me this long to make it. It’s huge on aromatics and flavor, and the balance is impressive. You really do feel like you’re in a tiki bar when you’re sipping one of these. Cheers y’all!

07-31-2025

This one comes from Regarding Cocktails by Sasha Petraske. The Tequila Eastside was created by Christy Pope (@christpope) at Milk & Honey, inspired by Chad Solomon’s Eastside Fizz from his time at Libation. It’s a simple swap (gin for tequila) but with a more restrained spec. Sasha suggested bringing the tequila down to 1½ oz to keep the agave spirit in check. Crisp and cooling with lime, cucumber, and mint, it’s the kind of drink that earns its spot fast. Cheers y’all!