Hawaiian Sunset

The Hawaiian Sunset is actually the first real vodka drink I've made and one of the best vodka drinks I've had (though admittedly, I don't order many vodka cocktails). The drink is sour, sweet, and refreshing with a nice, light alcohol finish.

Hawaiian Sunset

• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/2 ounce orgeat
• 1 teaspoon grenadine
• 1 1/2 ounces vodka (Smirnoff)

Shake ingredients with ice; double strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with a lime peel.

h/t: Beach Bum Berry's Sippin' Safari, adapted by Smuggler's Cove

"Monkey" Jam Sour

Piper is doing really well. In addition to feeding herself and drinking from a straw, she us pulling up. She continues to sleep well and smile often.

What a great drink. I first made a "Monkey" Jam Sour (suggested scotch: Three Monkeys) with Hamilton's, a mild and kind of thin-bodied scotch, typically good for being nondescript in mixed drinks. The "Monkey" Jam Sour was really good. I could taste the scotch but it was nicely balanced with the sweet and sour of the raspberry jam I used. Additionally, the jam creates a nice, thick mouthfeel.

Then I bought a bottle of Laphroaig, an extremely peaty scotch from Islay. My Monkey Jam Sour was even better! I guess that shouldn't surprise me because Laphroaig is much better scotch. But Laphroaig is also so peaty I was worried it might not work well. But I did need to worry. This Monkey Jam Sour was still really smokey, but remained incredibly well balanced. The peat also gave the drink an incredible depth. I will definitely make a Monkey Jam Sour again.

"Monkey Jam" Sour

• 2 bar spoons raspberry jam
• 2 ounces scotch (Hamilton's but preferably Laphhroaig)
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters

Shake vigrously over ice; double strain into a rock glass with fresh ice; garnish with an orange peal.

h/t: The Proper Pour with Charlotte Voisey

Amber Road

My Amber Road was delicious. The bourbon comes through, the Aperol lends its distinct burnt orange sweetness, the lemon balanced that sweetness nicely without being overly sour, and the soda makes the drink longer, lighter, and more refreshing. The single dash of Angostura and maple syrup didn't really come through on their own but I think they added to the depth of the drink. The Amber Road (along with the Bufala Negra) is a great summery bourbon cocktail.

Amber Road

• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon (Filibuster Dual Cask)
• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce maple syrup
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 2 ounces soda

Shake bourbon, Aperol, lemon juice, maple syrup, and Angostura bitters over ice; strain into a rocks glass; garnish with a lemon wheel and mint.

h/t: www.foodandwine.com

Debonair

If you have a bottle of Scotch, but maybe not the best bottle, I'd highly recommend the Debonair. The ginger liqueur smooths the drink out with a little sweetness and the spiciness from the ginger plays well with the bite from the scotch. I had pretty low expectations for the Debonair but really enjoyed it.

Debonair

• 2 ounces blended scotch (Hamilton's Lowland)
• 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur (Domain de Canton)

Stir, in a rocks glass over ice, scotch and ginger liqueur.

h/t: Craft of the Cocktail

Part-Time Lover

The elderflower liqueur barely comes through and I think the Aperol covers up the Angostura but this is still a great drink. Tequila and Aperol are, by themselves a great combination.

Part-Time Lover

• 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila (Espolon)
• 1/2 ounce Aperol
• 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur (St. Germain)
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake ingredients over ice; strain, over fresh ice, into a cocktail glass; garnish with grapefruit.

h/t: Joe Weimorts, Idle Hour, Los Angeles, via Imbibe Magazine

Lindenhayn Breakfast

Inspired by Salvator Calabrese's Breakfast Martini (50 ml gin, 15 ml triple sec, 15 ml lemon juice, 1 bar spoon orange marmalade), my Lindenhayn Breakfast was good. The gooseberry jam and pineapple worked really nicely together though the drink was either a little too gin-y or needed a softer, more floral gin (or I am just saying that to get Teresa to let me go but another bottle of gin). I don't think I'd make the Lindenhayn Breakfast exactly the same next time -- it was good but not great. I'll probably at least try using a different gin but could also see using rum as the base or splitting the base as a good option for improving the drink.

Lindenhayn Breakfast

• 1 heaping barspoon gooseberry jam
• 1 1/2 ounces gin (Beefeater)
• 1/2 ounce pineapple juice
• 1/2 ounce triple sec (Cointreau)

Shake vigorously over ice; double strain into a cocktail glass.

Willie Miller

Another drink similar to the Revolver, the Willie Miller is sweetened with Drambuie, a scotch-based honey liqueur with a slight floral flavor. It's really quite good. No, that is not actually Willie Miller.

Willie Miller

• 2 ounces bacon bourbon
• 1/2 ounce Drambuie
• 2 dashes orange bitters (Fee Brothers)

To make bacon bourbon see the post for Bacon Old Fashioned; stir bacon bourbon, Drambuie, and orange bitters with ice.

h/t: Bedlam, New York, New York via Behind the Bar

Suffering Bastard

The Suffering Bastard is light and tart but has a nice alcohol flavor -- especially at the end. I think the alcohol flavor comes from the gin. I made a handful of Suffering Bastards, and one made with a particularly grape-y cognac came out a bit sweeter and more fruity. Much of how good the drink is depends on the ginger beer. I prefer spicy ginger beer and anything too sweet would definitely muddy the other flavors in the drink.

Suffering Bastard

• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce demerara syrup
• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce brandy
• 3 dashes angostura
• 4 ounces ginger beer

Shake lime juice, demerara syrup, gin, brandy, and Angostura bitters over ice; pour into a double old fashioned glass; top with ginger beer.

h/t: Beachbum Berry Remixed via Smuggler's Cove

Humuhumunukunukunukuapia’a

The drink was good but not great. The gin doesn't really give you the real tiki flavor and the lemon was a bit powerful. Additionally, Peychaud's are probably not the best here. Angostura or tiki bitters might've made the drink better, more tropical, deeper.

Humuhumunukunukunukuapia'a

• 3/4 ounce lemon
• 3/4 ounce pineapple
• 1/2 ounce orgeat
• 2 ounces gin (Beefeater)
• 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

h/t: Marcovaldo Dionysos, via Smuggler's Cove