Cocktails

Cocktails

There are several iconic cocktails-from the Bobby Burns to the Singapore Sling to the Vieux Carré-that call on Bénédictine . But despite the cocktail revival's best efforts, there are dozens more that have remained in obscurity. Shawn Lickliter, owner of the newly opened Vandell in LA's Los Feliz neighborhood, is perhaps the perfect practitioner to steward long-lost drinks made with the liqueur back into the spotlight.

But no matter my current level of interest in the league itself, one thing I can always get behind is a game-day watch party. I'll take any excuse to gather friends, eat snacks, drink beer, and be merry, especially when I can do it all from the comfort of my own living room. What better way to spend one of the coldest months of the year?

There's something about sipping a piña colada that makes you feel like you're on vacation, even if you're just at home. Too many piña coladas taste way too sweet with only a hint of rum. But I've found out that the original recipe for this classic cocktail has a perfect balance between the pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and aged rum.

Nipperkin - Not only does it feel like you're having a cocktail in your suspiciously wealthy and eccentric aunt's parlour, but every single drink here is so deftly judged. Their focus on British produce showcases unexpected flavours in classics, the view of the bartenders tempering ice lulls you into a doe-eyed daze, and the people watching would have given Jilly Cooper plentiful material. (RIP Dame J)

R1's "LLM-powered intelligence... distills your cravings into bespoke generative recipes" via "unlimited AI generated recipes," the device can only hold eight cocktail ingredients at a time. Consider a scenario where you load up ingredients to pump out a Manhattan - rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters - as well as a Vesper, which calls for gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc.

The following is a roundup and ranking of a whopping 19 different bottles, and if I'm being honest, ranking them was no easy task. All of the below are either single-pour spirits or spirits that can easily be mellowed out with a cream liqueur addition (such is the case with some of the espresso/coffee/chocolate liqueurs below). So, when ranking them, I relied heavily on personal preference.

Traditionally, shrubs are made with vinegar, but for this one we use lemon juice to bring a bright sharpness to the base syrup, because it balances the earthy sweetness of the beetroot and sumac. A 0% gin brings some botanical notes to proceedings, but the syrup also works wonderfully just topped with soda water. You'll need to start the syrup a day ahead.

Pepsi isn't just a fizzy cola you sip straight from the can - it's also a zingy, sugary, effervescent secret weapon in the world of cocktails and mocktails, bringing personality and balance to your glass. A standard 12-ounce Pepsi packs about 41 grams of sugar and 150 calories, giving it a bold sweetness and enough body to stand up to spirits like rum, bourbon, and tequila, while also softening herbaceous and bitter ingredients in non-alcoholic concoctions.

Enter DeKuyper's Razzmatazz - the flavor-packed raspberry cordial. DeKuyper may be an underdog in the world of spirits, but it knows its stuff when it comes to the flavored liqueur market. That's because DeKuyper does sweet well, and it has affordability and variety covered to boot! Even if you're unfamiliar with DeKuyper's catalog, chances are you've come across a bottle of DeKuyper triple sec.

You'll first notice a change in flavor. Vermouth - a mixture of fruity wine and botanicals - will rise to the top of your palate revealing itself to be complex, spicy, and with a slightly bitter tang. Typically, these flavors are buried under a mountain of gin, so a reverse martini's actually a pretty good way to get to know vermouth.

During the 2025 run of his Las Vegas residency, Usher became known for a particular bit. Wrapped in a furry overcoat, the singer would descend from the stage with a glass full of ruby red maraschino cherries. He would then hand-feed the fruit to select members of the audience. It's a flirty, cheeky gesture that spawned numerous viral videos. But it also hints at something essential, but little-known, about Usher: He knows how to give a good gift.

Since Backbar opened in 2011, tucked into a weird little former office space attached to the now-defunct Journeyman restaurant, the acclaimed cocktail bar has probably served around 3,000 distinct cocktails, according to cofounder Sam Treadway. That includes about 700 different clarified milk punches-smooth, clear drinks infused with complex flavors (his favorite tasted like trail mix)-and countless cocktails inspired by wide-ranging themes, most notably Star Wars.

Subtly sweet and sophisticated, this sparkling beverage is the perfect cocktail option to see you into the New Year, and it provides something a little more exciting than just a plain glass of Champagne. Simple to rustle up, this beverage can be assembled in just a minute or two, and is easy to make in larger numbers - meaning you can treat your guests to an elegant tipple without any fuss.

Hibiscus is a flower with petals that are dried into a tart infusion for teas and aguas frescas. According to Salas, "Hibiscus is a perfect addition to margaritas because it brings a tart, cranberry-like flavor that complements lime and tequila due to its subtle floral sweetness." Furthermore, it imparts a deep red hue to any liquid infusion, which Salas says "[makes] for a visually striking cocktail that's perfect for snapping photos or impressing guests."

Got a great bottle of bourbon whiskey? Bourbon works in any season. While it's most often thought of in winter and fall with its cozy notes of vanilla and oak, there bubbly, refreshing summer bourbon cocktails, too! I've have made hundreds of whiskey cocktails, and I've found I most often turn to bourbon in classic cocktails because of its smooth and sweet flavor.