For the life of me, I could not find the connection between the book and this drink. But for whatever it is worth, this is gin, vodka, sweet vermouth and lemon juice. Full of aroma, lot less in flavor but the gin surely bites into the inside of your lips…

Midori Liqueur, Vodka, Ginger, cranberry juice and lemon juice.

This is more of a post dinner drink. Cognac and Chambord Raspberry Liqueur. The proper way to take it is to warm it ever so gently (try over a stove or if in a pinch, microwave for 10 seconds or so). You can use rocks too – which is what I have used since I wanted to spread the drink over a longer timeframe (I have not had dinner yet).

When I read up about this drink, I was assuming that it would have some relationship with the cocktail Kiss Me Slow that I had made almost a year back. Turns out they have nothing to do with each other. This has Curacao, Absinthe, Bitters and Soda Water.

Not my most favorite cocktail. The Absinthe, of course brought the freshness but the taste was too bland to the tongue. Plus I do not think I am a big soda water fan. But here it is if you want to try it out…

It is cold and wet. Needed something strong but light (it is yet to be 5 PM). Opted for something in Canadian whisky. This one has Triple Sec, Bitters, Powdered Sugar and of course, Canadian Whisky (I used Canadian Club which I have found to be lighter and smoother).

Very refreshing gin based drink. This has cucumber (muddled), mint (muddled), lime juice, simple syrup and gin. Because of the accent on cucumber, I used Hendrick’s gin.

This was is for the cinnamon aficionados… Goldschlager (cinnamon liqueur from Switzerland), Grand Marnier and Ginger Ale…

I had heard about this drink a few weeks back from the lady behind the bar at Indigo (newly opened in Alpharetta and certainly one of the more knowledgeable folks behind a bar) but never had a chance to look it up. The reason the lady had asked me to try it was I had told her that I like bitter drinks but not as bitter as – say, a Negroni.

Today I researched it up. This is a pretty new drink. It was first concocted by the well known mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Oregon in 2008. I have seen him at Clyde Common bar in Portland. However, when I researched his resume, it would appear that he came up with this drink when he was at Bel Ami bar in Eugene.

The drink itself has Anejo Rum (I wish Vikram Das was here this evening – not too many people enjoy rum drinks that do not have a fruit base as he does), Sweet Vermouth, Triple Sec, Campari and Angostura Bitters. I was expecting it to be a little sweet given the ingredients. But half an ounce of Campari and a dash of bitters was enough to overpower the sweetness from the three ounces of rum, sweet vermouth and triple sec. It was a little unique and confusing sensation since the nose was detecting the richness of sweet orange aroma – the triple sec, the garnish etc but the tongue clearly was left with the after taste of slight bitterness.

Very nice, refreshing drink for a cold evening if you are not in the mood for a brown alcohol.
Gin (I used a dry one – Tanquerray), Yelliw Chartreuse, limoncello (I still have half a bottle left of what we brought from Italy last year) and some lemon juice.
The literature called for cherry as a garnish. I was not sure a maraschino would go with this drink (opinions, anybody?), so I opted for a brandied one.