DrinkUp! Cocktails

{ cocktail } The Old Fashioned 101

Posted in: Whiskey / Scotch / Bourbon

Ingredients ~

1-1/3 ounce Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 ounce apple cider
3 sage leaves
1 pinch of saffron
1 tsp brown sugar
2 orange twists
1 tsp orange zest
1 fresh cherry
1 ounce Amaretto

Directions ~

Slice cherry 5 times vertically around the pit, and soak in the Amaretto. Muddle cider, sage, saffron, brown sugar, orange twists and zest together in glass. Add Wild Turkey Bourbon and stir. Strain and serve over ice, garnish with Amaretto-soaked cherry.

{ spirits } Cold River Traditional Gin

Posted in: Gin / Flavored Spirits

Tasting notes ~

Maine Distilleries' Cold River Gin begins with a neutral spirit made from Maine potatoes. Seven botanicals are steeped in the alcohol, distilled and blended with water from the Cold River Aquifer to produce an ultra-smooth traditional gin.

Juniper is the predominant, yet not overpowering flavor ~ perfectly balanced by lemon, sweet orange, coriander, cardamom, angelica and orris root.
Alcohol by Volume: 47% ~ Gluten-Free

Enjoy ~

Cold River Gin is meant to be sipped and enjoyed on its own.

{ cocktail } The Whiskey Sour 101

Posted in: Whiskey / Scotch / Bourbon

Ingredients ~

1-1/2 ounces Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce honey
1 fresh cherry
1 ounce Wild Turkey American Honey
Dollop of egg white

Directions ~

Slice cherry 5 times vertically around the pit, and soak in the Wild Turkey American Honey. Combine Wild Turkey Bourbon, grapefruit juice, lime juice and honey in a cocktail shaker. Froth egg white and add a dollop to the mixture. Shake and serve over ice. Garnish with the soaked cherry.

{ wine } Zaca Mesa Roussanne

Posted in: Wine

Tasting notes ~

Roussanne is a variety of white grape native to France's Rhone Valley. Zaca Mesa's 2007 Roussanne is estate grown and bottled in Santa Barbara County, California. It's a complex wine with aromas of apricots, figs, honey and spice, a creamy mouthfeel, lingering finish and the winery's signature touch of minerality.
Alcohol by Volume: 14.5%

Food Pairings ~

Zaca Mesa's Roussanne is versatile enough to pair with intensely flavored entrees like lobster risotto or rosemary chicken, spicy foods, grilled fish and creamy cheeses.

{ punch } Tropical Early Riser

Posted in: Holidays / Celebrations , Rum

Ingredients ~

3 parts Ron Abuelo Añejo Rum
1 part Jumbie Coconut Splash
2 parts mango juice
2 parts pineapple juice
Orange slices
Maraschino cherries

Directions ~

Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Add ice, maraschino cherries and orange slices. To serve, pour into a tall ice-filled glasses.

{ cocktail } Blueberry Vodka Mojito

Posted in: Vodka

Ingredients ~

2 ounces Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka
1 ounce fresh lime juice
6 mint leaves
4 fresh blueberries
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Club soda

Directions ~

Muddle the mint leaves, blueberries and simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add the vodka and lime juice and shake with ice. Pour into a tall glass, top with club soda, garnish with mint (single serving recipe - pitcher quantities follow).

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{ feature } Southern Comfort Lime

Posted in: Liqueurs / Cordials , Reviews

Southern Comfort is a distinctive liqueur made from whiskey that's been blended with fruit and spices. The original pairs so well with the tangy flavor of lime, that the makers have created a delicious new blend, Southern Comfort Lime.

Southern Comfort Lime is ready to be enjoyed on the rocks, with a splash of soda or mixed into a light and refreshing cocktail.

We got the notion to try it in a white sangria combined with a little peach brandy and some fresh fruit and were pretty pleased with the result.

Try our recipe or one of the others that follow ~

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{ feature } Campari: Italy's Unique Spirit

Posted in: Aperitifs

Campari, Italy's renowned crimson apèritif, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Its distinctive taste and vivid color make it a favorite for creating both classic and contemporary cocktails.

A proprietary infusion of aromatics, herbs and fruits in a blend of alcohol and water, Campari's flavor is bitter with overtones of orange. Try it in one of the cocktails featured here and serve as an apèritif.

Classic Campari & Orange

1-1/4 ounces Campari
4 ounces orange juice
Pour Campari and orange juice together over ice.

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{ cocktail } X-Rated Fusion Xplosion

Posted in: Liqueurs / Cordials , Vodka

Ingredients ~

2 ounces X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 ounce SKYY Vodka
1 ounce peach-mango juice
Slice of mango
Slice of passion fruit
Splash of simple syrup
Splash of grapefruit juice

Directions ~

Muddle slices of mango and passion fruit with simple syrup. Combine with other ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

{ wine } Concannon 2009 Riesling

Posted in: Reviews , Wine

About Concannon ~

Concannon Vineyard is a family-owned California winery whose tradition of making fine wines dates back more than 125 years.

Their Selected Vineyards series of wines are made from carefully chosen Central Coast vineyards using traditional techniques like small-lot barrel fermentation and oak aging.

Tasting Notes ~

The Selected Vineyard 2009 Riesling is an aromatic white wine, well balanced with a subtle sweetness, refreshing acidity and flavors of fresh, ripe pear and tropical fruit.

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{ cocktail } Rum Jumbie Mojito

Posted in: Rum

Ingredients ~

1-1/4 ounce Rum Jumbie Liqueur
12 mint leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 ounce lime juice
2 ounces soda

Directions ~

Place mint leaves in bottom of glass. Add crushed ice, Rum Jumbie Splash, sugar, and lime juice. Gently muddle. Add soda water and garnish with mint leaves.

About Rum Jumbie Liqueur ~

Rum Jumbie is a blend of premium Caribbean rum infused with natural orange and tropical fruit flavors and a hint of spice.

{ cocktail } Buon Giorno

Posted in: Aperitifs , Vodka

Ingredients ~

1-1/2 ounces SKYY Vodka
1/2 ounce Campari
1/2 ounce Luxardo
1/4 ounce honey
Pinch of sea salt
1 ounce Prosecco
2 to 3 cantaloupe chunks

Directions ~

Muddle cantaloupe chunks with honey and salt in a shaker. Add ice, SKYY Vodka, Campari and Luxardo and shake vigorously. Strain into a collins glass with crushed ice. Top with Prosecco and garnish with melon balls on a toothpick.