Your signature cocktail.

[gear-guy]

Old fashioned with orange rimmed around the bottom, splash of water, bourbon and Luxardo cherries with a couple dashes of bitters.

 

[BriarWolf]

Myself along with a friend of mine of Irish and Polish extraction, created a little Slavic homage to the classic Johnny Jump Up that we've christened the Pilsudski Jump Up, after the famous Polish national leader. Its simply 50/50 Luksusowa wodka and Zywiec beer.

 

[DNO]

Finally made myself a Vesper...vodka, gin and lillet blanc. Now that's good.

 

[Frunobulax]

Aged rum, with an ice cube. And more aged rum.

 

[oak1971]

Brandy Old Fashioned. It's a Wisconsin thing.

 

[Bushman]

Vodka mixed with lemonade, and chopped berries, and a basil leaf.

 

[Fading Fast]

I have several go-to cocktails, but one that always stay high on the list is the French 75.

As with most cocktails there are several variations and, as with all cocktails, good ingredients are a must.

You'll see my two favorite recipes below, but at a high level, what I like about a French 75 is that it combines (not literally, but just by way of ingredients it gets pretty close) two of my favorite drinks - champagne and a Tom Collins.

My two favorite variations are:

First Version

1. 
   Ingredients: 2 oz Champagne, 1/2 oz Lemon juice, 1 oz Gin, 2 Dashes Simple syrup
   Preparation: Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into an iced champagne glass. Top up with Champagne. Stir gently.
   Drinkware: Champagne flute

^This one has the elegance of champagne but with more of a cocktail kick from the gin.

Second version

Ingredients

• 2 ounces gin -- London dry gin
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 5 ounces Brut champagne
• Collins glass

Instructions:
Shake well with cracked ice in a chilled cocktail shaker, then strain into a Collins glass half-full of cracked ice and top off with champagne.

^This one leans more to the Tom Collins parts of the drink and is nice when you want a more meaningful glass in your hand. For the above, I like simple syrup better than superfine sugar as I find it mixes more consistently.

There are many other versions, but the biggest variation I've seen is when the gin is substituted for cognac. I like this drink very much too, but in my mind, it is not a true French 75 once you use cognac, but just another wonderful champagne cocktail.

 

[Bamaboots]

Interesting, Fading Fast. One I've never heard of.

 

[Mister Cairo]

The Rusty Nail. Scotch and Drambuie, or as I like to call it, scotch with a side order of scotch...

 

[Trenchfriend]

"Christmas-Coffee":

-3 massed spoons grain-coffee
-2 spoons sugar/cinnamon-mix 50/50
-1 spoon sugar

Mix it well!

 

[Braz]

Habanero Pepper Olives
I'm a martini guy, gin, up. I generally buy queen olives in half gallon size jars. Recently I had a habanero pepper that was going to go bad unless I used it. On a lark I cut it in half, deseeded it and tossed it into the olive jar. After a few days the olives began to pick up a little of the heat - not too much - and made a delightful slightly hot olive finish to the martini. I will certainly do this again and probably add it to my usual practice.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

So, I went to a nice restaurant and ordered a Scotch ale, which was on their beer list and all. They brought me a Dewar's and Ginger ale. Two great tastes that DON'T go together. Blehhhhhhh!!. I sent it back, but they brought it back again anyway. I did get the Beer form of Scotch ale, and it was great.

Later and a late Merry Xmas

 

[newsman]

Scotch...with nothing...or sometimes a little ice. Depends on the Scotch.

 

[gear-guy]

Had this a little while ago, it's called a Washington fizz. 2 parts plantation rum, 1 part lemon juice and 4 parts apple cider. Very nice.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Years ago, on one summer, I was addicted to "Diesel", also known as "Dirty". Means 3/5 Coke, 2/5 beer.

Sorry...

 

[djhatman]

A dram of 10year Laphroaig with a bowl of some good latakia tobacco. I enjoy them while watching the sun rise. Don't judge I work graveyards.

 

[greatestescaper]

I've never had just one cocktail that I'd always order. Though admittedly I'll never turn down a drink with Jameson Irish Whiskey. More recently I've been expanding my horizons and have found several cocktails that I keep the home bar stocked for.

The Flame of Love is first, while rather involved, is delicious. Supposedly, it was a favorite of Dean Martins, which was largely my inspiration for trying it.

Ingredients are as follows:
-Vodka (2 oz)
-Dry Sherry
-Orange

-chill a martini glass by filling it with ice.
-swirl a bit of sherry to coat the martini glass after removing the ice. Pour off (or drink) the excess
-slice discs of orange peel, careful so as to get the outer skin without pith. You will need several of these.
-take the orange peel discs and squeeze them over the glass to coat while holding a lit match between the glass and the peel. The idea here is that the oils which are exposed to the flame will caramelize.
-the last peel you spray over the glass without the flame and also rub around the outer edge of the glass.
-finally, stir the vodka over ice to chill, and strain into the glass.
-serve with an orange twist

This may sound rather involved, however, the efforts are well worth it!

My other stand by cocktails are, depending on the circumstances, the mojito, and the Manhattan. The Manhattan is a recent cocktail for me, but it's fantastic drink. Luxardo cherries are a must here. Lastly, on the rare occasion I enjoy a well made sazerac, a drink that my wife introduced to me over excellent cajun food.

 

[Julian Shellhammer]

Over about a year, a Boston Sidecar has evolved into Mrs. Shellhammer's cocktail of choice. I prefer a martini or a Manhattan, rotating rye and bourbon to keep things lively.

 

[Lucky Girl]

Vodka mixed with lemonade, and chopped berries, and a basil leaf.

That sounds heavenly. Does is have a name?

 

[Bushman]

That sounds heavenly. Does is have a name?

I can't remember. I kinda stole the idea from a restaurant, and made it my own.