The Recipe Box

Recipes

Classic builds worth mastering — one for every spirit we cover on the show.

The Recipe Box

One classic build per category

Real, well-tested cocktail recipes across every spirit category we cover on the show.

Bourbon

Old Fashioned

Ingredients

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 1 sugar cube (or 1/4 oz simple syrup)
  • 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Orange peel, to garnish

Method

  1. Muddle sugar cube with bitters and a splash of water in a rocks glass.
  2. Add bourbon and a large ice cube; stir until chilled.
  3. Express the orange peel over the drink and drop it in.
Tequila

Paloma

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • Grapefruit soda, to top
  • Salt rim, lime wheel

Method

  1. Salt the rim of a highball glass and fill with ice.
  2. Add tequila and lime juice.
  3. Top with grapefruit soda and stir gently. Garnish with lime.
Cognac

Sidecar

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz cognac
  • 1 oz orange liqueur
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • Sugar rim (optional)

Method

  1. Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
  2. Double strain into a sugar-rimmed coupe.
  3. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Rum

Daiquiri

Ingredients

  • 2 oz white rum
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup

Method

  1. Shake all ingredients hard with ice.
  2. Double strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Scotch

Rob Roy

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blended Scotch
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Method

  1. Stir all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Mezcal

Mezcal Margarita

Ingredients

  • 2 oz mezcal
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 3/4 oz orange liqueur
  • Salt rim

Method

  1. Shake all ingredients with ice.
  2. Strain into a salt-rimmed rocks glass over fresh ice.
  3. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Craft Spirits

Craft Highball

Ingredients

  • 2 oz craft spirit of choice
  • 4 oz soda or tonic water
  • Citrus twist, to garnish

Method

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
  2. Add spirit, top with soda or tonic, and stir once.
  3. Garnish with a citrus twist — a simple build that lets a craft spirit speak for itself.
"The right recipe doesn't hide a good bottle. It lets it speak." Crystal & Roger — The Liquor Connoisseur
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We build out the serving methods behind every bottle we review on the show.

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