Style is personal. So why should your cocktail try to copy somebody else’s?

I teamed up with my friends at Ralph Lauren Fragrances to build a cocktail around their Ralph’s Club New York Parfum, and the fragrance did most of the talking. Black currant, cognac, oud wood. That’s basically a drink order.

So we built a Manhattan style sipper with cognac as the base, swapped the sweet vermouth for creme de cassis and a touch of dry vermouth, added a barspoon of absinthe and a few dashes of bitters, then finished it with an expressed lemon twist for brightness. Given the NY roots on this bottle, I’m calling it The State of Mind.

Cheers, y’all!

The P*rnstar Martini is a modern classic—fruity, approachable, and built on a formula that works. But here’s the thing: formulas can be reworked if you respect what makes them work in the first place.

This Mexican version starts with Mijenta Reposado, which brings oak and vanilla complexity that rum or vodka can’t match. Passionfruit syrup keeps that fruity brightness the original is known for. But here’s where it gets interesting: Nixta. It’s a corn-forward Mexican spirit that adds something earthy and unexpected—it’s not trying to hide, it’s showing up as itself. Vanilla agave syrup bridges the gap between the tequila’s spice and the passionfruit’s sweetness. Fresh lime brings the tart snap.

The egg white is optional, but if you use it, shake hard for a silky texture that transforms the whole experience. The tepache sidecar is the final touch—it’s fermented, slightly funky, and it makes sense alongside this drink in a way champagne never could in a margarita moment.

This is a martini built on Mexican spirits that deserve more attention. Sophisticated, fruity, and genuinely different.

Cheers, y’all!

Why does bourbon get a reputation as a cold weather drink??

Together with my friends at @fourrosesbourbon,

we’re going to prove that theory wrong, and honestly, it wasn’t hard.

Four Roses Small Batch brings a soft, fruity character with layers of spice that hold up beautifully against tropical flavors, which makes it a surprisingly natural fit for a frozen drink. So instead of reaching for rum, I built this Pina Colada around bourbon instead. Coconut cream and pineapple juice bring that classic tiki sweetness, a splash of lime juice adds acidity to balance it out, and blending it all with ice gives you that thick, frosty texture that disappears fast on a hot day.

What’s your go to bourbon cocktail for summer? Drop it below, I might build it next.

Cheers, y’all!

National Tequila Day deserves a riff that actually hits.

Loca Loka Blanco brings clean, fruity Highland agave character to fresh watermelon, bright basil, and a salted rim. We're freezing it smooth with Aperol and agave syrup, then garnishing with a watermelon slice and basil leaf. This is the margarita your summer's been waiting for.

Cheers, y'all!

The Corpse Reviver No. 2 belongs to a family of cocktails that date back to the late 1800s. These drinks were supposedly designed to do exactly what the name suggests: revive the drinker from the dead after a long night.

Many versions of the Corpse Reviver existed in the late 19th century, though most were lost to time. The best-known recipe today is the Corpse Reviver No. 2, which was preserved in Harry Craddock's 1930 book The Savoy Cocktail Book.

Like many cocktails from that era, it faded from popularity during the mid-20th century before being revived during the craft cocktail renaissance of the early 2000s.

The drink works because it follows the classic sour template: a base spirit balanced with citrus and sweetness. In this case, gin provides structure, orange liqueur and lemon bring brightness, and Lillet Blanc acts as the aromatic wine component that ties everything together.

The final touch is an absinthe rinse, which lightly coats the glass and adds a subtle herbal aroma without overwhelming the drink.

Refreshing, tart, and deceptively strong, it's easy to see why Harry Craddock included a warning alongside the recipe:

"Four of these taken in swift succession will un-revive the corpse again."

Cheers, y'all!

Ernest Hemingway was a madman for this.

The original Death in the Afternoon from Hemingway's original recipe called for 1½ oz of Absinthe and 4 oz of Champagne into an unchilled glass, UNDILUTED. Drinking 3-5 of these in succession would be 💀. As someone pointed out in the comments, the original quote was actually to 'drink 3-5 of these SLOWLY' - which makes way more sense (I think).

Big props to @anderserickson who found a way to make it a more balanced and palatable recipe.

Cheers y'all.

I blame the internet for this one…

Diet Coke has always been the caffeine rush, but throw a shot of espresso in there and you’ve got something that hits different. The vanilla sea salt foam is what pushes it over the edge. Sweet, salty, creamy, cold, and caffeinated all at once. This is what viral drinks are supposed to taste like.

Big thanks to @skymckee and @join_jules for the inspo!

Cheers, y’all.

I dare you to make a better Daiquiri this summer #ad

Together with my friends at @luxardousa, we’re going to make a rendition of the classic Hemingway Daiquiri called the Papa Doble Crush, based on a a variant called the Papa Doble - also invented in Havana! It’s the stronger (double) version of the classic Hemingway Daiquiri but blended instead of shaken. While the daiquiri is known for the rum, I feel like the Hemingway has always used Luxarado Maraschino Liqueur as the backbone, and this recipe doubles that too while keeping it balanced.

The legend goes, that Hemingway tried the bar’s standard frozen daiquiri and said, “That's good but I prefer it without sugar and with double rum”

We're crushing ice pretty fine on this one to keep it icy cold and give it that slush texture that makes you understand frozen daiquiris should be the official cocktail of the summer.

Cheers, y'all!

Fun fact: did you know it’s not just cherries that go into maraschino liqueur? They also include the leaves, branches, pits, stems and every part of the Marasca cherry tree to create the iconic liqueur used in this cocktail

What would you make behind this bar?

Together with my friends at @whistlepigwhiskey, I want to share a recipe that I created during a recent stay at the #WhistlePig farm in Vermont.

One of the most incredible parts of the trip for me was the fact that we had free rein in front AND behind the bar while we were there. This meant access to all the tools, mixers, liqueurs and more importantly, every single variety of liquid that WhistlePig has ever bottled. Yes, this includes the various maple syrups from our mutual friends at @runamokmaple.

This recipe came about during our first night at the farm. As we were crushing the fresh oysters and charcuterie after a long travel day, I figured I’d make something to pep everyone up and this was the result. WhistlePig Old World Rye, Aged 12 Years has long been a favorite of mine so that’s where I started as a base. The Sauternes, Port and Madeira finish added some of those fruity notes to the coffee profile. Add some smoked maple, a pinch of sea salt and a flamed orange twist and you’ve got yourself an instant classic.

Next time you’re thinking of an espresso martini, make this instead.

Cheers y’all!

Here we go again… making Filipino food into cocktails 🥥🍹#ad21+

Together with my friends at @tanduayrum, I’m making one of my favorite filipino desserts in buko pandan into my favorite cocktail so I figured why not make it into a crushable daiquiri. Today I’m using Tanduay’s new 10 year old Filipino Rum. It’s got notes of vanilla, oak and caramel which plays perfectly with the pandan syrup and lime. Shaken hard, then served over crushed ice or in a coconut shell for presentation, and then finally topped with toasted coconut and lime for aroma and texture.

Let me know what Filipino ingredient you want me to use in the next recipe!

Cheers y’all.

"Hey Siri, what's the Spanish translation for Vieux Carre?"

I don't know why no one has ever thought to use a split base tequila in a Vieux Carre, but together with my friends at @mijenta tequila, we're creating the Plaza Vieja, which translates to "Old Square" in English and 'Vieux Carre' in French.

It's traditionally a New Orleans-born recipe, using a split base of rye (for the bold, spicy flavor) and cognac (for the mellow fruitiness) to balance. Today we're using Mijenta's Reposado and Gran Reserva Anejo Tequilas to achieve the same balance. This split base plays perfectly with the Benedictine and spices in vermouth. All of it is tied together with a flamed lemon twist to give it a kiss of smokiness.

Give this one a try - or heck, this would be a great one to batch too, let me know if you want to see me make that recipe.

Cheers y'all.

PSA: You need to add this to your Negronis this summer...

The Negroni Sbagliato was born from a happy accident when sparkling wine was poured in place of gin, creating a lighter, more refreshing take on one of Italy's most iconic cocktails. This version takes that idea a step further.

@weberranchvodka brings subtle roasted agave character and a clean, crisp backbone that plays beautifully with Campari's bittersweet orange notes. A scoop of Tipsy Scoop Rodeo Queen Sorbet adds bright citrus and tartness that slowly melts into the drink, softening the bitterness while adding texture and refreshment. Finished with Prosecco, it's equal parts spritz, Negroni riff, and summer dessert.

Cheers, y'all!

Everyone is talking about Negroni Sbagliatos when we should be making these 🍸(x2)…

You can’t go wrong with a classic gin martini (always stirred). Lets make one that maybe even @livkatecooke can be fond of, but maybe just two she doesn’t get too pissed 🐉

Also feel free to change it up, everyone has their own “perfect martini” - so feel free to add some olive brine or a couple dashes of orange bitters. Maybe even throw in some olives (castelvetranos are my fav) or make it a Gibson by adding some cocktail onions to it too (video coming soon). What’s your go-to martini recipe?🍸

It's like if a Mojito with bit more style…

Together with my friends at @mountgayrum and @devereuxgolf, we're going to add some style to something familiar.

These two brands have teamed up to showcase their shared love of craftsmanship and leisure by putting together a line of limited edition designs that are comfortable enough to wear on a golf course to being stylish enough to wear on a sailboat. Check out the collection in the link in my stories.

The Queen's Park Swizzle is named after the historic Queen's Park Hotel in Port of Spain sometime in the early 1900s. Built with rum, mint, lime, and bitters, it's bright, refreshing, and dangerously easy to drink — basically the Caribbean cousin to a Mojito with a little more spice and depth.

For this version, I'm using @mountgayrum Eclipse Rum, whose warm vanilla, baking spice, and oak notes fit perfectly into the drink's tropical backbone while still letting the mint and bitters shine through.

Cheers, y'all!

Gentlemen, start your HORSES (?) 🐎🥃 #ad21+

Together with my friends at @churchilldowns and @kentuckyderby, I’m going to show you how to prep a whole batch of Mint Juleps for your #DerbyAtHome party this weekend.

The Mint Julep has been a staple of Southern drinking culture for well over a century, but it became nationally recognized when it was named the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby in 1938. Since then, it’s become synonymous with race day at Churchill Downs, where hundreds of thousands of juleps are served each year.

Cheers, y’all!

A smashed spicy Margarita? 🌶️ Why not?

My friends at @thelostexplorer just dropped their brand new Reposado Tequila so of course we had to work together to make a recipe together and this one is a banger. Pineapple, lime, habanero and agave are at the forefront of the drink here and is really highlighted by the layered and agave-forward resposado. What sets it apart is the resting process in 3 different casks: Sauternes, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and Bourbon - not only is this combination super rare for tequila, but it adds a layer of richness and complexity you won’t find in any other tequila.

Top this cocktail with some freshly crushed ice to make it truly crushable and you’ve got yourself a drink worthy of summer.

Cheers y’all.

My bad habits are back…

#ad Together with my friends at @tanduayrum, I’ve taken one of my favorite Filipino street foods and found a way to make it into a cocktail. Turon is kind of like a Filipino dessert egg roll, but I made it with jack fruit and I thought, wait a minute, this would be killer as a cocktail, so here we are.

If you’ve never had jackfruit before, it tastes like if a pineapple, banana and mango had a baby. It’s tropical and sweet and I figured it would be perfect as a syrup in a Rum Old Fashioned using Tanduay Overproof. I just figured the tropical notes in the jackfruit would just play really well with an aged, higher proof rum and I wasn’t wrong.

As always, with these drinks, I have to make the a little snack as the garnish, so we’re going to skewer a little piece of turon to caramelize later.

What filipino dessert should I make into a cocktail next? Drop it down below!

Cheers y’all.

Weird (but good).

Jackfruit or ‘Lanka’ (in Tagalog), tastes like if a pineapple, banana and mango had a baby - it’s tropical and sweet and figured it would make for a killer syrup in a tiki drink or hell, even an Old Fashioned (subtle foreshadowing).

Fun fact: The average jackfruit weighs between 15 to 35 pounds (7 to 16 kg). However, as the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, they have a massive size range; smaller varieties can weigh under 10 pounds, while exceptionally large specimens can easily reach 80 to 120 pounds (36 to 55 kg)

Follow along for Part II because I’ll be making something amazing with it but let me know what you’d make with this too!

Ever had a jackfruit before? 🍈🇵🇭

Today I’m making one of my favorite Filipino desserts that my mom used to make when I was a kid.

Everyone is familiar with Filipino lumpia, but turon is like its sweeter, dessert-style cousin. It’s typically stuffed with Saba bananas but today we’re using jackfruit which tastes like if a pineapple, banana and mango had a baby. It’s tropical and sweet and if you can’t get it fresh, just use the canned version like my mom used to. This version is stuffed with fruit, brown sugar then coated in a caramel glaze and so damn good.

Truth be told, this is my first time making this from scratch [without my mom] because I’m doing some R&D on a drink recipe coming soon but I’m so glad I did because it was as delicious as it was nostalgic.

Hope y’all enjoy this one - what filipino dessert should I make next?

Cheers y’all

#ad Is the BEST rendition of an Old Fashioned? 🥃 🍒🍊

Together with my friends at @angosturahouse, we’re going to find out. When I think of an Old Fashioned, the first ingredient that comes to mind is always ANGOSTURA bitters, so we teamed up to make a summer version of this classic and trying their brand new ANGOSTURA demerara syrup with some help from our friends in Wisconsin.

This cocktail is straightforward but we’re going to make some subtle tweaks like substituting 100 proof bourbon for Brandy and using this Demerara simple syrup. If you know me, you know I’ve always preferred Demerara sugar in my old fashioneds because of the rich complexity of the molasses content in the sugar. It just pairs perfectly with any dark spirit like a classic old fashioned.

The Wisconsin-style old fashioned gets a lot of hate due to the fact that you muddle fruit into the cocktail but if you change your mindset from “old fashioned-style” to “smash-style” cocktail served over plenty of crushed ice, I think you’d agree that this is a sippable, refreshing cocktail that you can enjoy in the summer.

Do you agree? Let me know what you think, cheers y’all.