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!

Some cocktails are better when they're ready before you need them.

This Flasked Spiced Pear Boulevardier is built for two. Perfect for a cozy date night in or passing it around the firepit with friends as the air starts to cool. WhistlePig 10 Year Rye is the backbone here, bringing bold spice, oak, and a touch of sweetness that plays perfectly with spiced pear and rich sweet vermouth. It's a balanced, rye forward fall sipper that only gets better once it's batched and rested.

Cheers y'all.

This one sits right at the intersection of whiskey, Cognac, and coffee. Inspired by the classic Spanish Carajillo, this Old Fashioned–style riff leans warm, rich, and just slightly sweet, making it perfect for batching and keeping on hand in the freezer.

Built with rye for structure, Cognac for roundness, and a split of coffee liqueur and Licor 43 for depth and subtle vanilla, this is the kind of cocktail that works just as well after dinner as it does late at night.

Batch it once, forget about it, and pour when needed.

Cheers, y'all!

Equal Parts Theory | Episode 1 | Accidental Hipster

This is Episode 1 of Equal Parts Theory, where we see if equal ingredient measurements actually make a good cocktail. Today, we’re making Accidental Hipster, an equal-parts cocktail created around 2015 by Julia and Chris Tunstall after the name came first and the recipe followed.

What should I make next? Drop it below!

Cheers y’all.

Some cocktails are better when they're ready before you need them.

This Flasked Spiced Pear Boulevardier is built for two. Perfect for a cozy date night in or passing it around the firepit with friends as the air starts to cool. WhistlePig 10 Year Rye is the backbone here, bringing bold spice, oak, and a touch of sweetness that plays perfectly with spiced pear and rich sweet vermouth. It's a balanced, rye forward fall sipper that only gets better once it's batched and rested.

Want the full recipe and batching details? Comment FLASK and I'll send it your way.

Cheers, y'all!

From the creator of the Paper Plane comes…

You may know samueljoelross as the founder the the modern classic, Paper Plane (equal parts: rye, lemon, nonino, and aperol). But if you dont live in NY, you probably haven’t tried his other cocktails, specifically this one. The Cobble Hill is a lighter, more refreshing Manhattan that may be your new pre-dinner cocktail.

🎅🏻🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS! I’ve been wanting to smoke a Holiday themed cocktail for a while now and I think I found the perfect vessel for it. I saw this at target and immediately thought it was for smoking my cocktails… is that weird? Anyone know what this is really for? …either way it doesn’t matter because this drink ended up being delicious.

What better way to combine two things I love (craft cocktails and strangerthingstv) than the #StrangerThingsAB cocktail contest held by my dudes apartment_bartender and @keifermadness. Inspiration comes from THE UPSIDE DOWN and a bit of that fall flavor all is basic girls love 💁🏻
.
Cheers y’all, make sure to tune into Season 2 of Stranger Things on netflix TOMORROW!

We can never have enough Old Fashioned recipes, amirite? 🥃

We’re going to make a jasmine-inspired Old Fashioned using the latest release Redemption Sur Lee. This whiskey provides some notes of walnut, jasmine and finishes with a unique umami note which ties together all the ingredients in this cocktail. It’s great neat or on the rocks, but also versatile enough to hold its own in a spirits forward cocktail like this old fashioned.

Cheers y’all!

Meet the Vieux Carré’s American Cousin, La Lousiane.

Here’s another stirred cocktail with roots in Louisiana. This recipe first appeared in 1937 and was the house cocktail at the historic New Orleans restaurant of the same name. It’s a rye-forward cousin to the Vieux Carré and still maintains the delicate balance despite the addition of rye and absinthe.

This is one you’ve got to try, cheers y’all.

Let me make this clear…

I’ve clarified one of my favorite cocktails, The New York Sour. Traditionally made with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup then topped with red wine. In this case, I’m clarifying this cocktail using the milk punch technique where we use the acid in lemon juice to bind with the milk solids to produce a crystal clear, delicate and delicious whiskey sour. Today I’m using Bonterra’s Pinot Noir to compliment due to its rich and bold notes that is the perfect floater for this cocktail.

Cheers y’all!

Home for the holidays?

Doesn’t matter because you’ll be wanting to make this recipe wherever you are. I made this because I was looking for a festive Boulevardier alternative and think this was it. Let me know what yall think!

🥃 Merry Christmas Eve, folks! For our Annual Christmas Party this year, Mick and I came up with the recipe below which was then kegged; needless to say, it was delicious and absolutely demolished by our guests. Hope you enjoy it!

The rye really stands up to the bold flavors of the cranberry shrub. Providing a full-bodied, but refreshing cocktail

Did you miss the holycityhandcraft pop-up over at spectatorhotel a few weeks ago where me and @lancasterchucktown collaborated on THREE craft cocktails? If so, we got you fam... the cocktails are STAYING ON THE MENU at The Spectator Hotel's bar through the Spring. Make sure to stop by and check it out. Also, over the next few weeks I'll also be sharing our recipes for each cocktail!

Sick of espresso martinis?

Try this modern classic instead. It’s a stirred boozy drink and gets its name from the flash from flaming an orange twist. Traditionally served up in a chilled coupe but does perfectly fine over a big rock as well.

Cheers yall.

Well’p, if y’all have been following along, you know that two of my favorite things are a stiff Boulevardier and coming up with twists on a classic. This one is no different, the herbal notes of Chartreuse with the addition of grapefruit bitters takes the place of Campari in a funky yet delicious variation. Give it a shot.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for music festival szn.

Together with my friends at drinkhighwest, I want to share one of three cocktails that High West will be serving at this year’s High Water Festival (highwaterfest) here in Charleston. This cocktail is light, refreshing and pairs perfectly with great music. Let me know if you’ll be out at the festival this year and check out the recipe below while you’re at it!

Please drink responsibly. Cheers y’all.

New recipe, who dis?

This might be one of the best original cocktails recipes I’ve made in a while. It’s perfectly balanced. While the cocktail itself can hold its own, you’ll want to make that foam for that extra layer of flavor and texture. Trust me, it’s worth it!

As promised... and because you deserve something silky smooth tonight 😉 Cheers to the weekend!