Elevate your at-home martini game 🍸

A martini service is my favorite way to serve up a martini for 2. It lets everyone pick and choose their own variation and everyone leaves happy. Feel free to scale this recipe into a bigger batch since this would be great as a freezer door martini as well.

Cheers y’all

Up next on Charleston's tour of #NegroniWeek with campari_southcarolina is my buddy Jimmy Chmielewski (jimmy_withthe_goodhair) at @thearcher with his take on a recipe thats a Negroni that drinks like a spritz, check it out below. "We really wanted to showcase some of the less conventional ingredients or techniques that we're utilizing at The Archer. The coconut and milk oolong tea really give the Campari a sort of bitter fruit loop flavor and a much more velvety mouthful. We also stand by the belief that most things are better carbonated and a negroni is no different. The force carbonation makes a boozy sipper feel like a light and fizzy Spritz. In terms of the thought process of the ingredients, toasted coconut screams tiki, so we really wanted to lean into that flavor profile (hence, banana and rum) without getting too far away from what a negroni truly tastes "

My apologies to the entire country of Italy 🙈

I’m convinced this is the martini of the summer 🍅🍸

This is long overdue, but I finally had to try the Tomato Martini (aka Tomato-Tini aka Tomato-tini) created by my friend drinksbyevie. If you’re a fan of dirty (read: filthy) savory martinis then this one is for you. I added just a slight kiss of MSG to this one just to highlight a bit of the natural MSG in tomatoes and I thought it worked out beautifully.

Have you made this recipe yet?

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.

You’ve heard the term teeny tiny, but have you heard the term… 🍸🤏🏾

…and a partridge in a pear tree.

Happy holiday season y’all. Together with my friends at bruichladdich I’ve created a take on the classic Rob Roy. This takes The Classic Laddie, an unpeated scotch whisky, and combines it with the flavors of spiced pear and walnut to create a cocktail that is easy, delicious, and beautiful. Anyone can make this recipe, so make sure to give the gift of The Classic Laddie this holiday season by heading to the link in my bio!

Mare-ly Perfect Ride by Caroline Woodruff
This idea comes from a Paddock, which is an area for horses to graze in after a big day.  I wanted to really show off saddled leather and grassy notes from a split of dry vermouth for my take on a Boulevardier.  It’s easily one of my favorite cocktails to have many adaptations of, this one is a bit lighter, while the bitters let it run in a different strong direction.  

This might be the most meta thing I’ve ever done…

🥥 Remember when we aged that rum Negroni in a coconut? Well, I hope y’all didn’t throw away that coconut meat soaked with the Negroni because it’s packed with flavor. So now that we’ve aged a Negroni in that coconut, we’re going to age the coconut in a Bianco Negroni - stay tuned for part 2!

Its like a highball…but a martini. Listen, I’m a big martini fan - but they are hardly sessionable. This recipe is a bit lighter but well balanced. Give it a try.

Cheers y’all.

Alright you heard the man.

If you’re not familiar, the Rosita is a Gaz modern classic in the same family as the Negroni. It’s lighter and more delicate, using tequila as the base spirit. If you’re a fan of Negronis or the bitter sweet flavor profile, you’re going to love this one.

Cheers y’all.

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!

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.

Happy Birthday America! 🇺🇸Debuted in 1924, the Scofflaw Cocktail was named after the individuals who clandestinely sipped spirits during Prohibition.

Here’s another twist on an Amaro cocktail from btparsons book, “Amaro” named the ‘Toronto’ — I’ll admit I’m not the most avid fan of Canadian whiskies, but you’ll be surprised what a touch of black walnut bitters, Fernet and demerara will do a cocktail.

🔥🍸 Oh the weather outside is… weather? Wait, how does it go?
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I don’t know about you but sometimes classic cocktails just take me back to the holidays. They’re simple, easy and perfect after a long day. Enjoy this one next to the fire and bundle up.

Oh the weather outside is… weather? Wait, how does it go?

I know we just did a classic martini but when it comes to martini variations, this one is my absolute favorite. This recipe is simple, elegant and perfect after a long day. Enjoy this one next to the fire and bundle up with a Christmas movie.

PS. For every “oh boo hoo, you wasted some and spilled liquor everywhere” or “what a mess” comment, I’ll be donating $5 to my kids’ college funds. I know it’s coming 😄

Have you ever wondered how to barrel age a cocktail at home? I’m excited to once again #partner up with Cooperscraft to show y’all how to do so! The barrel aging technique is not only a tried and true way to batch a cocktail, it’s also a great way to add a subtle toasty flavor while mellowing a cocktail to create a perfect balance of flavors. The instructions are simple and the hardest part will be waiting for the cocktail to age without wanting to have more than one sample. .
Note that not all barrels are created equal, so the recipe is split into equal parts instead of exact measurements. Make sure to read the barrel preparations from your manufacturer before the barrel aging process as those instructions can vary per manufacturer as well. Enjoy!

Another highlight of Mountain Weekend was bartacolife in Asheville, NC coming in hot (literally) with street tacos and cocktails next to their wood burning fireplace — we managed to try almost their entire cocktail menu.