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 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.

What would happen if the Sazerac and Rob Roy had a love child? This.

We could all use more sherry cocktails in the world after all. This one uses the rich raisin notes in PX sherry to round out the flavors from the single malt scotch. If you know me, you know I love flaming my absinthe to give it a bit more toasted sugar/caramel flavor, this is optional.. If you’re a fan of Manhattans, you’re going to love this cocktail.

Cheers y’all.

Hey at least I can admit when I f**k up, right?

In an effort to do a bit more research, I want to share the incredible history behind an iconic tiki cocktail: the zombie. Created by Don the Beachcomber (and NOT Trader Vic — thanks to everyone who pointed that out). This classic tiki cocktail is as full of history as it is rum. I hope y’all found this video as informative as I did.

Now… who wants to know the recipe to Don’s Mix? Should I make a zombie in the next video? Comment below.

Cheers y’all.

A fantastic voyage, you say? You can find that here.

In an effort to showcase some of the local restaurants/bars and amazing talent here in Charleston, SC. You can find this cocktail recipe at thequinteoysterbar or lowlandtavern tavern right in the heart of downtown Charleston. This take on a traditional Air Mail, an OG cocktail from the 1930s.

Looking for a new classic recipe to try tonight? Why not let Charleston’s own Jayce McConnell show you how to make HIS favorite cocktail - The Sazerac.