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!

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

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.

A smokey, caramelized pineapple 🤝 tequila #ad21+

Smoky, sweet, and just a little salty, this one is my type of summer margarita.

The pineapple gets a quick run on the @traegergrills Westwood XL grill, picking up that smoky, wood-fired flavor that takes this margarita to another level. Paired with nice blanco tequila and a touch of smoked sea salt, it’s balanced, refreshing and built for warm days by the grill. Don’t forget the caramelized, charred pineapple garnish!

Cheers, y’all!

I’ll take a Negroni… Shaken, not stirred.

Calling it now — THIS IS THE COCKTAIL OF 2026.

(Re)introducing the Tucci Negroni - a revised version of Stanley Tucci’s Negroni. He recommends using vodka if you don’t have gin so I figured I’d give it a try and served it over ice. COMPLEXITY is the first thing that comes to mind, this may be how I make my Negronis from now on and maybe you should too.

Cheers, y’all!

Not to flex, but Spring in Charleston is unbeatable 🫶🏽

On this episode of Fits + Sips: me and my friend at @fahertybrand are putting together an easy Spring outfit AND drink that are BOTH inspired by Charleston.

If you didn’t already know, Faherty’s Spring Collection is inspired by Charleston, SC. Which just so happens to be where I live. It’s literally the ‘Holy City’ part of ‘Holy City Handcraft’. The coastal, laid-back vibe is exactly what I’m going for here. In Charleston, spring outfits are all about comfort and staying cool, so here I chose something lightweight and functional.

With this series, we always make a drink to match. Enter, the Peninsula Punch. This recipe showcases some local honey, rum (because of Charleston’s historical ties) and of course the unofficial symbol of this city, the pineapple, because Charlestonians truly pride themselves on hospitality. Combined with smoked salt and finished with a black strap rum floater, this is a recipe you’ll be sipping all season long.

Cheers y’all.

Bright citrus, soft sweetness, and a creamy matcha finish — Grass Slippers leans fresh but still feels layered. Yuzu brings sharp acidity, honey ginger syrup adds warmth, and HIGHPOUR Spirit keeps the backbone clean and structured. The salted coconut matcha foam ties it all together with texture and a subtle savory note.

“Why are you picking all the green strawberries?” - my wife

Comment “STRAWBERRY” below and I’ll send this recipe straight to your DMs.

#ad21+ Together with my friends at @codigo1530, I made a crushable margarita riff made using pickled strawberry brine, WITH ingredients as fresh as the tequila itself.

During strawberry season last year, I was lucky enough to pick some beautiful green (unripe) strawberries from a local farm here in Charleston. I’ve seen local chefs utilize these in salads and savory dishes but my mind immediately went to how I could use it in a cocktail recipe. Green strawberries bring acid, vegetal brightness, and subtle tannin that will play really well with the vegetal, bright notes in Codigo 1530 Blanco.

This one is a must-try, cheers y’all.

A bourbon highball built for late winter into early spring. Shaken, topped with ginger beer, and served over crushed ice. Straightforward and easy to batch for a crowd.

A simple house syrup for adding heat and sweetness to cocktails, highballs, and hot drinks. Best used fresh and kept refrigerated.

This is my kind of daiq 😮‍💨

This is Episode 2 of Equal Parts Theory, the series where we see if equal ingredient measurements actually make a good cocktail.

Today, we’re making Adam’s Words, a modern equal-parts cocktail created in 2012 by @Fransos. You really can’t go wrong with the ingredients in this cocktail but it’s just a bonus that they’re so balanced in an equal parts cocktail.

What should I make next? Let me know below.

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.

Move over espresso martini…

#ad21+ Together with my friends at @licor43global, I’m going to show you how to make your new favorite carajillo this season.

If you want the full recipe card sent straight to your DMs, comment DALGONA below.

If you remember dalgona coffee from 2020, it blew up for a reason — instant coffee whipped with sugar and water until it turned into this thick, velvety foam you could spoon over milk. It was simple, a little over the top, and honestly… pretty delicious.

This cocktail takes that same idea and gives it the night-cap treatment with tequila, espresso, #Licor43, and a salted chocolate dalgona foam that sits right on top made with Licor 43’s chocolate liqueur. It’s rich, smooth, and way easier to drink than it looks.

Shop Licor 43 in time for the holidays at buylicor43.com

Please drink responsibly.

Cheers, y’all!

I'm back to making my favorite desserts into cocktails…

Together with my friends at empress1908gin, I've recreated a cocktail thats inspired by one of my favorite fair treats. If you've ever had a caramel apple at a fall fair, this cocktail is exactly that vibe in a glass — sweet caramel, crisp apple, a little salt, and just enough richness to make it feel like a proper fall or winter sipper. It's simple, balanced, and way easier to drink than an actual caramel apple.

This is NOT a Tequila Sunrise…

Cristalino Tequilas are taking over Mexico as one of the most popular styles of tequila in Mexico… and with reason. They’re smooth, bright, and lend themselves perfectly to cocktails.

Today I’m making a cocktail inspired by @limantourmx, one of the World’s 50 Best Bars (@50bestbars) which uses @dobeltequila, the first ever Cristalino Tequila. I’m here to show you it’s possible to pay homage to a cocktail from one of the world’s best bars at home.

Their recipe calls for red bell peppers, morita chili (a type of smoked jalapeño like a chipotle), tangerine and blood orange. I did my best to capture the flavor profiles here and added elements of a Garibaldi such as an aperitif and a frothy citrus juice to produce a fresh but balanced cocktail that hopefully did the original some justice.

Honestly though, you need to make this syrup, so comment ‘PEPPER’ if you want the recipe to the syrup in the video!

Ok hear me out… Pineapple upside-down cake… but a cocktail 🤯 In honor of [#NationalVodkaDay], I’ve created to make a cocktail that I swear tastes almost exactly like a caramel-y pineapple upside-down cake.

The secret is all in this “Upside Down” juice which was inspired by this [@respetoagave]

syrup that was recently shared with me. Respeto is made from mature agaves that are slow cooked in hornos (ovens) then crushed using a tahona, bringing out that deep/rich caramel notes that you’d only find at a hacienda in Mexico. When mixed with spices, pineapple and smoked sea salt, you have something thats sweet, fruity, savory and surprisingly balanced.

This mix is then simply shaken with one of my favorite vodkas recently in Weber Ranch (also made from 100% agave) which produces a delicious, rich cocktail with a natural foam from the agave and pineapple. Give this one a shot, you’ll love it.

Cheers and happy national vodka day, y’all!

Puff puff, pass on the alcohol this month and try this instead…

#ad21+ Together with my friends at @the_highpour, I created a fall-inspired, zero-proof drink that is crushable and absolutely delicious. If you haven’t heard of it, HIGHPOUR is a new kind of non-alcoholic “spirit” thats infused with hemp-derived 🍃 and can be utilized the same way spirits are utilized in cocktails 1:1. For this particular recipe, I played on the smoke and autumn theme, I used a smoked maple syrup and smoked salt to accentuate the flavors in Highpour making for the perfect drink to sip this season.

Cheers y’all.