Number Five: Maple Bacon Manhattan. Pour the following over ice: 2 oz. rye or Canadian whiskey, 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth, 1 dash Angostura bitters, and 1/3 oz. maple syrup. Stir briefly, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an entire strip of bacon, because why not?
Number Four: Basil Gimlet. Muddle one bunch of basil in a cocktail shaker. Really put your muscles into it! Add 1/2 oz. sweetened lime juice and 1.5 oz. gin into the same cocktail shaker. Add ice, then shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with – you guessed it – basil.
Number Three: Rosemary Greyhound. This one involves more muddling. In an old-fashioned glass, muddle one slice of grapefruit and 1/2 oz. of rosemary simple syrup (which you can make by boiling equal parts sugar and water and then steeping one sprig of rosemary in it for two hours). Once muddled, add 6 oz. of grapefruit-flavored sparkling water and 1.5 oz. vodka into the glass, and top with ice. Stir well; garnish with rosemary.
Number Two: Moscow Mule With Lime Ice. This one requires some advance preparation. The night before you plan on drinking, make the ice cubes. Cut three limes into wedges, and place one wedge in each slot of an ice cube tray. Add water to fill the tray. The day you want to drink the cocktail, combine 2 oz. of lime-flavored sparkling water, 1.5 oz. vodka, and 4 oz. ginger beer in a copper mug. Fill the glass with the lime ice cubes, and garnish with an optional wedge of fresh lime.
Number One: Blood Orange Whiskey Sour. In a cocktail shaker, add the following: 1 oz. blood orange juice, 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1/2 oz. simple syrup, 1 egg white and 1.5 oz. bourbon, plus ice to fill. Shake well, and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry and slice of blood orange (if in season).
