COCKTAILS
Drink Different: Four Cocktail Recipes to Shake up Your Happy Hour Routine
Bust out of a cocktail rut with these easy, verified-delicious recipes.
By L. Eno
Old Fashioneds made with Proof Traditional are our go-to after-work, pre-dinner cocktail. We love to sip one while we prep supper, or while we kick back in the den while our partner cooks. (Thanks, spouse!)
But while we love an Old Fashioned, sometimes we find ourselves craving a change of pace. Here are some of our favorite recipes for times like these. Built around spirits most of us keep on hand, and composed of just four ingredients each, these are our go-to’s when an Old Fashioned feels old-hat.
Atlanta Sour
This tangy, herbal concoction is surprisingly refreshing for a spirit-forward cocktail.
2 oz Gin
¾ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Benedictine
Shake with ice until chilled, then strain into an ice-filled glass.
Bittersweet Symphony
This Negroni-esque cocktail is pleasantly bitter, nicely herbal, and just the right amount sweet. The recipe is flexible, too — substitute your favorite amaro if Cynar’s not available.
1 oz Gin
1 oz Campari
½ oz Cynar
Shake with ice until chilled, then strain into an ice-filled glass. Express a slice of orange peel over top, and enjoy!
Blood & Sand & Proof
Possibly the only cocktail named for a bullfighting movie, the Blood and Sand is old enough to be a classic but somehow didn’t make the cut. Some tinkering by intrepid bartenders refreshed the recipe, however, and our version makes one further adjustment: replacing the sweet vermouth with Proof Traditional.
1 oz Scotch
¾ oz Heering Cherry Liqueur
¾ oz Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Shake with ice until chilled, then strain into an ice-filled glass.
Rose Kennedy
As a rule we like our cocktails boozy, but the lovely Rose Kennedy is an exception. Light, fizzy, and refreshing, this one’s perfect as written or with a favorite flavored vodka.
1 ½ oz Vodka
4 oz Club Soda
Shake with ice until chilled, then strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with lemon wedge.