Some New Cocktails

One of the things I enjoy most about having a (relatively) large home bar at my disposal is my ability to experiment with new cocktail recipes. Whether for a contest (like the ones The Intoxicologist runs from time to time) or just for the heck of it, coming up with interesting flavors and spirit combinations is a lot of fun. Here are a couple of cocktail recipes I came up with (one of which actually won one of those contests.)

My Darling

(winner of The Intoxicologist's scotch-based cocktail recipe contest)

1.5oz blended scotch whiskey (I used Johnny Walker Black)

.5oz Plymouth Sloe Gin

.5oz Cointreau

.5oz clementine juice

2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Rub rim of glass with a clementine peel twist and garnish with the twist.

Cherry-O Baby

4oz apple cider

1oz Cherry Heering

.75oz Stolli Vanil vodka

.5oz Grey Goose Le Citron vodka

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Hades' Girlfriend

(submitted to a cocktail contest being sponsored by Gary Regan)

1.5oz bourbon whisky

.5oz Pama pomegranate liqueur

.5oz Cointreau

3 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

a dash of lemon juice

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame an orange peel over the glass, rub the rim of the glass with the flamed peel, and discard.