A pretty sophisticated cocktail and one I just can’t envision anyone under 30 drinking. But, this drink is at least 75 years old and kids back then didn’t have shooters, light beer and wine coolers. Quite possible a faculty and graduates’ pleasure, The Harvard works wonderfully as a pre-dinner cocktail. Strong so be careful.

Here we go –

• 1 ½ ounces brandy
• 1 ½ ounces sweet vermouth
• 1-2 dashes bitters
• 3 dashes grenadine

Shake in a shaker with ice ‘til cold. Serve up in a cocktail glass.

This is just a cozy drink, plain and simple. Perfect for a party, fireside chat or to pour before a festive dinner. The bitter sweet combination of the Campari, even as the smaller pour of the three ingredients used, really and pleasantly permeates this cocktail. This is complex holiday pick and one that drinks quite well with a soft, jazzy Christmas album. It’s another one of those old school drinks where the ingredients, while blended, really stand apart on the tongue.

Here we go –

• 3 oz Gin
• 1 oz Cherry Brandy
• ½ oz Campari

Shake with ice ‘til cold, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

Bartender Josey Pack at the Alembio Bar in San Francisco created this great cocktail. Here’s another one that’s absolutely perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner party right up through Christmas Eve. It simply has to be tasted over the holidays. I mixed one up minutes after reading the recipe, and it was love at first sip.

Here we go –

• 2 oz Applejack
• 1 oz Apple Cider
• ½ oz Lemon Juice
• ½ oz Apricot Brandy

Rim a cocktail glass with lemon juice then cinnamon sugar. Mix ingredients together with ice in shaker ‘til cocktail cold and pour into glass, garnish with a few fresh cranberries.

Since I use “why not?” as my standard answer when offered almost any libation, I knew I had to try this one when I came across it in an old recipe book. I’m an apricot Brandy fan and am starting to figure out that this spirit is ripe for a comeback, seeing how popular and called for it once was. Apricot brandy must have been a bar “must have” back in the day, it’s asked for in a lot of old cocktails..

Here we go –

• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Dry Vermouth
• ¾ oz Apricot Brandy
• 2-3 dashes Lemon Juice

Shake with ice in a shaker, strain cold into cocktail glass.

I’m getting quite used to combining apricot brandy with bourbon, cointreau, Applejack and other brown liquors, so when I see a drink calling for it with a gin or vodka, I get interested. I really believe it’s the small addition of bitters that pulls this one all together.
I use Orange bitters in this one and I love it. Try this one it goes down easy.

Here we go –

• 1 oz Gin
• ½ oz Apricot Brandy
• 3 dashes Bitters (try orange)
• Dash or 2 of Lemon Juice

Shake in shaker with cracked ice, strain into cocktail glass,, garnish with a lemon peel.

Delicious drink here. This one’s strong but the slight addition of pineapple juice bonds the belt in a mellow sweetness. This is a pretty cocktail that glows in Autumn colors, making it a sure fire pick for next year’s Halloween Drinks List. I would also recommend this one for anytime in the fall. It’s a rum based cocktail that doesn’t feel tropical at all.

Here we go –

• 1 ½ oz Gold Rum
• ¼ oz Dark Rum
• ¼ oz Apricot Brandy
• ¾ oz Pineapple Juice

Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice, strain into cocktail glass.

Not sure about this drink’s history nor the name, but I can testify to her drinkability.
I’m uncovering and enjoying more and more older drinks calling for the herbal liqueur, Benedictine and I’m started to understand why; the spicy flavor shines through whatever’s poured around it and it’s complexity is sweet and special. You can substitute B & B (Benedictine and Brandy) for the Benedictine in this recipe, it isn’t as strong a flavor.

Here we go –

• ¾ oz Apple Brandy (Calvados works best w/ this one)
• ¾ oz Benedictine (or B & B)
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 2-3 dashes Triple Sec

Shake with ice ‘til cold in shaker, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Our first ‘X’ cocktail, let’s see how long she stands alone on our recipe page. Be forewarned, this is a strong tasting drink that, out of the few I poured for, only two asked for another. That being said, I really liked this drink and did happen to have a bottle of the fairly expensive yellow Chartreuse needed (birthday present). If your of an experimental mind and wish to sip a pretty unique tasting cocktail, pour one…or at the very least order one out the next time your drinking at a bar in the know.

Here we go –

• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Yellow Chartreuse
• 1 oz Cherry flavored Brandy

Shake with cracked ice, serve on the rocks in a rocks glass.

Another one of those “old flavors” tasting drinks, the Claridge will remind you of Jazz Age cocktails. Don’t be shy; the Cointreau and lemon juice will comfort the modern drinker. This cocktail demands cold, it just works a lot better the colder it sips. The Claridge goes exceptionally well with instrumental jazz or Big Band.

Here we go –

• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Dry Vermouth
• ½ oz Apricot Brandy
• ½ oz Cointreau

Gently shake with cracked ice ‘til the booze inside if freezing, strain into cocktail glass.

Where the heck was this drink when I was searching for Halloween cocktails. The name just suggests spookiness. Lucky for us, the cocktail can be enjoyed anytime. It’ll remind you a little of a Cosmo but without the cranberry. I like this one and recommend it to any guest that doesn’t mind a bold sipper.

Here we go –

• 1 ½ oz Vodka
• ¼ to ½ oz Blackberry Brandy (I go ½ ‘cause I like the taste a lot)
• 2-3 tsp. Lime Juice (or more to taste)

Shake with ice and strain cold into a brandy snifter or serve on the rocks in a rocks glass.

Basically a brandy and ginger, what can I tell you, ginger ale or ginger beer work well with strong tasting liquors. I had one of these the other night while watching a bad cartoon movie with my kids. Tasty drink, but it lived up to its name.

Here we go -

• 3 oz Brandy
• Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer (I prefer the spicier Ginger Beer)

Fill a tall glass with ice, add brandy and fill with the ginger. Garnish with an orange slice and straw.