The Singapore Sling

About The Singapore Sling

The concept of a “Gin Sling” hails from the 1700s but the first appearance of the Singapore Sling can be dated to the 1930s in print, but was likely invented sometime around 1915 in Singapore. The cocktail has been made many different ways and for a long time had a vastly oversimplified recipe that was largely reminiscent of the Gin and Juice of the time. The Singapore Sling has been seen as a Mark of Mastery in recent times in a number of mixology schools.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Gin

• ½ oz. Cherry Liqueur

• ¼ oz. Triple Sec

• ¼ oz. Bénédictine

• ½ oz. Lime Juice

• ½ oz. Grenadine

• 4 oz. Pineapple Juice

• Dash of Angostura Bitters

• Pineapple Wedge & Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Light

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Tropical

Method:

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into highball glass. Garnish with pineapple and cocktail cherry.

The Mary Pickford

About The Mary Pickford

A Mary Pickford is a Prohibition Era cocktail made with white rum, fresh pineapple juice, grenadine, and Maraschino liqueur. It is served shaken and chilled, often with a Maraschino cherry. Named for Canadian-American film actress Mary Pickford (1892–1979), it is said to have been created for her in the 1920s by either Eddie Woelke or Fred Kaufmann at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba on a trip she took to Havana.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Silver Rum

• ¼ oz. Maraschino Liqueur

• 1½ oz. Pineapple Juice

• Splash of Grenadine

• Cherries for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Fruity

Method:

Shake and strain into a chilled large cocktail glass

The Mimosa

About The Mimosa

The origins of the Mimosa are quite shrouded. It is known that variations of Mimosa cocktails have been enjoyed in the Mediterranean for centuries, specifically in Spain. There are some credits to the first “written” recipe for a Mimosa hailing from a Spanish Resort, however the claims are widely doubted. The epitome of first class and brunch cocktails anywhere, the Mimosa is a timeless classic and IBA Official Cocktail that is most likely here to stay.

Ingredients:

• 2½ oz. Champagne

• 2½ oz. Orange Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.5 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Orange

Method:

Ensure both ingredients are well chilled, then mix into the glass. Serve cold.

The Tommy's Margarita

About The Tommy’s Margarita

The new era IBA Official Cocktail Tommy’s Margarita is a slight spin on the original Margarita recipe. Invented in the year 1990 in San Francisco at Tommy’s Restaurant. Mixologist Julio Bermejo had recently started using Agave Nectar in his recipes and decided that the Agave would better accentuate the Margarita’s inherent citrus flavor better than the industry standard Triple Sec. Julio turned out to be correct , and the flavor profile of the Tommy’s Margarita is noticeably different from the traditional.

Ingredients:

• 2½ oz. Tequila

• 1½ oz. Lime Juice

• 3 Bar Spoons of Agave Nectar

• Salt for Glass Rim

• Lime Wedge for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Margarita

• Strength:    Strong

• Difficulty:    Simple

• Flavor:        Spirit

Method:

Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into margarita glass rimmed with salt.

The Paloma

About The Paloma

Meet the popular Mexican cocktail that is enjoyed all over the world. This grapefruit and lime flavored juice cocktail is perfect on a hot sunny day. The range of garnishes available for the Paloma include lime, grapefruit slices, kosher salt, among other options. The Paloma is similar in composition to the Greyhound but adds a few other steps to make itself unique.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Silver Tequila

• 3 oz. Grapefruit Juice

• ½ oz. Lime Juice

• 2 Tbsp. Simple Sugar

• Fill Soda Water

• Lime & Grapefruit Slices and/or salt for garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Medium

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Fruity

Method:

Build all ingredients in mixing glass minus club soda and stir well. Pour into ice filled and salt rimmed glass and top with club soda and garnishes.

The Sea Breeze

About The Sea Breeze

The Sea Breeze is an offshoot of the Cape Codder and the Salty Dog and has undergone many recipe changes in the last 100 years. Originally containing Gin, Brandy, and Grenadine; it would evolve a few more times until the 1960s when the modern recipe came into favor. The Sea Breeze, Cape Codder, and Bay Breeze were amongst the most popular cocktails of the 1960s and 1970s before becoming generic cocktails and base recipes for further variations.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Vodka

• 1 oz. Grapefruit Juice

• 4 oz. Cranberry Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Light

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Fruity

Method:

Build all ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

The Boulevardier

About The Boulevardier

The 1920s cousin of the Negroni, the Boulevardier is currently enjoying a large revival in the cocktail scene. Invented by an American writer that published a newspaper in Paris known as the “Boulevardier,” this cocktail is an offshoot of fellow IBA cocktail the Negroni with the notable change of gin to bourbon. The substitution creates a different flavor profile and mixes with fellow spirits vermouth and campari to create an entirely new tasting experience.

Ingredients:

• 1 part Bourbon Whiskey

• 1 part Sweet Vermouth

• 1 part Campari

• Orange Peel/Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.5 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Build ingredients in lowball glass with ice. Stir gently and garnish with an orange peel and/or maraschino cherry.

The Bee's Knees

About The Bee’s Knees

The Bee’s Knees hails from the Ritz in Paris in the year 1921. The namesake comes from the Prohibition Era where the term “That’s the Bee’s Knees” meant something was great and/or amazing. Frank Meier, the original head bartender at the Ritz is credited with this creation. There are quite a few variations to this recipe, however, the recipe listed below is the IBA Official recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Gin

• ¾ oz. Lemon Juice

• ¾ oz. Honey

• Lemon Wheel for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Gin but Sweet

Method:

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled large cocktail glass

The Horse's Neck

About The Horse’s Neck

Remarkably similar to cocktails like the Old Fashioned or Rye & Ginger; the Horse’s Neck is a cocktail from the late 19th century. Originally a non-alcoholic drink, the addition of originally bourbon was named the Horse’s Neck with a Kick. Brandy later became the premier spirit of choice for this recipe and with the non-alcoholic version falling out of its namesake, the cocktail simply became known as the Horse’s Neck. The addition of bitters is optional, however we highly recommend it, as it strongly diversifies the flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Brandy

• 4 oz. Ginger Ale

• Few Dashes of Angostura Bitters

• Lemon Twist for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Build Brandy and Ginger Ale in highball/lowball glass with fresh ice. Stir gently. Gently add a few dashes of Angostura Bitters if desired. Garnish with lemon twist.

The French Connection

About The French Connection

The classic French Connection cocktail is the marriage of the famous French Spirit Cognac, and the Italian Liqueur known as Amaretto. Named after the 1971 neo-noir film The French Connection starring Gene Hackman. It can be served on the rocks in a lowball glass or neat in a Brandy Snifter. For www.empiremixology.com purposes we chose the latter, although the lowball version is equally as good.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Cognac

• 2 parts Amaretto

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks or Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Build ingredients in serving glass with ice (if in lowball glass). Stir until well mixed.

The Dark 'n' Stormy

About The Dark ‘n’ Stormy

Meet the Dark ‘n’ Stormy, a trademarked cocktail belonging to Gosling Brothers Ltd. This recipe was invented in Bermuda, shortly following WWI. Originally this cockatil used Gosling Black Seal Rum and Barritt’s Ginger Beer, however after the partnership ended Gosling Brothers created their own Ginger Beer. Technically, the ingredients listed below reflect Gosling Brothers products, but to keep in parity with our other recipes we simply list as ginger beer and dark rum. (Can you tell we wrote this to avoid litigation?)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Dark Rum

• 3½ oz. Ginger Beer

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: On the Rocks

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Spirit Forward

Method:

Fill glass with ice, add Dark Rum and top with ginger beer. (Reverse for photogenic effect). Garnish with lime wedge.

The Vesper

About The Vesper

Created in 1953 in the book Casino Royale, James Bond orders this cocktail to his exact specifications. We at Empire use the IBA Official Cocktail recipe in contrast to Bond’s preference for a stronger count of each spirit and we also stir our spirit only drinks, not shake. This cocktail is a variant of the Martini that offers a more aromatic taste but with a slightly harsher finish.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Gin

• ½ oz. Vodka

• ¼ oz. Lillet Blanc

• 1 Lemon Twist

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty: Medium

• Flavor:       Spirit

Method:

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into cocktail glass.

Empire Tip: Despite James Bond’s prefernce, stir this, not shake.

The Piña Colada

About The Piña Colada

The official drink of Puerto Rico, the Piña Colada literally translates to “strained pineapple.” The history of this all time freat cocktail is shrouded in debate. It’s disputed founding is back to the early 1800s when El Pirata Cofresí created the drink to boost the morale of his crew. The more modern founding of the cocktail dates to either Cuba or Puerto Rico during the 1950s depending on which historian you choose to follow. Regardless, the Piña Colada was named the National Cocktail of Puerto Rico in the 1970s and July 10 is now known as International Piña Colada Day!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Silver Rum

• 1 oz. Cream of Coconut

• 1 oz. Heavy Cream

• 6 oz. Pineapple Juice

• ½ cup of Crushed Ice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:        4.5 Stars

• Served:      Frozen

• Strength:    Mild

• Difficulty:    Medium

• Flavor:        Tropical

Method:

Blend all the ingredients with ice and pur into desired glass. Garnish with cherry and/or pineapple wedge.

The Tequila Sunrise

About The Tequila Sunrise

Originally hailing from Phoenix, Arizona in the 1930s/1940s, the Tequila Sunrise became modernized and exploded in popularity in San Francisco, California in the early 1970s. The recipe became an instant hit and was featured heavily on brands such as Jose Cuervo and was even named the favorite of the Rolling Stones during their 1972 tour.

This IBA Contemporary Classic is an easy to make and refreshing cocktail to enjoy year around. the complimenting flavors blend together to create a smooth and sweet finish.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Tequila

• ½ oz. Grenadine

• 4 oz. Orange Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Light

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor:       Orange

Method:

Pour the tequila and orange juice into glass over ice. Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom. Stir gently to create the sunrise effect. Garnish and serve.

The Cosmopolitan

About The Cosmopolitan

One of the trendiest cocktails listed on the IBA Official Cocktail list, this perennial A-Lister cocktail has been a staple of major metropolitan bar and club scenes for over two decades. Arising to heavy prominence in the 1990s, the recipe has survived largely unchanged. Cocktail and mixology historians cannot come to a consensus on the founding of this recipe, although an early version of the recipe appears in the 1930s using slightly altered ingredients that would have been more available at the time. Our resident Master Mixologist credits the drink to the East Coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

World reknown Master Mixologist Dale DeGroff popularized the use of citrus vodka in the 1990s which has been accepted as the IBA Official recipe, however our team prefers to use unflavored vodka for the recipe as that is how most modern bars serve the Cosmopolitan.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Vodka

• ¾ oz. Triple Sec

• ½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1½ oz. Cranberry Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Light

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Fruity

Method:

Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon slice/twist.

The Kir

About The Kir

 The Kir is a French cocktail that hails from the 19th century. Formerly known as the Blanc-Cassis, the drink was renamed after Mayor Kir of Dijon, Burgundy who would serve this cocktail at his receptions for visiting delegations after World War II. Part of the reason why this cocktail become so popular was that during World War II, the German military removed a large amount of red wine from the country, leaving large reserves of white wine behind. This cocktail was used as a way to use what was available and in excess.  

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. White Wine

• 1 oz. Crème de Cassis

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 3.5 Stars

• Served: Neat

• Strength: Medium

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Spirit Forward

Method:

Add the crème de cassis to the bottom of the glass and add the white wine above it.

The Irish Coffee

About The Irish Coffee

The Irish Coffee has a bit of a muddled history. Since the mid-1800s the French would serve a cocktail known as a Gloria, which was any mixture of coffee and spirits. So it’s not off-base to say the Irish Coffee is just a Whiskey Gloria, however when’s the last time you’ve heard of a Gloria cocktail? The modern Irish Coffee is mostly agreed to have originated in County Limerick, Ireland. In the mid 1950s, the cocktail began appearing in the United States on the West Coast and its popularity took off from there. A staple of after-dinner cocktail menus everywhere, the Irish Coffee and its iterations have survived and continue to thrive.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Irish Whiskey

• 1 oz. Cream

• 4 oz. Hot Coffee

• 1 tsp Brown Sugar

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.0 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Coffee

Method:

Heat the coffee, whiskey, and sugar but do not bring to a boil. Pour into glass and top with cream.

The Cuba Libre

About The Cuba Libre

 Is it technically just a rum and coke? Well sort of. The cocktail is very simple and inexpensive, but it does remain as one the world’s most popular cocktails. The cocktail comes from post Spanish-American War Cuba and its name is from the motto of the Cuban Independence movement of the time. Typically at Empire Mixology we don’t like to push specific brands in our cocktails, but this classic recipe technically calls for Bacardi Superior Silver Rum and Coca Cola. Note a Cuba Libre is not made with Spiced Rum, more commonly known as a Captain and Coke.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Silver Rum (Bacardi Superior)

• Fill Coca Cola

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 5.0 Stars

• Served: On the Rocks

• Strength: Light

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Sweet

Method:

Build ingredients with ice in a highball glass. Stir gently and garnish with a lime wedge.

The Long Island Iced Tea

About The Long Island Iced Tea

 Disclaimer: The following recipe is not the IBA Official Long Island Iced Tea. The following recipe is a custom Empire Mixology Long Island Iced Tea that has been a family hand-down recipe from our multi-generational team of bartenders and mixologists. In contrast to the “official” recipe, the Empire recipe tones down the tequila and gin, while adding more rum. Also, a splash of rye is introduced to cut the harsh flavor of the tequila and gin and create a much smoother finish. This recipe is an Empire Mixology recipe that has never left an upset customer.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Vodka

• 1¼ oz. Rum

• ¾ oz. Gin

• ¾ oz. Tequila

• 1 oz. Triple Sec

• Splash of Rye Whiskey

• 4½ oz. Sour Mix

• Splash of Coca Cola

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 5 Stars

• Served: On the Rocks

• Strength: Strong

• Difficulty: Medium

• Flavor: Sweet

Method:

Build ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice, except for the coca cola. Gently shake a few times to chill ingredients. Pour with ice into highball or pint glass. Add splash of coke and stir gently. Add lemon wedge and cherry as garnish. The color should be pale brown, similar to iced tea. If the drink is too dark then too much coke has been added.

The Moscow Mule

About The Moscow Mule

Meet one of our favorites; the IBA Classic: Moscow Mule. Despite the name, the Moscow Mule did not originate from Moscow or Russia. The recipe was actually created in New York City in the early 1940s. The original recipe calls for Smirnoff Vodka as the crucial ingredient; the Russian styled vodka giving the namesake to this recipe. This drink enjoyed great popularity on the West Coast throughout the mid 1900s and helped propel Smirnoff into the limelight as a brand.

The copper mug has always been the primary serving vessel for the beverage and continues to this day. There is controversy about the copper mug from a recent FDA article stating the copper in the mug slowly poisons the drinker; however this is both true and untrue. A solid copper mug will release toxins into the drink at a very small level. Most modern copper mugs have a stainless steel lining on the interior of the mug rendering the cocktail completely safe.

This is one of our favorite cocktails, hands down. This refreshing recipe is perfect at any time during the day or as a perfect complement to any meal. Try out our recipe for yourself and see what you think.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Vodka

• 1 oz. Lime Juice

• Fill Ginger Beer

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       5 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks – Copper Mug

• Strength:    Medium

• Difficulty:    Simple

• Flavor:        Refreshing

Method:

Add the vodka and lime juice to a mule mug or Collins glass filled with fresh ice and a lime wedge. Top with Ginger Beer and mound crushed ice over the top of the drink. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.