The Trot Line

  • Home
  • Around Me
    • Around the South
      • Alabama
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • North Carolina
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Virginia
    • Out West
      • Colorado
    • Up North
      • New York
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Beer
    • Bourbon
    • Cocktails
    • Rum
    • Wine
  • Looks & Gear
    • Apparel
    • Field Gear
    • Design
    • Arts
  • Outdoor Life
    • Camping
    • Hunting
  • Travel
    • Visit Colorado
  • Editorials
  • Submit Your Post

Three Classic Cocktails to Add to Your Repertoire

May 23, 2011 By Talbot

Your ability to make or enjoy a cocktail should go beyond the trite gin/vodka and soda/tonic water with a lime.  While refreshing, it is boring and should only be used when your cupboards are bare and you ONLY have the two ingredients.  Fret not, I am going expand your horizons with three different cocktails that are sophisticated enough to order out during a date night, but easy enough to mix up after a long day at the office.  Salut!



The Old-Fashioned

The first cocktail on the list is the Old-Fashioned- named so because it is often credited as the first mix of ingredients to be called a “cocktail.”  Hailing from Kentucky it is mentioned all the way back in Jerry Thomas’s 1863 classic bartender tome How to Mix Drinks. The Old-Fashioned is prepared by muddling a sugar cube, orange slice, maraschino cherry, and bitters with a splash of soda water and then adding ice and bourbon.  It is a strong drink, but it has a good blend of sweetness and bitterness.  Order one of these while out on a date, poolside in Palm Springs, or on a late-night heater at the craps table.  This drink goes well anytime of the day or season.
Ingredients:

TRENDING: Discover the Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards This Month

  • 1 sugar cube
  • 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
  • 2 orange slices
  • 2 Maraschino cherries
  • Splash of soda water
  • 2 oz bourbon

Method:
In an old-fashioned glass, place the sugar cube and add the bitters.  Add one cherry and one orange slice, and a splash of water and muddle.  Remove the fruit husks, add the bourbon and ice and stir well.  Garnish with remaining cherry and orange slice.

Old Fashioned Classic Cocktail | The South



The Vesper

He looked carefully at the barman.
“A dry martini,” he said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”
“Oui, monsieur.”
“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”
“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.

-Ian Flemming, Casino Royale (1953)

Certainly a drink, indeed.  And with these words penned by Ian Fleming, a legend was born.  The cocktail would later be named a Vesper after the novel’s heroine, Vesper Lynd and it is actually a very solid drink.  Kina Lillet is no longer available so you will have to use Lillet Blanc (which is NOT vermouth).  The drink adds a little sophistication to the martini (who knew that was even possible) and if you order it by the ingredients, it is a conversation starter.  This beverage is great for pre dinner drinks.  As Bond says, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything…”

TRENDING: Discover the Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards This Month

Ingredients:

  • 3 measures of Gordon’s Gin
  • 1 measure of Vodka
  • ½ measure of Lillet Blanc
  • 1 lemon peel, for garnish

Method:
Combine the gin, vodka, and Lillet in a mixing glass with ice and shake until it is very cold.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon.

 


The Manhattan

Expanding on the martini vibe, there is rarely a bad time to order a Manhattan.  In fact, this is my drink of choice when attending a house party where ingredients are hard to come by.  Oftentimes credited as being created by Winston Churchill’s mother (it was fix mixed up at a party hosted by her), the Manhattan only needs a few common ingredients: bourbon or rye, bitters and sweet vermouth.  I usually use Maker’s Mark Bourbon for the Manhattan, but sometimes will use whatever rye I have on hand to change things up a bit (rye also makes a less sweet Manhattan).  This cocktail is great for dates, business meetings, cocktail parties, and pretty much any event after 6 pm.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Bourbon or Rye
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
  • 1 Marashino cherry, for Garnish

Method:
Stir the whiskey, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.  Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

 

Have you ever had any of these classic cocktails?  Drop a line and let us know what you think!

 

Photo via Flickr

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: Angostura bitters, Bourbon, Cocktail, Manhattan (cocktail), Old Fashioned, Southern Drinks, The South, the Vesper, Whiskey, whisky

Join the Newsletter

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey

If I'm being honest, Woodford Reserve isn't my go-to bourbon. I feel like I'm paying more for the marketing of … [Keep Reading...]

On Trees

We didn't know it when we left Georgia, but we would really miss seeing trees, kudzu, and the color green. … [Keep Reading...]

Top Kayak Fishing Spots In North Carolina

The great the about North Carolina fishing is the variety. You could realistically fish in a river, lake, and … [Keep Reading...]

Bourbon

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

  • Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey
  • DEFIANT, American Single Malt Whisky from North Carolina
  • 5 Books for Every Whiskey Lover

Important Info

  • Contact Us
  • Who We Are
  • Submit Your Post
  • Privacy Policy

Around Me

  • Around the South
  • Out West
  • Up North

Booze

Beer
Bourbon
Cocktails

Get Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 The Trot Line by Elevation Marketing, Inc


IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES: This website may receive compensation from advertisers when website visitors view or click on ads or promoted product links. Please review our Privacy Policy for more information about what we track, how we track, and how to opt-out.