PH factor: 9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o turbinado sugar o 1 ounce Jim Beam Bonded bourbon o 1 ½ ounces Pecan Praline Liqueur, see: Syrups etc. o ½ ounce Finlandia vodka Garnish o pecans Method: 1. Moisten the rim of a martini glass and invert the glass into a shallow dish of turbinado sugar to coat the rim. 2. Stir remaining ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 3. Serve up in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with pecans. Remarks: The flavor of this cocktail is reminiscent its namesake. But it's an excellent drink by itself, so you don't need to wait for the dessert course. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe: Ingredients Cocktail o 3 ounces Pedro Domencq Fundador brandy o 1 dash Angostura bitters o 1 ½ ounces Lemon Squash, see: Syrups etc. o Fever-Tree Club Soda Garnish o lemon wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda over ice. 2. Pour over ice into a collins glass. 3. Top with soda. 4. Stir once gently. 5. Garnish with lemon wheel. Remarks: The national drink of Cyprus amended to not be made from ingredients that are found only on Cyprus. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Hennessy VS cognac o 1 ounce dark Crème de Cacao o 1 ounce Schladerer Edel-Kirsch o chilled double espresso o 1 tablespoon Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry juice o 1 splash Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o whipped cream o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with whipped cream and cherry. Remarks: We found the original recipe to not be that impressive. To try to address that we added Crème de Cacao and cherry juice. . . .

PH factor:  10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Remy Martin VSOP cognac o ½ ounce Boulard Calvados VSOP o ½ ounce green Chartreuse o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Angostura bitters Garnish o lemon twist Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except bitters over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Top with a dash of bitters. 4. Garnish with lemon twist. Remarks: This cocktail, the Chartreuse it is made with, and the famous boulevard it was named for, have all stood the test of time. Afraid of the bitterness of Chartreuse? Try this to realize you have nothing to fear but fear itself. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Bombay gin o ½ ounce Earl Grey Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice o Fever-Tree Premium Tonic Water Garnish o lemon wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except tonic over ice. 2. Serve over ice in collins glass. 3. Top with tonic. 4. Garnish with lemon wheel. Remarks: We have a dozen cocktails with tonic water and everything from cognac and Cuarenta Y Tres to Madeira and rum, but you won’t find a plain vodka tonic or G&T in the bunch. We tried finding something in each to make them more interesting and hopefully more satisfying. In this case it’s the Earl Grey syrup. Enjoy. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 2 ounces Bombay gin o ¾ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o ½ ounce cream o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 3 drops Moroccan Orange Blossom Water. o 1 egg white o 2 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda without ice. 2. Add ice and shake again to chill. 3. Strain into a collins glass. 4. Add soda. 5. Garnish with orange peel. Remarks: Created in New Orleans in 1888 by bar owner Henry C. Ramos. . . .

PH factor:  10 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey o 1 ounce Bombay Sapphire gin o 1 ounce Wray & Nephew White Overproof rum o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o 1 large strawberry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a highball glass. 3. Garnish with a strawberry. Remarks: Seldom has there been a more aptly named cocktail. After you have been hit by a Shillelagh, of either type, you are left with a large red strawberry. This is a very strong cocktail so it might not be for everyone, but for us, it’s a “ten”. Sláinte. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o salt o sugar o 2 ounces Monte Alban mezcal o 2 teaspoons St. Germain o 3 tablespoons lemon juice o 1 tablespoon Thyme Syrup, see: Syrups etc Garnish o lemon wheel o thyme sprig Method: 1. Moisten the rim of martini glass with lemon and invert it into a shallow dish containing a mixture of sugar and salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Serve up in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lemon peel and a thyme sprig. Remarks: This cocktail is all about the mezcal. We use Monte Alban for its smokiness and its worm. Feel free to use your favorite. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 3 mint leaves o 1 lime wedge o 3 ounces Mount Gay Eclipse rum o 1 ½ ounces Honey Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o juice of ½ of a lime o 1 egg white o Fever-Tree Premium Tonic Water Garnish o mint sprig Method: 1. Gently muddle mint leaves and lime wedge in a cocktail glass and add ice. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients except tonic water without ice. 3. Add ice and shake again to chill. 4. Strain into the prepared glass. 5. Top with tonic water. 6. Garnish with mint sprig. Remarks: Be careful with the honey. This drink can get sweet in a hurry. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon o 1 ½ ounces Heaven’s Door Straight Rye whiskey o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Express orange peel over the glass and drop it in as a garnish. Remarks: For a thousand years in Norse mythology Valkyries were sent into battle by Odin to determine the victors and escort the fallen heroes back to Valhalla. There they were also charged to serve strong drink to gods and heroes alike. Some things never change. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Heaven’s Door Straight Rye whiskey o ¾ ounce Schladerer Edel-Kirsch liqueur o ¼ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Hella Aromatic bitters or to taste o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters or to taste Garnish o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry o orange wedge Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into an ice-filled double Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with a cherry and orange wedge. Remarks: It's strong, as you might expect from a Heaven’s Door cocktail. It's sweet from the Edel-Kirsch and it's as bitter as you want it to be. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 teaspoon fresh ginger o 1 ½ ounces Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey o 1 ounce Fernet~Branca o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o mint sprig o slice of lime Method: 1. Muddle ginger in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass or an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 4. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime slice. Remarks: If you’re a Fernet~Branca fan you will enjoy this cocktail. If you’re not a fan, you might as well Fernet about it. Sorry. . . .