PH factor: 8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Bombay gin o ½ ounce Chambord o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o mint sprig and raspberries Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except Chambord over ice. 2. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. 3. Float Chambord on top. 4. Garnish with a mint sprig and raspberries. Remarks: In its original form the recipe called for Crème de Mûre. We used Chambord for its brighter raspberry taste. Don’t hesitate to try it both ways. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 tablespoon cloves o 1 cinnamon stick o ½ ounce Heaven’s Door Straight Rye whiskey o 1 ounce Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur o ½ ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira Method: 1. Pile spices on a shallow dish. 2. Torch the spices and cover with a cocktail glass to capture the smoke. 3. Stir remaining cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 4. Strain into the prepared glass. 5. Drink it quickly so that the angels don’t get more than their fair share. Remarks: This was the namesake cocktail of the Angel’s Share Speakeasy formerly on NYC’s Lower East Side. The term, "angel’s share" is a reference to the amount of liquor lost to evaporation during the aging process. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Bombay gin o 1 ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o ½ ounce Pierre Farrand Dry Curaçao o 3 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a chilled cocktail glass. 3. Express orange peel over the drink and discard. Remarks: Martini purists relax. Have a seat. Try one of these. Not bad, right? Let’s agree to disagree on whether the name martini is appropriate and concentrate on what we can agree on, like how this is one tasty cocktail. . . .

PH factor: 10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Johnnie Walker Black Label scotch o ¾ ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o ¾ ounce Bénédictine D.O.M. o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters Garnish o orange peel flamed Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with orange peel. Remarks: We knew the rating for this from the first sip. And, we didn’t even set the garnish on fire. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 x 2 inch orange peels o 1 x 2 inch lemon peel o 5 blackberries o ½ Mount Gay XO rum o 2 ½ ounces Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o 1 teaspoon Demerara Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o 5 blackberries o pineapple wedge Method: 1. Fill a collins glass or Julep cup with crushed ice. 2. Muddle citrus peels and berries in a shaker. 3. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients. 4. Shake to chill. 5. Strain into the prepared glass or cup. 6. Add more crushed ice as necessary. 7. Garnish with blackberries and pineapple and serve with a straw. Remarks: It is a “cobbler” because of the ice. It is delicious because of everything else. . . .

PH factor: 8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon o 1 ½ ounces Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Twist orange peel over the cocktail and drop it in as a garnish. Remarks: A die-hard manhattan fan may want to reduce the Madeira to the amount of sweet vermouth they are accustomed to using in that cocktail. We liked it as is. As ever, your call. . . .

PH factor: 10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Wray and Nephew White Overproof rum o 1 ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o 3 ounces cold brew coffee o 1 ounce pineapple juice o 1 ounce lemon juice o 1 ounce orgeat syrup Garnish o pineapple spear Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a Tiki mug or glass. 3. Garnish with pineapple spear. Remarks: This is a cocktail for anyone who’s sat in a Tiki bar pining for an iced coffee and also for everyone who hasn’t. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon o ¾ ounce Kahlúa o ¾ ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o 1 splash agave nectar o ¾ ounce coconut milk o ¾ ounce cream Garnish o grated chocolate Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Remarks: This cocktail is a little hard to classify. With the cream and Kahlúa, it’s an obvious choice for an after dinner drink. But since it is so tasty it would also be good before dinner. You decide. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 pieces of pineapple o 1 ounce Mount Gay XO rum o 1 ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce Cinnamon Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 pinch sea salt Garnish o cinnamon stick o pineapple leaf Method: 1. Lightly muddle pineapple in a cocktail shaker. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with leaves and sticks. Remarks: Rum, Madeira, pineapple, and cinnamon may not be a usual combination but they do come together nicely. . . .

PH factor: 9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Grey Goose vodka o ¾ ounce Lillet Blanc o ¾ ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o ½ ounce Schladerer Edel-Kirsch o 1 dash champagne vinegar Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into a martini glass. Remarks: The primary flavor here is Madeira. But not the Madeira you remember. More like some Madeira that has spent the past year at the gym. . . .

PH factor: 8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Finlandia vodka o 1 ½ ounces Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira o 3 ounces apple cider o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce fresh orange juice o 2 teaspoons apricot jam Garnish o thyme sprig Method: 1. Combine all but jam in a saucepan and heat until warm but do not boil. 2. Remove from heat, add jam and stir to dissolve. 3. Strain into a glass mug. 4. Garnish with thyme sprig. Remarks: There is definitely a lot going on in this cocktail, but it does come together well. Having one of these waiting for you is a very compelling reason to come in out of the cold. . . .

PH factor: 10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch o ¼ ounce Fernet~Branca o ½ ounce Licor 43, Cuarenta y Tres o ¾ ounce Blandy's 5 Year Malmsey Madeira Garnish o grated black cardamom Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with grated black cardamom. Remarks: The Nail in the Coffin is from San Francisco’s Dirty Habit Bar. It uses Yamazaki 12-Year-Old whisky. We substituted Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Hence, it is Another Nail in the Coffin. . . .