Spirit-Forward Cocktails
1089 recipes. Short, strong and stirred, with nothing to hide behind.
A spirit-forward cocktail is mostly alcohol by volume and by intent: no juice, usually no sugar beyond a modifier, and served short and cold. The Manhattan, the Martini, the Negroni and the Old Fashioned are the four corners of the category.
These are stirred, not shaken, because there is nothing in them that needs aerating and everything in them benefits from staying clear and heavy on the tongue. Stir for around thirty seconds over good ice and taste before you serve.
They are also the drinks where ingredient quality shows most. There is no citrus to hide behind, so a tired vermouth or a bottom-shelf spirit is exactly as obvious as it sounds.
Start here
The ones worth knowing before the rest.
Add one more bottle
What a second bottle opens up.
All 1089 recipes
Page 14 of 23.
- Pineau Martini Pineau Des Charentes Red, Gin
- Saketini Gin, Sake
- Salt and Pepper Martini Vermouth, Absolut(R) Peppar Vodka
- Warrior Cocktail Sweet Vermouth, Dry Vermouth, Brandy
- Hair Raiser 100 Proof Vodka, Rock & Rye(R) Liqueur, Lemon Juice
- Quarter Deck Cocktail Light Rum, Cream Sherry, Lime Juice
- Betsy Ross Brandy, Tawny Port, Triple Sec Liqueur
- Bloodhound Cocktail Sweet Vermouth, Dry Vermouth, Gin
- Blue Cowboy Gin, Blue Curaçao Liqueur
- Brandy Sour Brandy, Lemon Juice, Confectioners' Sugar
- Circular Incision Scotch, Dry Vermouth, Drambuie(R) Liqueur
- Combustible Edison Brandy, Campari(R) Bitter, Lemon Juice
- Cooperstown Cocktail Sweet Vermouth, Dry Vermouth, Gin
- Corpse Reviver #3 Brandy, Fernet Branca(R), Crème de Menthe Blanche Liqueur
- Damn-Your-Eyes Aged Rum, Dubonnet(R) Blanc, Dry Vermouth
- Diana Cocktail Crème de Menthe Blanche Liqueur, Brandy
- Dry Negroni Cocktail Campari(R) Bitter, Gin, Dry Vermouth
- Favorite Cocktail Apricot Brandy, Dry Vermouth, Gin
- Forester Bourbon, Cherry Liqueur, Lemon Juice
- Grease Lightning Gin, Dry Vermouth, Cherry Brandy
- Harry Denton Martini Bombay Sapphire(R) Gin, Green Chartreuse Liqueur
- Icy Clean Martini SKYY(R) Vodka, Martini & Rossi(R) Dry Vermouth, Fee Brothers(R) Orange Bitters
- Indispensable Martini Gin, Dry Vermouth, Sweet Vermouth
- Juniper Blend Gin, Cherry Liqueur, Dry Vermouth
- Lemon Twist Absolut(R) Citron Vodka, Dry Vermouth
- Palm Beach Cocktail Gin, Sweet Vermouth, Grapefruit Juice
- Prince's Smile Apple Brandy, Apricot Brandy, Gin
- Rory O'more Irish Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Orange Bitters
- Southern Delta Bourbon, Southern Comfort(R), Lime Juice
- Temptation Cocktail Blended Whiskey, Dubonnet(R) Rouge, Triple Sec Liqueur
- White Way Cocktail Gin, Crème de Menthe Blanche Liqueur
- Connoisseur's Treat Cognac, Galliano(R) Herbal Liqueur, Grand Marnier(R) Orange Liqueur
- Apple Dubonnet Apple Brandy, Dubonnet(R) Rouge
- Bourbon Black Hawk Bourbon, Sloe Gin
- Bull and Bear Bourbon, Orange Curaçao Liqueur, Lime Juice
- Dirty Mother Brandy, Kahlúa(R) Coffee Liqueur
- Eucalyptus Martini Miller's(R) Gin, Gomme Syrup, Cointreau(R) Orange Liqueur
- Fat Friar Bénédictine(R) Herbal Liqueur, Apple Brandy, Triple Sec Liqueur
- Homestead Cocktail Gin, Sweet Vermouth
- Jamaican Rum Cocktail Jamaican Dark Rum, Lime Juice, Granulated Sugar
- New York Cocktail Canadian Whisky, Lime Juice, Sugar Syrup
- Portuguese Daisy Ruby Port, Brandy, Lemon Juice
- Prince of Wales Cognac, Bénédictine(R) Herbal Liqueur, Angostura(R) Bitters
- Spencer Cocktail Apricot Brandy, Gin, Orange Juice
- Jack the Ripper Crown Royal(R) Canadian Whisky, Butterscotch Schnapps
- Tequila Surprise Tequila, Tabasco(R) Sauce
- Apollo 1 Apple Brandy, Cointreau(R) Orange Liqueur, Pimm's(R)
- Archbishop Gin, Green Ginger Wine, Bénédictine(R) Herbal Liqueur
