Spirit-Forward Cocktails

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.