Top 5 staff picks for May

The autumn is in full effect and it leaves us craving the familiar and all-time classic Old Fashioned. But after the comfort of the tradition has soothed the craving, a strong Tiki drink is always welcome addition to the session. This Bitter Mai Tai hits the spot for us.

Bitter mai tai
3 min

Bitter Mai Tai

(1)

A modern twist on the classic Mai Tai, replacing the second rum with Campari for a bittersweet, complex tropical cocktail.

Italian Bitter
Orange Liqueur
Curaçao
Overproof Rum
Spanish monk
5 min

Spanish Monk

(1)

A sophisticated gin cocktail featuring the herbal complexity of Green Chartreuse, balanced with fresh lemon juice and enriched with silky egg white foam.

Green Chartreuse
London Dry Gin
Chambord sour
3 min

Chambord Sour

(1)

A sophisticated sour cocktail featuring French raspberry liqueur with silky egg white foam

Raspberry Liqueur
Unflavored Vodka
Hoodwinked
3 min

Hoodwinked

(1)

A modern Jungle Bird variation with mezcal and Aperol, delivering smoky depth and vibrant citrus notes.

Italian Bitter
Mezcal
Old fashioned
3 min

Old Fashioned

(0)

A timeless classic cocktail that showcases the whiskey with just enough sugar, bitters, and citrus oil to enhance its character.

Aromatic Bitters
Rye Whiskey

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • Jamaican Rum
    30 ml
  • Campari
    30 ml
  • Orange Curaçao
    15 ml
  • Lime Juice
    30 ml
  • Orgeat Syrup
    22.5 ml
  • Fresh Mint sprigs
    1 sprig
  • Lemon Wheel
    1 wheel

Method

  1. Fill a double old-fashioned or rocks glass with crushed ice to chill while preparing the cocktail.
  2. Add the Jamaican rum, Campari, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice, and orgeat syrup to a cocktail shaker.
  3. Add a small scoop of crushed ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds using a whip shake technique.
  4. Pour the entire contents including ice into the prepared glass and top up with more crushed ice to fill.
  5. Slap the mint sprig between your hands to release aromatics, then insert into the drink along with a lime wheel garnish.

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • London Dry Gin
    45 ml
  • Green Chartreuse
    15 ml
  • Lemon Juice
    22.5 ml
  • Simple syrup (1:1)
    15 ml
  • Egg White
    1 whole
  • Lemon Peel
    1 piece

Method

  1. Chill your coupe glass by filling it with ice water while preparing the cocktail.
  2. Add gin, Green Chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to your shaker. Perform a dry shake vigorously for 20 seconds without ice to emulsify the egg white.
  3. Add a generous handful of ice to the shaker and shake hard for another 15-20 seconds until the shaker is frosty and the drink is well chilled.
  4. Discard the ice water from your glass. Double strain the cocktail using both Hawthorne and fine mesh strainers into the chilled glass.
  5. Express a lemon twist over the drink to release oils, then drop it in or place on rim as garnish.

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • Chambord
    30 ml
  • Vodka
    30 ml
  • Lemon Juice
    22.5 ml
  • Simple syrup (1:1)
    15 ml
  • Egg White
    1 whole
  • Raspberry
    3

Method

  1. Add Chambord, fresh lemon juice, vodka, simple syrup (if using), and egg white to cocktail shaker without ice
  2. Dry shake vigorously for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white and create initial foam
  3. Add ice to shaker and shake again vigorously for 20 seconds to chill and further develop the foam
  4. Double strain through both Hawthorne strainer and fine mesh strainer into chilled coupe glass
  5. Wait 30 seconds for foam to settle and form distinct layer, then garnish with fresh raspberries on cocktail pick

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • Mezcal
    60 ml
  • Aperol
    15 ml
  • Pineapple Juice
    50 ml
  • Lemon Juice
    15 ml
  • Simple syrup (1:1)
    10 ml
  • Pineapple
    1 wedge

Method

  1. Add the mezcal, Aperol, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds to chill and dilute the drink properly.
  3. Double strain the mixture through both a Hawthorne strainer and fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
  4. Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge on the rim. For extra complexity, lightly dust the pineapple wedge with harissa spice.

Quick recipe

Ingredients

  • Rye Whiskey
    60 ml
  • Sugar Cube
    1 cube
  • Angostura Aromatic Bitters
    3 dashes
  • Water
    5 ml
  • Orange Peel
    1 strip

Method

  1. Place the sugar cube in the bottom of an old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters and a splash of water.
  2. Muddle the sugar cube until completely dissolved, creating a syrup at the bottom of the glass.
  3. Add the whiskey and one large ice cube or several smaller cubes.
  4. Stir gently for 15-30 seconds to chill and dilute the cocktail to the proper balance.
  5. Express the oils from the orange peel over the drink by holding it over the glass and giving it a firm twist.
  6. Optionally rim the glass with the orange peel, then drop it into the drink as garnish.

Cocktail Difficulty Levels

We’ve added a difficulty rating to every cocktail so you’ll know what to expect before you start mixing. It’s not about being “hard” or “easy” in the strict sense—it’s about how much preparation, skill, and hunting for ingredients you’ll need.

  • Beginner – Quick builds or simple shakes with common ingredients you’ll likely already have at home. Perfect for beginners or a casual evening.

  • Intermediate – A bit more technique (stirring, shaking, muddling, layering) and a few extra ingredients. You might need to buy one or two bottles or garnishes you don’t already stock.

  • Advanced – Multiple steps, specialty techniques (infusions, syrups, foams), or rare ingredients. These drinks take more effort and planning, but reward you with something truly impressive.

The rating is based on things like the number of ingredients, how rare they are, and the skills needed to bring the cocktail together.

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Quick recipe

Ingredients

Method