Bosom Caresser

A nice bosomy wine glass is perfect for this rich egg, Madiera and brandy cocktail. The impression you get from a sip of the Bosom Caresser is a warm and silky drink with lots of candied grape and orange flavors. This is definitely a dessert drink. Use brandy or cognac, but don't skip out on the Madiera, it adds the needed wine component.

• 2 oz. brandy (Hennessy used)
• 1 oz. Madiera
• 1 oz. triple sec (Vitae orange liqueur used)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. grenadine

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a red wine glass.

Lil Naue

This drink's name comes from a Spanish Expression "Lil Naue," which translates directly to Little Nave. The meaning is a backhanded term of endearment, like calling a cute kid a "Little Devil."

The three dessert spirits, brandy, apricot brandy and ruby port (plus an egg yolk) mean that this drink is sweet and fluffy, yet plenty strong for the serious cocktail drinker. It is also a flavor combination that is a little unrecognizable in the U.S. We're not brandy drinkers usually, and mixing with porto is mostly out of the question.

I strongly suggest this one, though. Keep the proportion of ice down to the amount you would put in a glass and you get a nice thick frappe that is rewarding and not to icy. The boozy center is the best.

• 2 oz. brandy
• 1 oz. apricot brandy
• 1 oz. ruby port (Sandeman used)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except cinnamon in a blender with cracked ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a red wine glass. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. 

Port Wine Sangaree

As I've discussed before, the word Sangaree refers to a (usually sparkling) punch of wines and spirits that is the colonial American equivalent to Spanish Sangria.

The Port Wine Sangria (and it sounds redundant to call port a wine in the title, but so is the way of this and other drinks like the Port Wine Cobbler) is a refreshingly light and two-layered drink that starts out dry and boozy and ends sweet and fizzy. This is because of the float of brandy on top that a cocktail drinker is thankful for--that stiff backbone that keeps a drink like this from going completely sugary.

• 3 oz. ruby port (Sandeman used)
• 1 tbsp. brandy (Christian Brothers VSOP used)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• sparkling water
• 1 tsp. water

Dissolve sugar in the tsp. of water at the bottom of a chilled highball glass. Add port and ice and fill almost to the top with sparkling water. Stir and float the brandy on top.

Golden Daze

Golden Daze lives up to its name by giving off a golden sheen from peach brandy and orange juice, and a warm fuzzy feeling from the gin.

Two things about my concoction of this recipe: one is that I used actual peach brandy by Catoctin Creek, not peach schnapps, which makes drinks taste like pie. No, Catoctin Creek brandies are 100% organic and not overly sweetened. This liquor is made from real peach juice that's fermented and distilled. It doesn't taste like sugar.

The other thing about this cocktail rendition is that I used a new local gin: Imagination from MurLarkey. This gin is dry and downplays its juniper only a little so that the grain presence is appreciated. MurLarkey makes all kinds of flavored whiskies, so grain composition is important in their products and it shows.

• 2oz. gin (MurLarkey Imagination used)
• 1 oz. peach brandy (Catoctin Creek used)
• 1 oz. orange juice

 Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Port Milk Punch

Another winter cocktail in the vein of "everything can be made into a Milk Punch" category. Port makes for a very sweet Milk Punch and its rich grape nature lends itself well to a holiday spiced milk. It isn't as strong as brandy, bourbon, whiskey and gin.

You'll want to up the dusting of nutmeg on top if you like stronger tasting milk punch. The heat of the ground nutmeg really does a lot to give the drink that swooning winter spice warmth that you are looking for from the liquor, but which it doesn't always provide.

• 3 oz. ruby port (Sandeman used)
• 1 cup or 8 oz. of milk
• 1 tsp. sugar
• grated nutmeg

Combine all ingredients except nutmeg in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Collins glass. Grate nutmeg on top. 

Tamarindo (Non-Alcoholic)

Tamarind syrup adds a nice thickness that matches the tartness of grapefruit juice in the only non-alcoholic tamarind syrup drink in the New York Bartender's Guide. I appreciate the benefits of the thick and citric acid zip of the tamarind pod when its make into a syrup. For alcoholic drinks, use it in an Old Fashioned instead of sugar (especially with a Rum Old Fashioned) and in Tiki cocktails that involve grapefruit or lots of lime.

For the Tamarindo, though you only need three ingredients. To make this syrup, follow this recipe. To make the drink, follow this one.

• 2 oz. tamarind syrup (1 1/2 oz. if using ruby red grapefruit juice)
• 1 oz. grenadine (1/2 oz. if using ruby red grapefruit juice)
• grapefruit juice

Combine syrup and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with grapefruit juice and stir. (These overly complicated steps can be omitted, however. Build the drink in a Collins glass with ice and stir. Then you won't have syrup sticking to the insides of a shaker that needs cleaning.)

Negus Punch

The term "Negus" is archaic and refers to Ethiopian royalty back at a time in Europe when Ethiopia represented the exotic. And you can see why this royal hot punch is equated with the "Orient" with its use of cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg. It is certainly a treat fit for a king.

The recipe in the New York Bartender's Guide circa 1997 serves 10 to 12, but this is not an especially strong punch and really just extends a single bottle of ruby port into hot water diluted portions. Much better is the mix of spices and the presentation of making the punch in a pitcher as the directions state.

You can, of course make a single serving following a scaled down version of the recipe. Do this with 4 oz. of port, 2 cloves, one lemon twist, 1/2 allspice grated, 1 cinnamon stick and more sugar than you think. Keep the water portion under half a cup.

• 1 bottle ruby port
• zest of one whole lemon
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 8 sugar cubes
• 1 whole crushed nutmeg
• 7 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• boiling water 

Put lemon zest, spices and sugar in a large pitcher. Add enough boiling water to dissolve the sugar while stirring. Add the port and stir well, you may wish to keep the mixture warm to allow for the spices to mull. Just before serving add 2 cups of boiling water. Serve in heat-resistant punch mugs or coffee mugs.