Brandana Frappe

This is an odd cocktail in that it is a frappe (blender cocktail) of an already blended drink by the same name. I suspect that because this was the easier cocktail to make having no fresh banana, it was invented later as an easier substitute. It is also strange that even thought the name suggests brandy (Brand-ana), it is apple brandy that shows up. The selection, however, was thoughtful because the overall experience is fruity: apples, bananas and oranges. It's a liquor lunchbox!

• 1 1/2 oz. applejack (Applejack 86 used)
• 1/2 oz. creme de banana (MurLarkey banana whiskey and 1/2 oz. simple syrup used)
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• orange slice garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with cracked ice. Blend and pour into a wine glass and garnish with orange slice. 

Apple Annie's Fruit Punch

This punch was delicious, fun and easy to make. It is the perfect punch for summer afternoons and picnics. I was afraid at first that it would be too strong for my guests, but it was very balanced once the sodas were added. The fresh fruit is also a nice touch. In addition to oranges, lemons, apples and raspberries, I added farm fresh blueberries.

The spirit I used here was Laird's Applejack 86. It was strong enough to taste under all the juice, but a real apple brandy and not some jacked cider, weak with no taste.

• 1 bottle or 1 liter apple brandy (Laird's used)
• 3 oz. raspberry liqueur (Chambord used)
• 10 0z orange juice
• 8 oz. grapefruit juice
• 2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 liter ginger ale
• 1 liter sparkling water or lemon lime soda
• 1 apple sliced thin
• 1 lemon sliced thin
• 12-15 raspberries

Combine applejack, raspberry liqueur and fruit juices in a large punch bowl and stir well. Refrigerate for an hour and add a large block of ice before serving. Add the sodas and fruit just before serving and stir again. Serves 20.

Moonlight

This is one of the more tart cocktails I've ever had. 2 oz. of lemon juice are mouth-puckeringly sour. If you sit with it a while, though, you start to recognize the sweetness of the apple brandy and see that it isn't so bad. A lot like seeing by moonlight, your senses have to adjust.

This is the first cocktail I've made with a new product from Laird's distillery--Applejack 86. The label states that the spirit is 100-percent apple brandy. The "applejack" appellation works to make the spirit more folksy and more like the ever-popular whiskey. Brandy is not a spirit that's in favor right now, so that makes sense. This was an easy cocktail to make, but not a great introduction to apple brandy.

• 2 oz. apple brandy
• 2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail Old Fashioned glass full of fresh ice.

Jack-In-The-Box

This is another old-world cocktail with a Laird's product. Applejack is fortified cider that is "jacked" or proofed-up by freezing and removing the water from the alcoholic cider. It is commonly known (at least a long time ago) as cider whiskey, but it isn't exactly a whiskey because whiskey cannot contain juice like applejack does.

Applejack is often misused, as this recipe illustrates. It's not the best idea to over-juice an already juicy spirit. Far better to let the natural flavor of the spirit come out, or else, you could do this with any grain spirit like vodka with the exact result--which is what I suspect the recipe intends for applejack. It doesn't respect the spirit. It is too acidic. Sugar improves the recipe, but not by much.

• 2 oz. applejack
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 3-5 dashes grenadine 

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Applejack Collins

At some point, most of the popular cocktails have been tried with Applejack as an experiment. This is one that goes over very well. Applejack is less like a brandy and more similar to whiskey, and it has a neat herbal scent not unlike gin.

More strange discrepancies with this recipe: no Collins should be a blender drink, so I'm amending the recipe to a shaken cocktail as it should be. You'll see the original directions below, however.

Do this if you have applejack and the mood arises for a Collins in the fall.

• 2 oz. applejack (Laird's used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 3-5 dashes orange bitters
• sparkling water
• lemon slice

Combine all ingredients except sparkling water and lemon slice in a shaker (blender?) with ice. Shake (blend until smooth?) and pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge.