Harlem Cocktail

There's so much about this drink that makes sense. Real crushed pineapple (and juice from a fresh pineapple) maraschino liqueur, and gin. It's urban, its tropical, it served in a rocks glass for easy toasting. What's not to like? Plus, New York gets so many cocktails from the NY Sour to the Manhattan. Why not Harlem?

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 tsp. maraschino liqueur
• 1 tbsp. fresh pineapple chunks

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. (Pineapple chunk garnish optional.)

Fine And Dandy

Such an old-school accolade for a name. Fine and Dandy is a Britishism that signifies that all is going well. And it is, with this cocktail with plenty of citrus bitterness. Strange Monkey gin is a fruity backbone to an ounce of triple sec, one of lemon and a dash of orange bitters shower.

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. triple sec
• dash orange bitters (Hella bitters used)

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

San Sebastian

The San Sebastian is pretty much a gin drink with juices. Triple sec means that no sugar is needed, which makes this cocktail pretty dry and fruity. You only get a half ounce of rum in the recipe, so make a statement. Use a flavorful rum like Buzzard Point or Plantation 3 Stars so that it stands out and lends a tropical air to what would be only a gin drink.

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. light rum
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice

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

Southern Bride

It's lightly pink and a bit like a dress turned upside down. The Southern Bride is lovely and tropical, another one of those southern gin cocktails, whether this is actually a thing or not.

It is like so many other grapefruit and maraschino liqueur cocktails like the previous post. Go with it when you don't have mint to make the Seventh Heaven.

• 3 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 2 oz. grapefruit juice
• 1 tbsp. maraschino liqueur

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

Seventh Heaven

I've had this drink before only it wasn't a gin drink. It was a dark rum or rye drink, like the Blinker, but the flavor is familiar and tropical. Strange Monkey gin makes it even fruitier with the mint sprig there as a whiff of class.

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur
• mint sprig

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint sprig. 

Imperial Cocktail

When it comes to Martini-like cocktails that involve gin, dry vermouth, and maraschino liqueur, the expression Imperial is often used. This may be because Luxardo maraschino has the ability to add a different texture and a kind of bitterness that's a very appreciated change from a dry Martini.

Here's Strange Monkey Gin shines with all its strangeness. You notice it popping through the wine and bitter sweetness with its own fruit bouquet that is not unlike a stick of Juicy Fruit gum.

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 oz. dry vermouth (Trader Joe's) used
• 1/2 tsp. maraschino liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Southside Cocktail

This is a Chicago cocktail that stands opposed to the city's less-popular Chicago Cocktail, a cognac drink. The name refers to Chicago's South Side. The drink and part of town are experiencing a revival.

• 3 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. bar sugar
• mint sprig

Combine all ingredients except mint sprig in a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a mint sprig.
(Alternatively I like to throw a few mint leaves in the shaker and strain them out to get more mint flavor into the drink.)

Hula Hula

As the name suggests, this is a tropical-themed drink. For some reason orange flavor is associated with Hawaii or the Pacific. More than likely this is a 1930s drink that used a commonly available fruit and triple sec to make a classic cocktail that tasted a little exotic.

Strange Monkey gin is pretty exotic too. There's a burst of fruit flavor behind the usual juniper gin flavor that reminds me of Juicy Fruit gum. I'm glad I picked this gin up!

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1 tbsp. triple sec

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

Sweet Martini

A Sweet Martini is a great drink in its own right. Not as sweet and vermouth heavy as a Martinez, this drink developed off the older cocktail to the similar proportions of Dry Martinis consumed today.

Dolin sweet vermouth is very French, but I used Hella Orange Bitters to give the cocktail a spicy bite. The orange twist is mandatory!

• 3 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Dolin used)
• dash orange bitters (Hella orange used)
• orange twist

Combine all ingredients except twist in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist orange peel over the glass and drop it in.

Suffering Bastard

It's a hangover cure, a gin drink, a brandy drink and a ginger beer cocktail. But we should note that Angostura bitters is the main ingredient when it comes to taste. A tablespoon of bitters has an outsize effect on a drink.

My new ginger beer is Cock and Bull, a funny label that indicates that this product is a Moscow Mule mixer. What about a Bastard mixer?

• 2 oz. gin (Strange Monkey used)
• 1 1/2 oz. brandy
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar syrup
• 1 tbsp. Angostura bitters
• ginger beer
• cucumber slice
• mint sprig
• lime slice

Coat the inside of a Collins glass with Angostura bitters. Combine gin, brandy, lime juice and sugar in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into the highball glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with cucumber, mint and lime.