Green Chartreuse Martini

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. green Chartreuse
• 1 oz. dry vermouth 

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

The Last Word

• 3/4 oz. green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
• 3/4 oz. lime juice

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

Make Your Own Fresh Mint Liqueur

Making your own mint liqueur is a great way to preserve mint to use in cocktails well past the herb's shelf life.

You'll need:

• 6-10 Mint stems
• 1 cup or more of 100-proof vodka
• 3 tsp. of sugar

1. Pick leaves from the stems and place them on a wood or plastic cutting board (not glass).

2. Cover mint with a paper towel or plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer. This releases oils without cutting up the mint.

 3. Place mint in a small saucepan and add vodka. Heat covered on high until boiled.

 4. Use a slotted spoon to remove mint leaves from the vodka while it is still hot.

 5. Add sugar and stir until it is dissolved.

6. Strain the liquor into a bottle with a cap for storage.

Michelada

So it turns out that I really like a Michelada beer cocktail when I want something to casually sip on and be refreshed. Here’s how to make one.

• 1 bottle of lager or pilsner style beer
• 2 oz. tomato juice
• 1 oz. lime juice
• several dashes of hot sauce

Rim the top of a pilsner or pint glass with salt by first coating it in lime juice. Fill the glass with ice and pour a light beer into the glass until it is more than halfway full. Squeeze half a lime into the glass and top it off with tomato juice and several dashes of hot sauce.

The Velvet Tango Room

Can’t say enough about the drinks at The Velvet Tango room. Every one made with with the finest and vintage ingredients.

Here I am enjoying The Last Word with the special ingredient, Green Chartreuse. It's amazing. Like nothing I've ever tasted. I can see why the color was named after the liqueur.

 

More cocktails from The Velvet Tango Room include classic Whiskey Sour, Aviation, and Blood and Sand.

The Gibson

Tired of your usual olive or twist martinis? Try the Gibson. Many of my bar guests are finding that it fits a craving they didn't know they had. Whoever that Gibson guy was, he has a lot of new fans.

• 6 parts (3 oz.) vodka or gin
• 1-2 dashes dry vermouth
• 4 cocktail onions

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cocktail onions.

Gin Sour with Poe’s Sour Mix

Gin Sour with Poe’s Sour Mix




I don’t usually use sour mix anymore, but there are times when it is necessary when mixing for a crowd. This is the best one I’ve tried. It really is Phantastic!

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. sour mix
• Garnish with lemon wheels

Salander's Smile

The Steig Larson novel character, Lisbeth Salander, was the inspiration for this drink.

• 2 oz. Absolut vodka
• 1/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 oz. Cherry Heering

Shake on ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the peel of a lemon wheel (in the shape of a smile).

The Blood Orange Blossom

I'm returning to say a little more about this excellent Gin & Tonic variation. Blood orange is a richer juice than your naval orange and goes very well with tonic--if you can get it! Then it is a simple matter of using 1 ounce of juice before you top with tonic. 

• 1.5 oz. gin
• 1 oz. juice of a blood orange
• tonic
• blood orange slice

Combine gin and juice in a highball or double Old Fashioned glass full of ice. Top with tonic and stir. Garnish with blood orange slice.

Classic Martinez

This is the precursor to the Martini and as such, there is high vermouth to gin ratio. That is because the gins of prohibition era were strong and a little disagreeable in terms of flavor. This drinks is best balanced with Old Tom gin, a vintage style of gin with a full body and robust flavor.

• 1 1/2 oz. Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth
• 1 1/2 oz. of equal parts sweet and dry vermouth
• 1 dash of bitters
• 1 dash of cherry liqueur
• Garnish with a lemon twist

 Combine vermouth and gin in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add bitters and cherry liqueur and garnish with twist.