Tennessee Cocktail

There must be a lot of rye in Tennessee because there's a lot of rye in the Tennessee Cocktail. A spicy rye perfectly balances the Luxardo, which sweetens and changes the drink into a classic tasting drink.

• 2 oz. rye (Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye used)
• 1 oz. maraschino liqueur (Luxardo used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice

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

Melon Cocktail

There's no melon in the drink and no melon liqueur, but there's no complaints about this bright and tart drink either.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. Luxardo
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• maraschino cherry and lemon wedge or twist

Combine all ingredients except fruit in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry and lemon.

Matinee

The Matinee is a bit rich for most gin drinkers. It is unusual (not in the classic cocktail sense, but in terms of up drinks today) in that it includes a full ounce of sweet vermouth. Not many cocktails use that much sweet vermouth anymore. Still, it is a slow sipping pleasure that tastes much like a whiskey drink and suitable for special occasions.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. green Chartreuse
• 1/2 oz. orange juice

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

Pago Pago

A splendidly refreshing tiki drink, the Pago Pago is a pleasing combination of gold rum, juice and Chartreuse. There's just enough spice and sweetness to negate the need for sugar. Drinkers say that it has a hallmark dryness of classic tikis.

• 3 oz. gold rum
• 1 tsp. white creme de cacao
• 1 tsp. green Chartreuse
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice in a tiki glass or highball.

Killdrummy

I've been working on a drink to appease my bourbon drinking friends who can't stand scotch. This might do the trick. It was less scotch and more a bouquet of flavor. Here's how it's done.

• 2 oz. scotch
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• several dashes of Pechaud's bitters
• several dashes of absinthe

Build in an old fashioned glass full of ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Blood, Sand and Smoke

Every once in a while, the right ingredients and conditions combine and you have an example of a stroke of genius. This is one. In an attempt to level-up a Blood And Sand, I hit upon a recipe that is unbeatable. You have to see this.

• 1 oz. Lagavulin 16 single malt scotch
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 1/2 oz. Luxardo cherry liqueur
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

Shake all ingredients on ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lightly singed orange peel.

Scotch Holiday Sour

The holidays require something extra. A sour isn't enough without that extra additive. In this case it is Cherry Heering. Here's how to make this drink.

2 oz. scotch
1 oz. Cherry Heering
1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a sour glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish with a lemon slice.