Welcome to the Ultimate Cocktail Guide, in this article you find everything you need to make yourself a fantastic Cocktail.

Liqueurs, Juices, Herbs, Spices and Cocktail Equipment are all compiled into their own sections to easily discover your next Cocktail ingredient.

 Spirits

The world has a wonderful selection of different alcoholic drinks to incorporate into your Cocktails, ranging in alcohol levels from the softer liqueurs to the stronger spirits.

If you’re looking for something new to try, hopefully, you’ll find one or two you didn’t know about.

• Sparkling Wine
• Rum
• Gin
• Vodka
• Whisky/Whiskey
• Brandy
• Tequila
• Ratafia Champenois
• Campari
• Chambord
• Southern Comfort
• Liqueurs
• Jägermeister
• Schnapps

Sparkling Wine

Let’s start with one of the best, Sparkling Wine has a wide array of flavours that can be influenced by grapes, land, country and people, a marvelous creation requiring teamwork, patience and nature.

Sparkling Wine has a known array of different Cocktails like the French 75, Mimosa, Kir Royale and the Bellini, but when it comes down to it, Sparkling Wine Cocktails still has a lot of possibility to carve out a section in the Cocktail making world, with just the vast array of Sparkling Wines, including, Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, English Fizz and all the Sparkling Wines across the world, there are near endless possible combinations, and here at Glass of Bubbly we create our own unique and classic Sparkling Wine Cocktails which, if you’re looking for something new you should definitely check out.

How Much Should I Use?

Due to the lower alcohol content of Sparkling Wine being around 12-13.5% compared to a spirit being around 39-40%, you’re able to use more of it in your Cocktail and to receive its lighter/more delicate flavours, you are going to want to.

When creating a Sparkling Wine Cocktail, typically it would go something like this, 10-15ml spirit, 50-75ml of juice and 50-100ml of Sparkling Wine. You would then adjust to any sweeteners or bitters added, and of course not all Sparkling Wine Cocktails include spirits and juice.

When enjoying it with juice, you’re going to want to at least match it, and with a spirit go for around 4 times the amount.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Sparkling Wine has the ability to add a delicate array of unique flavours, of course depending on bottle, because Champagne, Prosecco & Cava all have their own recognisable flavuors, even if we just take Prosecco, the flavours from winery to winery can differ from green fruits, floral notes, to even tropical fruits, this is what makes Sparkling Wine a fantastic addition to Cocktails.

Rum

A pirate’s best friend, if only Rum could speak, the stories it could tell, of adventure, mysteries and gold would be near endless, this sits as my favourite spirit because of the mouthfeel and flavours which it can deliver.

Combining Rum with any Tropical Juice is normally a safe bet on achieving a delicious Rum Cocktail, two of the most popular Cocktails include the simple Rum and Coke and the Piña Colada which contains, Rum, Coconut Milk/Cream and Pineapple Juice, enhancing the Tropical flavours and perfecting the silky smooth texture.

How Much Should I Use?

Rum can take on a silky, smooth texture, making it slightly easier to drink more of, but it is still a spirit with an alcohol level of 40% or higher, so it should still be treated as such, anywhere from 10-20ml in a Cocktail will be enough to showcase itself, going for 20% will create a considerably stronger Cocktail compared to 15ml, so make sure you’re prepared for the kick.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

As said Rum can take on a silky, smooth texture, the flavours depend on producers and type of Run you buy, like White Rum or Dark Rum, but generally, you will taste any of these flavours: Vanilla, Pineapple, Coconut, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Oak, Smoke, Caramel or Nuts.

Gin

A classic go-to spirit in creating Cocktails, a lot of craft Gins have appeared over the years, adding to the classic Gin flavours going in new and interesting directions, but when looking at an original Gin, it’s going to pair well with most ingredients. With Cocktails like the Gin Martini, Gin & Tonic and the Aviation being good choices.

How Much Should I Use?

Containing 40% alcohol content, anywhere between 10-15ml would be perfect whether with a Tonic, Juice, Sparkling Wine or Lemonade.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

If we stick to the Original Gin flavours, you’re sure to see some of the following: Juniper, Citrus, including Lemon, Lime or Orange, Cardamom, Ginger, Angelica Root, Nutmeg and Coriander. But if we go over to the craft Gins, then you could be experiencing a wide array of fruits, like Green Apples, Strawberries, Raspberries, Orange, Lemon, Peach and more.

Vodka

Originating in Russia during the 14th century, with some believing it was first made over a thousand years ago, this Spirit is most known for its part in the Bloody Mary, The Vodka Martini, The Moscow Mule, White Russian, Screwdriver and Cosmopolitan, as well as the simple Vodka and Coke

How Much Should I Use?

Like most, the Vodka contains a 40% alcohol level, so 10-15mls in Cocktail would do fine, with the option to go up to 20ml if you wanted to go get drunk faster.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Not much, Vodka is the go-to Alcoholic drink to help you achieve that tipsy level quickly, as Vodka doesn’t really have much of a flavour it can combine with pretty much any Juice or Ingredient, simply allowing you to drink alcohol without any added taste, which makes it perfect for Cocktails.

When you try and pick out some flavours, you’re only really going to get grains or potatoes, but don’t let potatoes put you off Vodka, it’s defiantly not like biting into a potato, to most people Vodka is tasteless.

Whisky /Whiskey

Whiskey (Irish) or Whisky (Scottish) is seen as more of a sit down in an old chair with a big cigar and enjoy a glass of Whisky rather than let’s add it to a Cocktail, so I’m not sure how many people would associate Whisky with Cocktails, but whether to your surprise or not, they do work together. Here are some Whisky Cocktails which you may have heard of, The Godfather, Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Whiskey Sours.

How Much Should I Use?

Averaging between 40-50% Alcohol, Whiskey has a bold flavour, becoming prominent in most situations, so going for 10mls would be fine, but if you’re not happy with that, go up to 12 or 15mls.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Whisky has a recognisable presence to it that you’re not likely to forget, flavours can include Barley, Malty, Smokey, Rye, Corn, Wheat or Briny.

Brandy

When it comes to which of the spirits has the on average highest alcohol content, Brandy is up there, containing up to 50% alcohol level, it is one of the highest alcohol levels you’ll find in your local supermarket.

Two popular Brandy Cocktails consist of the Brandy Alexander and Brandy Daisy.

You may have also heard of Cognac, it is a different variety of Brandy with 40% Alcohol content.

How Much Should I Use?

Brandy has an alcohol level between 45-50%, although it can pack a stronger punch, the Cocktails which are made with Brandy typically use more, somewhere between 30-60mls, but if you don’t want the Brandy to be the feature of the show, then lowering it to 10-15ml like the other spirits will work perfectly fine.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Brandy has more of a mellow and complex flavour, consisting of oaky, fruity and subtle sweet flavours.

Tequila

Tequila!!! everyone knows the Salt, Tequila & Lime drinking method of licking salt off your hand, drinking a shot of Tequila and then sucking on a lime wedge, the shot that is for sure to wake you up, but how many of you have used or enjoyed Tequila in a Cocktail?

One of the best Tequila Cocktails I’ve enjoyed was a Tequila Sunrise Champagne Cocktail, the combination of flavours from the Tequila, Grenadine and Champagne created a perfect recreation of Terry’s Chocolate Orange.

How Much Should I Use?

Containing anywhere between 40-50% or above alcohol content, this Spirit can take on a slightly stronger touch, so the alcohol used in a Cocktail should range from around 10-15ml.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Depending on the age, you could get an oily texture up to a silky/creamy texture, the flavours can range from spicey, fruits, nutty, woody or sweets.

Ratafia Champenois

Ratafia or the kind that we’re going to focus on, Ratafia Champenois, grown exclusively in the Champagne Region made from the must/extract of the same grapes used to make Champagne. When searching for Ratafia Champenois Cocktails, there aren’t many, but some of the most popular will include The High Roller Cocktail, The Magician’s Secret and The Straight Shooter, which you can see how to make here: Ratafia and Champagne Cocktails

How Much Should I Use?

Containing only around 16-22% Alcohol, you can enjoy more of this Liqueur, but one thing to keep in mind is the increased sugar level, Ratafia Champenois contains 110 grams per liter, this sugar adds to the refined elegances to some and increases the fruity sweetness on others.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Depending on how aged the Ratafia Champenois that you have you could taste flavours of Oak, Wood, Smokey, Nutty, Pastry, Syrup, Caramel, Honey, Figs, Prunes, Apricots, Peaches, Yellow Fruits and more.

The older the Ratafia Champenois the deeper the flavours with the Oaky, Nutty kind and the younger the Ratafia Champenois include Yellow Fruits, Honey, Syrup, Peaches and Apricots.

Campari

One of the most famous bitters to enjoy in a Cocktail is the Campari, first thing to say is it’s not going to be for everyone, Campari has a real bittersweet flavour and was first created in the Northwest of Italy in 1860

At first, I disliked the bittersweet flavour of Campari, but I found a bottle which I didn’t mind, combined it with different Juices and now I’m happy to enjoy it in a Cocktail, but I completely understand those who don’t who don’t have a taste for it.

If you’re looking to explore the world of Campari, then I recommend trying either the Campari Spritz, Jungle Bird or the Americano.

How Much Should I Use?

Campari averages between 20.5% to 28.5% in Alcohol, so it sits somewhere in the middle of a Liqueur and a Spirit, but because of its bittersweetness, you should still average around 10-15mls, so the Cocktail doesn’t become dominated by it.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Campari has a strong and notable bittersweet flavor, with it expressing the likes of Orange, Orange Peel, Orange Zest, Cherries, Cinnamon, Cloves, Grapefruit and more.

Chambord

A sweet little bottle with a sweet taste inside, Chambord is only made by one company, you won’t find it anywhere else, it has been owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation since 2006, they originally got the idea from a Raspberry Liqueur produced during the late 17th Century in the Loire Valley in France, with King Louis XIV possible receiving a bottle as a gift during a visit to the region.

Two Cocktails that are worth a try if you’re a fan or looking to try Chambord are the Chambord Royale or French Martini, Chambord also finds its way into recreating classic Cocktails like the Chambord Daiquiri or Chambord Moscow Mule.

How Much Should I Use?

At only 16.5% Alcohol content, Chambord promotes a sweet taste over getting you drunk, with each bottle only containing 20cl, you’re not going to want to use loads in your Cocktail, but the good news is, you’re not going to need to, depending on the size of your glass, you’re only going to need 10-15mls of Chambord to taste its flavour.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Raspberry, Chambord is known for its sweet Raspberry flavours, it is 100% naturally made with Raspberries, Blackberries and Blackcurrants, flavours also can include sublte notes of Citrus, Vanilla, Blackberries and Blackcurrant.

Southern Comfort

You couldn’t find a better bottle of liqueur to fill the boots of a Cowboy Cocktails, Southern Comfort gives you a taste of the Wild West, with Cocktails like the Alabama Slammer, Southern Hurricane, Comfort Old Fashioned, Slam Dunk or New Yorker.

How Much Should I Use?

Standing at 35% Alcohol content, the amount of Souther Comfort can range from as little as 10mls up to the likes of 60mls, often the flavours of Southern Comfort are wanted to be enjoyed throughout the Cocktail, a good standard would be 45mls.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

Southern Comfort was first created in New Orleans, it is a whiskey-based liqueur, you can expect flavours of oak, spice, vanilla, cinnamon, peach and apricot.

Liqueurs

The exciting and expanding world of Liqueurs is doing wonders for the Cocktails making world.

Typically speaking and very simply speaking, a Liqeure is like taking a spirit, cutting the alcohol content in half, adding some popular and unique flavours and increasing the sweetness to between 70-100 grams per liter.

You can find some phenomenal flavours which you would never expect to see, Manchester Drinks Co is one of the leading brands in creating Liqueurs, like their Roasted Pineapple, Ginger & Pear or Coconut & Vanilla Rum Liqueurs or Strawberry & Cream, Mystical Unicorn, Blood Orange, Watermelon Crush or Candy Can Gin Liqueurs.

Also included in the Liqueur category is Schnapps and Jägermeister which will be shown you below.

How Much Should I Use?

You have half the Alcohol content as you would have in spirit, Liqueurs contain only 15-20% Alcohol, but the sugar content is up to a minimum of 70% going up to 100% per liter, so you’ll still want to watch how much you drink, just for another reason, but you can add between 15-30mls to a Cocktail.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

You can expect endless flavours, it really depends on what bottle you pick up, most of the Liqueurs from Manchester Drinks really deliver on the flavours they state on the bottle, for a real answer to this question you’ll have to pick up a bottle and try for yourself.

Jägermeister

Jägermeister, the famous green bottle with the stag and cross logo, is a liquor that was created in 1934 by Wilhelm and Curt Mast in Germany and is made from 56 herbs and spices.

The most famous Cocktail is the Jägerbomb, made by dropping a shot of Jägermeister into an energy drink, normally Red Bull.

How Much Should I Use?

Jägermeister has its own more unique alcohol content, not quite reaching that of a Gin or Rum, but not going as low as a Liqueur, sitting at 35% Alcohol content. Meaning that the recommended amount to add to a Cocktail is around 15-25mls.

Even though it is close to the alcohol level of a spirit, Jägermeister is considered a Liqueur.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

When enjoying Jägermeister will experience hints of herbs and spices with the likes of black licorice, syrup and molasses, it has a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness.

Schnapps

A highly sweet liqueur, making it easy to forget you’re drinking alcohol,

An inexpensive heavily sweetened form of liqueur is made in America by mixing neutral grain spirit with fruit syrup, spices, or other flavors. Referred to as “schnapps”, these are bottled with an alcohol content typically between 15% to 20% ABV (30–40 proof), though some may be much higher.

How Much Should I Use?

As a Liqueur, it sticks to the same 15-20% Alcohol content but also contains 11 grams of sugar per ounce, meaning you drink 195 calories with every shot you take. With a standard shot being about 44ml, you’ll be glad to know that we won’t be using that much in a normal Schnapps Cocktail. You’ll average around 20-30mls with two brilliant Schnapps Cocktails to try being The Woo Woo and the Bliss on the Beach Cocktail.

What Flavours Can I Expect?

The most common flavoured Schnapps will be the Peach Schnapps, delivering Peach, herbs and fruity flavours.

There are various different Schnapps available, including the likes of Banana, Cherry and Lemon Schnapps.

Juices

Here’s a quick overview of all the Juices on the list, keep reading on to find out a bit more.

• Pineapple Juice
• Apple Juice
• Orange Juice
• Tropical Juice
• Exotic Juice
• Mango Juice
• Blueberry Juice
• Cranberry Juice
• Cherry Juice
• Pomegranate Juice

Picking a Juice will largely depend on your preferences, but sometimes it’s good to try a Cocktail with a juice you might not gravitate to, I am not the biggest fan of Orange Juice but do very much enjoy a Tequila Sunrise Cocktail which contains Orange Juice, the extra flavours create a whole new experience for me.

Pineapple Juice

The Pineapple Juice, perfect to enjoy on those Tropical Holidays and golden sand beaches, Pineapple Juice makes its way into a lot of Tropical Cocktails and so it should, the Pineapple is always associated with tropical paradises, so why not indulge yourself in its flavours, in a Cocktail.

When looking for the perfect Pineapple Juice Cocktail, you don’t have to look far, it has an outstanding selection including the Piña Colada, Bahama Mama, Painkiller, Jungle Bird, Malibu Sunset and the Blue Hawaiian.

Apple Juice

One of the two most popular Juice in the world, Apple Juice is enjoyed by millions, so you’d think you would find a lot of great Apple Juice Cocktails, and no doubt there are some, but perhaps not as many as you’d think with such a popular Juice, you’re more likely to find either a small amount of Apple Juice or having Apple flavoured spirits or liqueurs instead.

Apple Juice has made its way into some classics while adding its own apple twist, like the Apple Margarita, with others being the Metropolis, Apple Cooler and the Apple Spritzers.

Orange Juice

The other most popular Juice and a classic go-to for many Cocktails, like the Mimosa, Screwdriver, Harvey Wallbanger, Hurricane of the Tequila Sunrise.

Orange Juice contains a strong and powerful flavour which when placed in a Cocktail will take up a big portion of the flavour, the Mimosa for example creates a mostly just a Fizzy Orange Juice, with, depending on the Champagne, some very subtle yeasty, nutty or brioche flavours, but you’ll need a strong Champagne for this.

But if we look at the Tequila Sunrise, a Cocktail with prominent Orange Juice with added Tequila and Grenadine, the sweetness from the Grenadine really complements the Orange Juice creating a balanced Cocktail.

So when looking at Orange Juice, you’ll need to have an equally powerful addition or simply make your Orange Juice a little more interesting by making it fizzy with Champagne, creamy with Rum or Strong with Vodka.

Tropical Juice

My favourtie of the bunch, nothing quite beats sitting at your desk trying to imagine yourself on a beach in Hawaii while sipping a Tropical Juice Cocktail, well, maybe if I was actually in Hawaii sipping a Tropical Juice Cocktail, maybe that would beat it.

Except Tropical Juice doesn’t make its way into a ton of Topical Cocktails, the Tropical aspect is normally achieved by the combination of different flavours, most commonly with Pineapple Juice or Orange Juice.

So if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create a Tropical Cocktail, then Tropical Juice is the best way to do it.

Exotic Juice

Exotic Juice is simular to Tropical Juice in the way that it doesn’t have many Cocktails which use it, again, if you want an Exotic Cocktail, you’ll normally combine different flavours to achieve it. But when looking to make lots of Exotic Cocktails at a very affordable price, then using an Exotic Juice will do the trick.

Exotic fruits consist of lychee, persimmon, kiwi and pineapple, which is considered both exotic and tropical, plus many more.

Mango Juice

Mango is one of the most well-known Tropical Fruits out there, with its juice delivering a deliciously smooth texture, which makes it a perfect ingredient for a Tropical Cocktail.

If you want to keep the smooth texture going strong, then consider adding some smooth Rum, especially if it has a Tropical character or woody/vanilla.

As Mango comes in a solid outer shell, it makes it a perfect fruit to enjoy a Cocktail out of: Impress your friends with simple yet effective Fresh Fruit Fizz Cocktails!

Blueberry Juice

Blueberry Cocktails normally contain Blueberry flavoured ingredients, like spirits or sweeteners, as Blueberries are a small and costly fruit, Blueberry Juice can also contain the likes of other fruit juices such as blackberry, apple, cherry and pomegranate, meaning that there are not many Blueberry Juice Cocktails around, you’re more likely to find real Blueberries in a Cocktail, either as a whole or crushed.

Cranberry Juice

A great Juice to use in a bittersweet Cocktail, Cranberries are rather sharp and sour in flavour, the Juice form has added sugar and is blended with other fruit juices, but it still has a sharp taste to it.

If you’re looking for some Cranberry Juice Cocktails then why not try out the Sea Breeze Cocktail, Vodka Cranberry or the Bay Breeze.

Cherry Juice

You normally find a Tart Cherry Juice in Cocktails, which is a sweeter version of Cherry Juice, but the Kirsch Cobbler or Let’s Kiss Cocktail are two which incorporate Cherry Juice.

Pomegranate Juice

You can find Pomegranate twists on many of the classic Cocktails, like a Pomegranate Margarita, Pomegranate Martini or a Pomegranate Gin Fizz, all of which utilise the Pomegranate Juice.

Image Credit: Blueberry – Cranberry – Cherry – Pomegranate

Herbs

Here’s a quick overview of all the Herbs on the list, keep reading on to find out a bit more.

• Mint
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Basil
• Lavender
• Dill
• Sage
• Peppermint
• Coriander
• Parsley
• Chives
• Oregano

The Herb which you decide to use can have subtle effects on the aromas and flavours of your Cocktail or it can be the star of the show. Any of the herbs in this article can be used in a Bloody Mary Cocktail, as the Cocktail takes on a tomato, spicy, herbal character, adding any of the Herbs on this list (if they aren’t already included) would work and might slightly change the experience.

Mint

Mint is one of the most popular herbs out there, sometimes taking the top spot, it grows fast and spreads rampantly, it also packs a good memorable flavour which is so often enjoyed in Cocktails, normally fresh mint is used to achieve that desired minty character, you can either place the fresh mint leaves in the drink, between ice cubes to improve the visual look or they can be crushed to release more of its flavours.

When it comes to Mint Cocktails, you may have heard of or even tried the Mojito, Mint Julep, Gin Gin Mule, Southside Cocktail or the Old Cuban Cocktail.

Rosemary

Otherwise known as Salvia Rosmarinus, and part of the mint family, Rosemary is used mostly as a garnish in Cocktails, enlivening the aroma, you can find Cocktails like the Lemon & Rosemary Cocktail, which delivers on the two flavours in the name.

A sprig of Rosemary used as a garnish doesn’t just make you want to spend more time on the aroma, it adds very nicely to the look of your Cocktail.

Anyone familiar with the British TV Show Rosemary & Thyme will know which herb is next.

Thyme

The brancher herb in the picture above is another popular herb that is part of the mint family, Thyme is often associated with Rosemary.

When looking for what to use in a Thyme Cocktail, both Vodka and Gin are two spirits that are said to go well with the addition of Thyme, as well as the more known Bourbon Thyme Cocktail.

Basil

Also known as ‘great basil’, a perfect herb for cuisine, has also a mark in the Cocktail world, with one of the most popular Basil Cocktails being the Gin Basil Smash, and would be perfect to include in a Bloody Mary.

Lavender

Lavender, easily identified by it’s purple flower and sweet floral aroma. Funny enough, the Lavender is also part of the Mint family, it is actually part of 47 known species of flowering plants in the Mint family.

This Flower Mint will allow you to create a very welcomed Cocktail this Summer, both delivering a herbal and floral character, if you’re looking for a Lavender Cocktail to try, look out for the Lavender Bee’s Knees or reinvent the classic with the Lavender Martini.

Dill

Dill is part of the celery family Apiaceae, not necessarily a go-to herb for most, but one that holds its own on several occashion, you can try the Dill or No Dill Cocktail, or a Cucumber Dill Martini or Dill Cucumber Gin Fizz.

Dill is a nice herb to leave floating on top or to pair with a thin slice of cucumber.

Sage

Native to the Meditartian, also a proud member of the Mint family, it is either known as Salvia Officinalis, The Common Sage or Sage, you can pair Sage with the likes of Parsley, Oregano or Bay Leaf. When looking for a Cocktail, the Smoked Sage Cocktail or The Elder Sage Cocktail are two good choices.

Peppermint

Peppermint is more like a cousin to the Mint family, it’s a hybrid, being a cross between spearmint and watermint, originating Indigenous to the Middle East and Europe.

The perfect Mint to choose when wanting a natural Candy Cane flavour, as Peppermint is the flavour in the Christmas Candy Cane, you’ll find a few Peppermint Cocktails using the Candy Cane instead of the Peppermint Herb, like the Peppermint Martini, or Pink Peppermint Cocktails.

When looking for the Peppermint Herb, you only need to look towards the Mint Cocktails, switching out the classic Mint with Peppermint creates a new experience.

Coriander

The perfect herb for an egg mayo sandwich, otherwise known as Cilantro, makes its appearance in the Cilantro Cooler Cocktail, Coriander and Ginger Martini and the Cilantro Margarita.

When Coriander appears in Cocktails, it more often than not is referred to as Cilantro.

Parsley

Parsley is considered both a Herb and a Vegetable, the root of a Parsley grows underground and it’s very similar to a parsnip or carrot in shape and the Parsley leaf is what grows on top.

The Parsley Herb can be used in the Parsley Gin Julep, Lemon Parsley Cocktail of the Jalapeno Parsley Martini.

Chives

We all know the Chives as a thin green Herb, but did you know its scientific name is Allium Schoenoprasum, I think I’ll stick to calling them Chives.

When looking for Chive Cocktails, it’s rather rare, adding a sprig or two of Chives adds a nice green herbal touch to your Cocktail without crowding the rim of your glass, it’s a delicate little touch, which is more popular on food, but still works in Cocktails.

Oregano

Heading back to the Mint family Lamiaceae, originating in the Meditation. Oregano is normally used as a whole but can be used chopped up and sprinkled on top of the likes of a Bloody Mary.

Image Credit: Basil – Lavender – Dill – Sage– Peppermint – Coriander – Parsley – Chives – Oregano

Spices

Here’s a quick overview of all the Spices on my list, keep reading on to find out a bit more.

• Cinnamon / Cinnamon Sticks
• Black Pepper
• Paprika
• Cardamom
• Anise
• Coriander Seeds
• Cumin
• Cloves

When looking for spices, you might want a sweeter touch, or you may lean towards the spicy side, either way, you’ll find plenty of Cocktails that incorporate Spice.

Cinnamon / Cinnamon Sticks

Cinnamon, a well-known and well-loved Spice that is obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the Genus Cinnamomum. It is often used around Christmas to festive the mood with its flavour and aroma, making this Spice a perfect addition to Christmas Cocktails, but it doesn’t just have to be for the Christmas Season, Cinnamon has been included in a great array of Cocktails.

Including the likes of the Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour, Apple Pie Cinnamon Cocktail, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cocktail or Caramel Cinnamon Martini.

Black Pepper

Black Pepper, also known as peppercorn is dried and used as a spice, which is perfect for food, so how well does it do in a Cocktail?

Black Pepper is more known in the cusine world, but it has made a spicy effect in the Cocktail would with The Dalmatian or the Blackberry-Black Pepper Cocktail.

When creating a Black Pepper Cocktail, you’re most likely going to be crushing the Black Pepper into a powder form, allowing it to be easily consumed with the Cocktail. Going for a stronger spirit is not going to be a bad idea, I once enjoyed a Gin infused with spices called the Midnight Gin, it was as good as the name sounds.

Paprika

Paprika is made from dried red peppers which are then grounded into powder, this may be the spiciest of spices on our list, being sure to pack a punch, so you shouldn’t expect anything less when used in a Cocktail, the likes of the Medicine Man, Sweetie Darling or Bloody Carioca Caipirinha Cocktails are ones to try if you enjoy a bit of Paprika.

Cardamom

Cardamom can be refered to as the ‘queen of spices’, it achieved this name because of the many uses it has, including in the food and drink industry, as well as being used in medicine.

Cardamon is obtained from the seeds of several plants from the Genera Elettaria and Amonmum in the Zingiberaceae family,

When searching for Cocktails containing Cardamon, the Bitter Orange & Cardamom Martinis, Amaretto Cardamom Cocktail or the Cardamom-Ginger Martini are good choices.

Anise

Anise is also refered to as either Aniseed or Rarely Anix, this Spice is native to Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean region. You may recognise Anise by its unique flower shape.

When looking for Anise Cocktails you might stumble across A Long Winter’s Nap or you’ll end up finding a variety of different combinations of flavours utilising the Anise as a garnish. Anise can pair well with the likes of Pastis, Sambuca, Rakı or Bourbon.

Coriander Seeds

Coriander as a plant is a herb, but Coriander as a seed is a Spice, they can be enjoyed by toasting or roasting them, just make sure to not go past medium heat, as they can burn easily.

If you want to try a Coriander Seed Cocktail, then try the Coriander and Ginger Martini or The Coriandrum Cocktail.

Cumin

A slightly sweet and nutty spice, part of the family Apiaceae, Cumin is a flowering plant that is famous for being enjoyed on fine cuisine,

Cumin is also known in the Cocktail world, included in Sergeant Pepper, not the real person or the song by the Beatles, but the Cocktail, or how about the Mumbai Mules or Turmeric-Cumin Margarita.

Cloves

Shaped like a nail, Cloves are the aromatic flower buds that are part of the Myrtaceae family, they are left unopened, dried, then sold to the public.

Clove and Cider Cocktail including Bourbon or the Brandy Toddy Cocktail are two good options when looking for Clove Cocktails.

Image Credit: Cinnamon – Black Pepper – Paprika – Cardamom – Anise – Coriander Seeds – Cumin – Cloves

Equipment

After you’ve chosen your ingredients, you might be needing some Cocktail making equipment, this list lays out the most popular and common equipment that you can efficiently use in your Cocktails.

• Cocktail Shaker
• Jigger
• Free Flow Spirit Pourer
• The Cocktail Muddler
• Fine Strainer
• Julep Strainer
• Mixing Spoon

Cocktail Shaker

“Martini, Shaken not Stirred”, to put it simply, a Cocktail Shaker helps to thoroughly mix ingredients together while also chilling the Cocktail at the same, it can also help you achieve a nice foam on top of your Cocktails which contain gg whites of dairy.

It is one of the two most common Cocktail equipment that can definitely help speed up the process and give your Cocktails a perfect chilled taste.

Jigger

An interesting name that was given by Royal British Navy, it comes from the smallest mast on a ship, the jiggermast, they used a jigger to serve a sailer’s daily ration of rum.

It is simply a measuring cup, each side will be made to hold a certain amount of millimeters, the Jigger in the picture can measure 15mls on one side and 25mls on the other, normal-sized Jiggers measure 25mls and 50mls per side, this helps you accurately create your Cocktail, making sure you get the most balanced and delicious Cocktail you can.

1: The Free Flow Spirit Pourer is placed in an open bottle or Rum, Gin, Vodka or any other spirit, it slows down the speed at which liquid comes out, making it much easier to pour the correct amount into your Jigger or even straight into the glass, you’ll see these in open Spirit bottles in a lot of different bars.

2: The Cocktail Muddler helps extract extra flavours out of the likes of fruits, citrus, herbs and spices, use the Cocktail Muddler to crush extra flavours out of your ingredients in your Cocktail Shaker, then shake and strain into your glass.

3: The Fine Strainer will help you remove any small particles from your Cocktail, hold it over your glass while you pour your Cocktail in from your Cocktail Shaker, this helps keep out the likes of lemon pulp, spices, some herbs and more.

4: The Julep Strainer can be placed into the Cocktail Shaker to keep any unwanted ingredients from falling into your glass, keeping the likes of fruit slices, lemon or lime wedges, spices, mint leaves and more from cluttering up your glass, and if for example, you want a lemon wheel in your Cocktail, just place a fresh one in.

5: The Mixing Spoon may seem like an unneeded addition, I’m mean why not just use a normal spoon instead, I thought that at first, but the best part of the mixing spoon is not the spoon or fork part, its the spiral handle in the middle, this helps you create a layered Cocktail, instead of colours blending together, they can sit on top of each other, making a fantastic visual look that’s sure to impress not just your friends, but yourself too.