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From the Knowledge Vault

Bitters non-potable? Pshaw.

When a dash isn't enough

Cocktails with Lots of Non-potable Bitters

Many of the definitive cocktails from both vintage and modern times are held together by non-potable bitters - infusions of various barks, roots, spices, and other flavoring agents that were traditionally developed as medicine. Before Prohibition (but after the cocktail had been well-established), this usually meant Angostura, Peychaud's, Boker's, or orange bitters, which were key ingredients in drinks like the Manhattan, the Sazerac, and - despite what Winston Churchill said - the Martini.

Recent Additions

  • Chicago Mouthwash — Herbal liqueur, Branca Menta, Sweet vermouth
  • The Ugly Truth — Cognac, Rum, Crème de Banane, Allspice Dram, Orange bitters, Chocolate bitters, Orange peel
  • Golden Slumbers — Bianco Vermouth, Calvados, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Pear liqueur, Verjus
  • Further Out Than You Thought — Gin, Aquavit, Sweet vermouth, Orange bitters, Tonic water, Rosemary
  • 20thC Christmas Cake — Gin, Crème de Cacao, Maraschino Liqueur, Lemon juice, Rich simple syrup 2:1, Vanilla extract

Recent Discussion

  • Re Chicago Mouthwash, 2 hours 12 minutes ago Shawn C commented:

    Definitely true to the name in flavor profile and intensity. I like Malort (and Letherbee Besk and Baska Med Malort) in various drinks, and while this one is not bad, I feel like it is more of a starting point for a better cocktail using a base spirit to mellow the intensity of the rest. The mint/menthol/saffron, considerable sweetness and lower overall proof reduce some of the Malort bitterness.

  • Re Golden Slumbers, 11 hours 7 minutes ago Shawn C commented:

    Published, added creator, corrected location, added year, reworded instructions.

  • Re Transdermal Celebration, 1 day 2 hours ago Shawn C commented:

    I thought this combo sounded familiar, turns out I had experimented with the above in September 2026, with the addition of lime juice, but that trended toward sour, so I switched to lemon juice and added some Damiana to balance. I haven't named it yet.
    The listed cocktail has a great name, and good overall flavor, but the mouthfeel is a bit thick from the Chinola. There are various combinations of related Mezcal/Chinola/Ancho Reyes drinks out there but they almost all use lime, lemon, or pineapple juice which thin the Chinola thickness.

  • Re Odeon, 4 days 4 hours ago Shawn C commented:

    Lightly curated and published (changed title from allcaps, and re-wording on straining). I happened to have the Cointreau Noir, which is a relaunch of Cointreau's original brandy based triple sec (think Grand Marnier.) I picked up the Cointreau Noir some years ago to match two dozen 1920's French cocktail book recipes that called for "Majestic" which had long been discontinued. After looking through some of the 1920's French ads I realized that Majestic had been a Cointreau offering at the time, and the recipe was the basis for the Noir relaunch/renaming.

  • Re super haymaker, 4 days 4 hours ago Shawn C commented:

    I would stir rather than shake this. I didn't have the Evangelista abruzzo punch, but the description of it being a rum based Italian liqueur led me to using Borsci San Marzano instead. The difference is the latter won't have the citrus aspect. The result was complex with the tea like character of the Alpeggio being noticeable here.