Twice Smitten

1 oz Gin
1 oz Aperol
1 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup (preferably turbinado)
8 lf Mint
1 spg Mint (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake; double-strain; up.

Notes

I used demerara syrup and basil in place of mint. Very different drink, but still good.

History

The original Smitten is the same recipe using Campari instead of Aperol.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, TX
Source reference

http://drinkdogma.com/aperol-the-versatile-italian-aperitif/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(9 ratings)
From other users
  • Excellent, well balanced, was surprised how the mint helped balance it. Used rich simple (.70 oz for two drinks) and added 4 drops of saline solution. — ★★★★
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Craig E commented on 7/10/2018:

Light curation: rephrased the instructions and history to avoid copyright infringement.

bstanton commented on 7/05/2025:

Very refreshing. Made with Aperol. Next time will try with Campari. Highly recommend.

Apparent Sour

1 1⁄2 oz Aperol
3⁄4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1 spg Rosemary
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with smacked rosemary.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
from Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, TX
Source reference

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487037308045763139608044987…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(20 ratings)
From other users
  • Made with Campari instead of Aperol. Looked like Christmas!
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christina in tacoma commented on 10/13/2011:

The rosemary garnish is delicious, but this drink is really sweet. I added 1.5 oz gin, which helped some. If I were to try again, I would probably just make a Bitter Elder with rosemary added...

boboTjones commented on 4/07/2012:

I made these last night using blood orange juice instead of lime juice. More intense color, different perfume. Altogether very interesting.

Basement bartender commented on 7/31/2013:

I am going to give this recipe a try with a rosemary tincture in lieu of substituting gin to 'beef' it up. Haha, but a London dry would be all wrong anyway. I would consider dumping some Hendricks or an Old Tom in there but any gin is going to overpower the subtle notes of the Aperol and StG's. a tincture is pretty harsh too but a few drops of one seasoned with rosemary should do just the trick.

I will try small versions all three ways and proffer some reflections.

Basement bartender commented on 8/01/2013:

I tried the original recipe in a half portion and it was way too sweet and sour in alternating doses.

I used an ounce of Hendricks (half ounce) on the variation and found it to be a delightful drink. However, it was similar to a Negroni with more sweet and less bitter in the aftertaste (this is obviously discounting the tones of rosemary that make is markedly different in aroma). The real problem was this: the drink didn't taste much like a 'sour' anymore with the gin. It was a good drink but an entirely different one.

Using the half measures again, I made a version and used sweetened lime juice (in lieu of fresh squeezed in the others) and 2 ml of rosemary tincture and no garnish. It was easily the best of the three and still had a flavoring in keeping with the drink's name. The sweetened lime juice gave it that nice 'sour' feel and fortified the mixture against the introduction of 50-60% alcohol tincture (I used equal parts water and everclear for the recipe).

Finally, I celebrated my tweak with a regular sized version:
1 1/2 oz Aperol
3/4 oz St. Germain
3/4 oz Rose's Sweetened Lime
3 ML of Rosemary Tincture

shaken well in ice and strained into a chilled coup then garnished with a small sprig of rosemary (no need to slap). It was fantastic and I will be making this for friends soon enough to get their thoughts.

Leroy.Palestine commented on 9/28/2018:

I used my usual sour ratios and made it less sweet and, to my palate, more delicious .

Try:

2oz Aperol

1oz Lime juice

.5oz St Germain

 

 

 

drinkingandthinking commented on 10/09/2019:

It was good, but a bit sour. I added 1/4 oz. Kirschwasser and that boosted it to a 4 star for me.

The Cheap Detective

2 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1 oz Cynar
3⁄4 oz Campari
1 wdg Grapefruit (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Yields Drink
Year
2011
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
from Michel Dozois of Ray's and Stark Bar at LACMA in Los Angeles
Source reference

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487037308045763139608044987…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(3 ratings)
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Brass Flower

1 oz Gin
1 oz Grapefruit juice (ruby red)
3⁄4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1 oz Champagne
Instructions

Shake everything but the Champagne with ice and strain into a flute. Top with Champagne.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Joseph Brooke of The Edison in Los Angeles
Source reference

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487037308045763139608044987…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(12 ratings)
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jensck commented on 4/13/2017:

Very good drink, but like so many drinks with St. Germain​, you only need about half of what the recipe calls for, IMO. It's delightful stuff, but it's insanely sweet.

flickerdart commented on 2/02/2024:

Made this with half the amount of St Germain. It's the perfect balance of grapefruit, floral elderflower, and alcohol bite, though I'd use a London Dry Gin over alternatives

hypoxic_ commented on 11/11/2024:

Agree, doubling all ingredients other than elderflower, it's quite tasty!

Songbird (sparkling & violette)

1⁄2 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Crème de Violette
3⁄4 oz Grapefruit juice
1 1⁄2 oz Sparkling white wine, Gruet
4 ds Lavender bitters
Instructions

Shake St Germain, Violette and grapefruit juice with ice, strain into coupe glass, top with sparkling wine and bitters.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Fedora, New York, NY
Source reference

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/05/kaleidoscope_cocktails.html#photo…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(1 rating)
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bkemp1984 commented on 5/02/2021:

Was way too much of the liqueurs with such a small amount of sparkling wine. Adding more of the latter made it a bit better but was still a bit powerful. I used Golden Moon's creme de violette, which I like better but is weaker than Rothman & Winter, and it still was too much. I'd say 1/4 of each, at least 2 oz of bubbles, and a dash less of lavender.

Ruirita

2 oz Blanco tequila
1⁄2 oz Cynar
1⁄2 oz Lime juice
1⁄4 oz Simple syrup
3 ds Rhubarb bitters, Fee Brothers Rhubarb
2 dr Orange flower water (to rinse glass)
Instructions

Rinse chilled glass with orange flower water, pour out excess. Shake, strain, up.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Michael Dietsch
Source reference

https://food52.com/recipes/4204-ruirita

Curator rating
4 stars
Average rating
4 stars
(13 ratings)
From other users
  • Made with rhubarb juice! The Cynar makes it kinda ugly in the glass. Pretty tasty, if nothing super special.
  • Balanced flavors and very drinkable. Used 2.25 oz Tres Agaves blanco tequila. Rate 4.0
  • Quite interesting journey from sip to finish. Floral and light up front, chocolatey, bitter, and rich at the end. (My homemade rhubarb bitters are — ★★★★
  • Well rounded introduction to Cynar!
  • Definitely wasn't bad, but mostly just made me want a margarita.
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Craig E commented on 7/16/2019:

Curated slightly: found a working link for the source.

The S.O.S.

2 oz Light rum
1 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Maple syrup (recipe calls for bourbon barrel aged syrup - they specify Noble Tonic 01, I used BLiS)
1⁄2 oz Aperol
1 oz Club soda
Instructions

Combine ingredients over ice in highball glass, top with club soda to fill.

Notes

Original recipe called for floating Aperol in a spent lime shell and stirring into drink.

Yields Drink
Year
2011
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Eamon Rockey, Compose, New York City
Source reference

Imbibe Magazine, May/June 2011 issue

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(3 ratings)
From other users
  • Pretty good. Would make a nice brunch drink. Maple gets a little lost.
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Clipper Ship

2 oz Gin, Voyager
1 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Lime juice
1 ds Absinthe, Pacifique
Instructions

Shake with ice, strain into ice filled lowball.

Yields Drink
Year
2011
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Robert Hess
Source reference

http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/video/562/cocktail_spirit_clipper_shi…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(9 ratings)
From other users
  • Try for Andy
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dfan commented on 1/18/2012:

Made with Plymouth although I imagine using the specified Voyager would make for a bolder drink. Very nice, sort of a more refined gimlet.

Thanksgiving Apéro

1 oz Gin, Bluecoat (Citrusy gins such as Beefeater 24, New Amsterdam also good with this.)
1 oz Aromatized wine, Lillet Blanc
1⁄4 oz Cranberry shrub (Homemade using demarara & cider vinegar.)
1 spl Prosecco (Or cava, should be dry, fill flute.)
Instructions

Combine gin, Lillet blanc and cranberry shrub in mixing glass over ice, stir to combine, strain into flute, top with dry prosecco or cava.

Notes

From my notes, this was tasty last Thanksgiving with homemade cranberry shrub. Might be tasty with other shrubs (i.e. cherry, kiwi, apricot) for other occasions. Cranberry shrub homemade with demarara sugar & cider vinegar as per http://bit.ly/ekePOp

History

Whipped up à la minute last Turkey Day, 11/25/10.

Thanksgiving Apéro
©2011 Kindred Cocktails
Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Rob Marais, Boston MA
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Rob Marais commented on 5/25/2011:

Dan, thanks for the nice picture! As for the prosecco in the shot the Mionetto secco was a great call, just what I used last Thanksgiving!

Dan commented on 5/30/2011:

Lillet asked for a photo, so I obliged.

Mexican Firing Squad

2 oz Blanco tequila
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
3⁄4 oz Grenadine
2 ds Bitters, Angostura
1 oz Soda water
1 wdg Lime (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top with soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Raines Law Room, New York, NY
Source reference

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/05/kaleidoscope_cocktails.html#photo…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4.5 stars
(24 ratings)
From other users
  • Refreshing summer drink. Increased lime juice to 1 oz but skipped the lime wedge so probably about the same. Going to see how this plays with Luxardo cherry syrup next time.
  • Can do with or without soda water
  • Made with good ingredients (El Tesoro and homemade grenadine) and this was quite good. — ★★★★★
  • Created at La Cucuracha Bar, Mexico City 1937, orig garnish orange and pineapple.
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Dan commented on 5/18/2011:

Corrected bitters -- recipe calls for regular Angostura, not Angostura Orange. Added city and estimated date.

rwilde commented on 2/19/2012:

Created at La Cucuracha Bar, Mexico City 1937, orig garnish orange and pineapple.

Zachary Pearson commented on 2/19/2012:

Rachel,

Do you have a link to the source for this drink?

Thanks,

Zachary

rwilde commented on 2/19/2012:

I only have it in a book: The Gentleman's Companion vol 2 by Charles H. Baker (1939). I don't see an online version of it for a link.

Zachary Pearson commented on 2/19/2012:

Which of course, I don't have yet ;) Is the cocktail correct as written here? Can you give the Baker recipe, and I'll change this to reflect the authoritative source.

Thanks,

Zachary

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