The Manual’s Favorite Cocktails of 2017 (with Recipes)

From tiny sips to second rounds, we tried our fair share of drinks in 2017. It didn’t matter if it was flipped or shaken, served up or served in the hollowed-out shell of a coconut, we tried it. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite cocktails that we’ve published in the past year. We enjoyed them then, and we’re happily going to enjoy them one more time. We hope you do too.

The Fennel Countdown

(Created by Sara Timmer, The Way Back, Denver) 

• 1.5 oz Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka
• .25 oz Yellow Chartreuse
• .75 oz fennel simple syrup
• .5 oz lemon juice
• Egg white

Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker without ice and dry shake. Add ice, shake again, and strain into a glass.

Winter White 75

(Created by Natalie Migliarini, @BeautifulBooze)

• 1.5 oz Nolet’s Silver Gin
• 1 oz white cranberry juice
• .5 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz simple sugar
• Champagne to top

Method: Fill shaker with Nolet’s, lemon juice, simple syrup, white cranberry juice, and 1 cup of ice. Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients. Fine strain into coupe or flute. Top with Champagne. Garnish with rosemary sprig and/or cranberry.

The Fireside

(Created by Carl Gilbert, Atlas, Georgia)

• 1.5 oz Don Julio Tequila
• .75 oz Mercier Apple Cider reduction
• 1 oz lemon juice
• .25 oz ginger syrup
• 2 dashes of barrel-aged bitters
• ​Red caramel tuile to garnish

Method: Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake, double strain, garnish, serve, and enjoy!  

Matcha Flip

(Created by St-Germain Global Ambassador, Camille Ralph Vidal)

• 2 oz sake
• 1 oz St-Germain
• 5 oz coconut and matcha powder syrup
• 1 whole egg

Method: Add all the ingredients into a shaker and dry shake with no ice to emulsify the egg then add ice shake vigorously and strain into a glass. Add a pinch of matcha powder as a garnish.

Cadejo Blanco

(Created for Ronero, Chicago)

• 1 oz Flor de Caña 4yr Anejo Oro Rum
• .75 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
• .25 oz Boomsma Cloosterbitter Liqueur
• .75 oz  mango chimichurri herb syrup (cilantro, oregano, parsley, and jalapeño)
• .75 oz fresh lime juice

Method: Shake and fine strain ingredients over pellet ice in a medium footed cocktail glass. Garnish with a cilantro sprig and jalapeño wheel.

Jolly Tom Bombadil

(Created by Nick Bennett, Porchlight, New York City)

• 1.5 oz coconut fat-washed gin
• .5 oz Yellow/Green Chartreuse blend
• .25 oz ESP NoHo Gin
• .25 oz Douglas Fir Brandy
• .75 oz lemon
• .5 oz honey syrup
• Egg white
• Angostura bitters

Method: Dry shake and then shake and strain into goblet. Garnish with Angostura bitters.

Glenfiddich’s A Scottish Lassi

(Created by Glenfiddich Ambassador Allan Roth)

• 2 parts chamomile-infused Glenfiddich 12 Year
• 1 part unsweetened lassi (yogurt drink)*
• .75 part Orgeat
• .5 part Lemon Juice

Method: To infuse the Glenfiddich, pour a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 into a pitcher. Add 20 grams of dried chamomile flowers (or 2 chamomile tea bags) to pitcher. Let stand 10 minutes. Strain, rebottle, and label. Keep refrigerated. Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a coupe. Garnish with dried chamomile flowers, if available.

*If you cannot find unsweetened yogurt drink, add 1 part water to 4 parts unsweetened yogurt.

Kula Negroni

(Created by Julie Reiner)

• 1 oz. strawberry-infused Campari
• 1 oz. Cinzano Vermouth Bianco
• 1 oz. London Dry Gin
• Orange twist
• Strawberry

Method: In a mixing glass, combine strawberry-infused Campari, Cinzano Vermouth Bianco, and London Dry Gin. Add ice and stir. Strain over one large ice block in a rocks glass. Garnish with orange twist and a fresh strawberry.

The King is Dead

(Created by Brock Schulte, The Rieger, Kansas City, Missouri)

• 1.5 oz  Knappogue Castle 12 year
• .75 oz Pimms No.1
• .5 oz Earl Grey tea syrup*
• 1 bar spoon Green Chartreuse
• 1/2 eyedropper Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit bitters

Method: Stir all ingredients with ice to dilute and serve neat in a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with an edible flower.

*Earl Grey Tea Syrup

• 1 part loose Earl Grey tea
• 1 part castor sugar

Method: Double steep loose earl grey tea and combine with an equal amount of castor sugar. 

Cannon’s Smoke

(Created by Chris Kearns, Mr. Cannon, New York City)

• 1 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
• .75 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
• 2 bar spoon Laphroaig 10yr
• 1 oz banana puree
• .75 oz Coco Lopez puree
• .5 oz lemon juice
• 5 drops The Bitter End Memphis BBQ Bitters
• Black lava salt
• Honey

Method: Paint a coupe glass with honey every quarter inch, dip into lava salt, and reserve to chill.  Combine Santa Teresa, Ilegal Mezcal, Laphroaig, lemon juice, banana puree, Coco Lopez puree, and Memphis BBQ Bitters in a mixing tin. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into the black lava salt painted coupe.

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