The best summer cocktails for the Happy Hour that you can make all by yourself
ORCHID IN THE MOONLIGHT
Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur is available through online suppliers; a passion fruit juice or purée can be substituted.
Ingredients
– Ice
– 1 ounce of aged rum, such as Zacapa Centenario Rum
– 1 ounce of mescal
– 2 dash angostura Bitter
– ½ ounce of fresh lemon juice
– ¾ ounce of passion fruit liqueur Chinola (see note)
– ½ ounce of store-bought or homemade ginger syrup
– 3 ounces of club soda
MORTIMER + MAUVE
This drink is a variation on the popular Manhattan once offered at Seamstress, a recently closed restaurant on the Upper East Side. Its name comes from two pigs, Mortimer and Mauve, who resided at the WhistlePig distillery in Vermont.
Ingredients
– Ice
– ¼ ounces of rye
– ¼ ounces of sweet vermouth with chai infusion
– ½ ounce of ginger liquor, such as Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
– Turn orange peel, for garnish
IN THE DUNES OF THE CAPE
In the Dunes of the Cape is inspired by his love of piñas coladas and is named after a lyric from the song “Escape” by Rupert Holmes.
Ingredients
– 1 cup tequila
– 1 cup agave syrup
– 1 cup fresh pineapple juice
– ½ cup fresh lemon juice
– Ground cayenne pepper
– Ground cinnamon
– Ice
– 6 mint stems
– 8 6-ounce cans of coconut-flavored sparkling water (or other tropical flavors, such as lemon or mango)
SOUTH ISLAND SWIZZLE
Ingredients
– Ice
– 1 ounce of chamomile sherry
– 1 ounce of agricultural rum
– ½ ounce of honey, or more as needed
– ½ ounce of fresh lemon juice
– 1 ounce of coconut water
– About 1 ounce of St. Lucia rum
– Lime wheel, for garnish
P + T
This drink, a classic gin and tonic twist, uses a versatile fortified wine known as Pineau des Charentes.
Ingredients
– Ice
– 1 ½ ounces of Pineau des Charentes white (see note)
– 1 ounce of tonic water
– Twist of grapefruit peel, for garnish
– 1 sprig of fresh thyme, to garnish
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.