The country is gearing up for Memorial Day Weekend and for many, this is a busy time for travelers scrambling to get their first taste of summer ahead of schedule. For Memorial Day Weekend and beyond, we’ve put together another cocktail roundup that will speak to the nature of the outdoor festivities and cookouts we’re sure will take place.
Before we get into the roundup, we should first give a strong salute to those who served in the United States military and gave their lives as part of their duties. The bravery of those who take up arms for the nation can’t be discounted and we wish to give our warmest thoughts to the families of those who were lost.
For this year’s guide, you’ll recognize some familiar brands if you’ve been reading these pages over the past couple of years. We also have some new entrants to the list along with beer, RTDs, and more.
We’re confident that among the offerings listed in this roundup, you’ll find something to dazzle your friends with or even to enjoy on a quiet evening at home. Further, many of these drinks should live in your recipe books for later gatherings.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all. Sip safely and surely.
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Photo: Maureen P Sullivan / Getty
#MemorialDay: Check Out Our 2024 Memorial Day Drinks & Cocktails Guide was originally published on cassiuslife.com
1. A Hint of Spice in Manhattan
Source:The Balvenie
Ingredients:
1 ½ Parts The Balvenie DoubleWood 12-Year-Old
½ Part Amaro di Angostura
¼ Part Ancho Reyes Chile
¼ Part Allspice Dram (I’d suggest St. Elizabeth)
Method: Add all ingredients to a rocks/old fashioned glass. Add ice and stir briefly. Garnish with fresh ground black pepper and/or a lemon twist.
2. Always Daydreaming
Source:Old Elk
12 oz. Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
8 oz. Raspberry Simple Syrup*
12 oz. Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice (about 3 grapefruits)
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Soda Water or Prosecco to top
Fresh Raspberries and Mint for garnish
Method: Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Add ice before serving to chill. Pour into a cocktail glass with fresh ice and top with soda water or Prosecco
3. Appletini
Source:Reyka
(Created by Jeffrey Naples, Reyka Vodka Ambassador)
Ingredients:
2 parts granny smith apple-infused Reyka Vodka
1 part Dolin Blanco Vermouth
½ part Lairds or St. George Apple Brandy
Garnish with a slice of apple
4. Berry Independent Punch
Source:Nolet
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups NOLET’S Silver Gin
1/2 cup Chambord Liqueur
1/2 cup Maraschino Cherry Liqueur (I suggest Luxardo)
2 1/2 cups Lemonade
1/4-1/2 cup Simple Syrup
1 cup Blackberries or Blueberries
1 cup Strawberries
1 cup Raspberries
Method: Puree fruit in blender and strain out solids or juice fresh berries in a juicer. Mix berry juice with NOLET’S Silver Gin, Chambord, and Maraschino Liqueur with lemonade in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Taste for sweetness and adjust with simple syrup as needed. Add ice to the mixture, and serve over ice with fruit or floral garnish in a rocks glass.
5. Bluegrass Bourbon Lemonade
Source:George Dickel
Ingredients:
1.5 oz George Dickel Bourbon
0.5 oz Trinidadian Amaro
0.75 oz Lemon
0.75 oz Cane Syrup (1 part cane sugar:1 part water)
4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Steps:
Shake and fine strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.
6. Can’t Drive 55
Source:Sammy Hagar
(from “Sammy Hagar’s Greatest Cocktail Hits: 85 Personal Favorites from the Red Rocker.”)
Ingredients:
1⁄2 ounce Sammy’s Beach Bar Platinum Rum
1⁄2 ounce Santo Blanco Tequila
1⁄2 ounce vodka
1⁄2 ounce gin
1⁄2 ounce amaretto
1⁄2 ounce cranberry juice
1⁄2 ounce fresh orange juice
1⁄2 ounce fresh pineapple juice
1⁄2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 splash grenadine
Garnish: fresh orange wedge and maraschino cherry
Preparation: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the rum, tequila, vodka, gin and amaretto followed by the cranberry, orange, pineapple and lime juices. Finish with a splash of grenadine. Shake well and pour the entire contents into an old fashioned or rocks glass. Garnish with a fresh orange wedge and maraschino cherry.
7. Cantarito Familiar
Source:Tequila CAZADORES
Ingredients:
**serves 17-18 people
1 Liter bottle of Tequila Cazadores Reposado
10 oz Fresh Lime Juice
25 oz Grapefruit Juice
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz Grapefruit Soda
Method:
Combine tequila, orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, salt, and grapefruit soda. Stir and pour over ice. Garnish with orange, grapefruit, and tamarind candy
8. Campari Spritz
Source:Campari
Ingredients:
2 Oz Campari
3 Oz Prosecco
1 Oz Soda Water
Method:
Pour The prosecco, Campari and Soda Water directly into an ice-filled wine glass
Garnish with a fresh orange slice.
9. Castle Garden
Source:Castle Garden
Ingredients:
1 oz The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
0.75 oz Jean-Luc Pasquet Pineau de Charentes
0.25 oz Honey Syrup
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
2 oz Brut Sparkling Wine
Baby’s Breath Flower Garnish
Optional: Passion Fruit “Caviar”
Method:
Add all ingredients, except sparkling wine, to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Champagne flute, top with 2 oz of sparkling wine. Garnish with sprig of Baby’s Breath.
10. Cool As A Cucumber
Source:Empress 1908
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
4-5 Cucumber Slices
6-7 Basil Leaves
Method: Muddle the cucumber slices in the bottom of your shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and shake on ice. Strain into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with a basil leaf and cucumber ribbon.
11. Cucumber Lemonade
Source:Hendrick's Gin
Ingredients:
1 1/2 parts HENDRICK’S GIN
1/2 part Lemon Juice
1/2 part Simple Syrup
Top with Soda Water
3 Rounds of Cucumber and 1 Wheel of Lemon to Garnish”
Method: “Combine all ingredients in a highball glass filled with cubed ice and lightly stir. Garnish with 3 thinly sliced rounds of cucumber and 1 lemon wheel.
12. EL CIELO Spritz
Source:PATRÓN
Ingredients:
1 oz PATRÓN EL CIELO
2 oz chilled Pinot Grigio or Provençale Rose Wine
3 oz chilled Ginger Ale
Method:
In a white wine glass with cubed ice, build all ingredients, stir to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange wedge – squeeze and drop into the glass
