Notes from the Spirit Alchemist

Welcome! Take a look around and feel free to try out recipes from my notes below.

Bitter Rose

### Bitter Rose - 120 mL Tonic Water - 75 mL Gin - 25 mL Elderflower Liqueur - 7 dashes Peychaud’s bitters - 1 lime #### Instructions: Slice 2 thin lime wheels from a clean lime and place in a tall glass with ice. Squeeze juice from the rest of the lime into the glass. Add elderflower liqueur, gin, and tonic water to glass. Add bitters to the glass. Stir lightly to combine. Notes: Any dry gin will work for this recipe but out of the gins tested the best options were Plymouth and Bombay Sapphire. I recommend that you use "Fever-Tree" tonic water. The Refreshingly Light or Premium Indian works best in my opinion. They come in convenient mini cans. If you don't have access to the liqueur, an elderflower tonic water will come close to the desired taste.

Blushing Mermaid

Blushing Mermaid 45 mL Brandy 30 mL Sweet Red Vermouth 30 mL Maraschino Liqueur 4-5 dashes Angostura Bitters Instructions: Combine all listed ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well to combine and chill. Strain into a tall rocks glass with fresh ice. Notes: You can substitute whiskey in for the brandy if you would like, but be warned that something that is too mellow will not produce the desired balance. I would recommend against using bourbon in this recipe.

Franko-Iberian Holiday

Franko-Iberian Holiday (Recipe & name under development) 30 mL Tequila Blanco 30 mL Cointreau 30 mL Hpnotiq Instructions: Combine all listed ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well to combine and chill. Strain into a tall rocks glass with fresh ice. Notes: This Drink is currently being tested for a 4th ingredient to balance out the overall sweetness of the drink. At current it is an easy sipper, but lacks dimension.

Haven’t come up with a name yet

Haven’t come up with a name yet (Recipe & name under development) 45 mL Tequila Blanco 20 mL Midori 15 mL Lychee Liqueur 15 mL Dry Vermouth Instructions Combine all listed ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well to combine and chill. Strain into a tall rocks glass with fresh ice. Notes: This recipe is currently too heavy on the lychee flavor and the midori gets somewhat drowned out by it. Possible directions currently being explored: increase the midori by 10 mL, increase the vermouth by 10 mL, add some aromatic bitters, add sake

Health Potion

Health Potion 22 mL (¾ oz) Dry Gin 22 mLCampari 22 mL Sweet Red Vermouth 22 mL Herbal Liqueur (Elderflower or Benedictine) Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass with large ice. Stir to chill and combine. Notes: The herbal liqueur can be either of the options listed, however, benedictine has proved to lend a more complex and satisfying flavor to the drink. If you are looking to alter this flavor try using different types of gin! Different varieties can lend a surprisingly different complexity and flavor profile depending on the botanicals and level of juniper.

Memories of a Mountain Sweets Shop

Memories of a Mountain Sweets Shop (Title is work in progress) 45 mL Bourbon 30 mL Cherry Cordial 15 mL Galliano 4-5 dashes Peychaud's Bitters Instructions: Combine bourbon, cherry liqueur, galliano, and bitters in a shaker or glass with ice. Stir to mix Strain into glass with new ice Notes: This was made with Bulleit bourbon and is untested with a rye. The drink is very smooth but has a strong nasal presence. This drink instantly teleported me into a memory of a sweets shop in Highlands, NC getting caramel treats and hot cider on an early fall day.

Misty Mountain

Misty Mountain (Recipe Under Development, Use at own risk) 35 mL Dry Gin 20 mL Ciontreau 30 mL Dry Vermouth 20 mL Chartreuse Liqueur 15 mL Absinthe 115 mL Ginger Ale Instructions: Combie gin, cointreau, vermouth, Chartreuse, & absinthe in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake lightly to chill. Add ginger ale and stir lightly to mix. Notes: This drink has a very strong herbal taste up front and finishes with a moderate anise flavor. Overall this is a very intense tasting drink and while it is a pleasant flavor, it may not be favorable to everyone. Adjust absinthe and Chartreuse to taste if desired. Use tonic water if you desire a stronger and less sweet drink.

Nostalgia

Nostalgia Trying to remember the actual recipe for this one. Got tipsy and forgot to write it down. Big dumb

Persephone’s Tears

Persephone’s Tears 45 mL Hpnotiq 30 mL Crème de Violette 30 mL Dry Vermouth 45 mL Dry Gin Instructions: Combine all listed ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well to combine and chill. Strain into a tall rocks glass with fresh ice. Notes: This recipe can be easily adjusted based on preferred taste. If you like the taste of the tropical flavor more you can raise its proportion a bit and lower the Crème de Violette. Do not lower the proportion of Gin significantly or the drink will taste too sweet.

The Seaside

The Seaside 40 mL XO brandy 30 mL Cointreau (triple-sec) 30 mL sweet red vermouth 5 dashes orange bitters 135 mL Grapefruit Soda (do not use infused water) Instructions: Combine brandy, cointreau, vermouth, and bitters in a shaker. Shake lightly until chilled. Do not overshake. Strain into a tall tumbler with new large ice cubes. Add grapefruit soda and stir lightly to mix. Garnish with an orange slice if desired. Notes: This recipe was created using brandy, but bourbon or whiskey can be substituted in quite well. Bourbon produces a smoother flavor and an overall milder cocktail. Other brands of triple sec will work alright but the cointreau will give the best flavor of the drink. The recipe was created with "Q" grapefruit soda and is the recommended brand to utilize, however, other brands will work. Please just make sure to use a true soda.

Vacation to Okinawa

Vacation to Okinawa (Recipe is still in testing, use at own caution) 30 mL Lychee liqueur 20 mL Campari 45 mL Dry Gin 30 mL Cointreau 4-5 dashes Orange Bitters 125 mL Grapefruit Soda Instructions: Combine lychee liqueur, campari, gin, Cointreau, & bitters in a shaker. Stir to combine and chill. If choosing to shake instead, make sure not to overshake. Strain into a tall rocks glass with fresh ice. Add grapefruit soda and gently stir twice. Notes: The proportions for this one needs adjustment but if anyone is experimenting with this one just make sure to keep the Gin as a larger component than anything else. The lychee is a very potent flavor and can easily eclipse the others. The recipe was created with "Q" grapefruit soda and is the recommended brand to utilize, however, other brands will work. Please just make sure to use a true soda.

Wandering Knight

Wandering Knight 40 mL XO brandy 30 mL Cointreau (triple-sec) 30 mL sweet red vermouth 5 dashes orange bitters 135 mL Grapefruit Soda (do not use infused water) Instructions: Combine brandy, cointreau, vermouth, and bitters in a shaker. Shake lightly until chilled. Do not overshake. Strain into a tall tumbler with new large ice cubes. Add grapefruit soda and stir lightly to mix. Garnish with an orange slice if desired. Notes: This recipe was created using brandy, but bourbon or whiskey can be substituted in quite well. Bourbon produces a smoother flavor and an overall milder cocktail. Other brands of triple sec will work alright but the cointreau will give the best flavor of the drink. The recipe was created with "Q" grapefruit soda and is the recommended brand to utilize, however, other brands will work. Please just make sure to use a true soda.