Three easy-to-make drinks for cooler weather
The times may be strange, but the seasons still change. School is underway, the sun is setting sooner, leaves are turning and the crisp autumn breeze hangs in the air. That's right, fall is here, and just like how you dress for the weather, you might consider drinking for the weather, too.
If summer is the season for clear booze—think the gin in your gimlet, the blanco tequila in your paloma or the white rum in your daiquiri—then autumn is the perfect time to welcome the warm embrace of aged spirits. So as we move from poolside to inside, and eventually to the fireside, we consulted some of our favorite haunts and bartenders for seasonal twists on classic cocktails. Give one or all of these cozy libations a try—they're easy to whip up at home.
This modern classic hails from Sam Ross in the excellent PDT Cocktail Book, and it was a game changer for me. The offspring of the Manhattan and the Negroni (or Boulevardier, to be more precise), the Left Hand retains the best qualities of both. Bound together by Bittermens exquisite chocolate bitters, it's an item you won't regret adding to your arsenal.
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with one or three premium cherries on a pick.
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with one or three premium cherries on a pick.
The Diamondback is a sturdy stand-by featuring rye, apple brandy and Yellow Chartreuse-it's warm, spicy and nostalgic. This Death & Co. riff from Thomas Waugh subs rum for rye, adds a splash of grenadine and a dash of Peychaud's bitters, ensuring the Racer's bite stings just as much as the Diamondback's.
Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass over one large cube.
Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass over one large cube.
Robert Simonson's indispensable book, The Old Fashioned, features no shortage of noteworthy spins on the O.G. cocktail. The Highlander highlights Scotch and Cherry Heering, the latter pulling double duty both sweetening and seasoning this most elegant and simple mixture.
Build the drink in a rocks glass over a large cube. Express a lemon twist over the top and tuck it between the cube and glass.
Build the drink in a rocks glass over a large cube. Express a lemon twist over the top and tuck it between the cube and glass.
Alcohol is a vasodilator. It causes your blood vessels to dilate, particularly the capillaries just under the surface of your skin. When you have a drink, the volume of blood brought to the skin’s surface increases, making you feel warm.
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