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The Knockturnal’s Summer Spirits And Cocktails Roundup

Vinesh Vora01K views

Cool down with a nice cocktail

Before it gets too hot this summer, cool down with a cocktail (or two!). And now that we are in the thick of summer, we felt like it might be the perfect time to share a new list of our favorite summer cocktails and spirits to try.  Whether you are a tequila fan, a whisky lover, or a sparkling wine fanatic, we have something for you to try out.  Check out the list below and let us know your favorites!

 

Tequila

Mayan Summer Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2oz CENOTE TEQUILA BLANCO
  • .75 LEMON JUICE
  • .75oz ELDER FLOWER LIQUOR
  • .50 oz PINEAPPLE JUICE
  • 2 SAGE LEAVES

Method: Add all the ingredients into a shaker and shake it for about 5 seconds. Pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sage leaf on top.

 

Live Long & Próspero 

Ingredients

  • 1 oz. Próspero” Blanco
  • 5 oz. Coconut Water
  • .3 oz. Honey
  • 1 oz. Mango Juice
  • .6 oz. Lime Juice
  • Top with Raspberry Hard Seltzer

Method: Shake the first 5 ingredients together, pour over ice in a tall glass and top with Raspberry Hard Seltzer. Garnish with 3 Raspberries

 

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz El Bandido Yankee Blanco Tequila
  • .5 oz Campari
  • .5 oz Passion Fruit Liqueur
  • .75 oz Strawberry Syrup
  • 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen Strawberries 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
    • Combine strawberries and sugar in a mixing bowl and muddle into a pulp. Allow sugar to macerate berries for a few hours, stirring occasionally to make sure sugar is dissolved. Once berries break down sufficiently, fine strain and bottle syrup and discard pulp.
  • 1 oz Tangerine Juice Squeeze of Lemon Squeeze of Lime
  • 2 oz Prosecco
  • 2 oz Sparkling Water Fresh Thyme

Method: In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients except Prosecco and sparkling water. Crush a sprig of thyme and add it to shaker. Shake with ice. Fill a tall glass with cracked clear ice. Strain in contents of the shaker. Top with sparkling water and Prosecco. Stir. Garnish with orange wheel, lemon wedge and fresh thyme.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Chambord
  • 0.75 oz lime juice
  • 0.5 oz El Jimador Blanco Tequila
  • 0.5 oz passionfruit syrup (Liber & Co.)
  • 0.25 oz ginger syrup

Method: Shake well with ice and strain into footed pilsner glass with crushed ice. Garnish with mint, blackberries and a lime wheel.

 

Pomegranate Paloma

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz CAZADORES Blanco
  • 1/2 oz ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur
  • 2 oz pomegranate Juice
  • Grapefruit Soda
  • Lime Juice
  • Salt

Method 

Add ice to a highball glass. Pour ingredients into highball glass. Garnish with lime juice.

 

PATRÓN Perfect Paloma   

Ingredients

  • 5 oz Patrón Reposado
  • 3 oz Fresh grapefruit juice
  • .5 oz Agave syrup (1:1)
  • .5 oz Fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 1 oz  Sparkling water
  • Sugar and salt for rimming
  • Grapefruit wedge for garnish

 

Method 

Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a shaker tin and shake with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a sugar and salt rimmed collins glass. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

 

And if you are a fan of Sex and the City and the newly released And Just Like That,  you will enjoy this next cocktail that is celebrating the show’s release.

Silver & The City

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz PATRÓN Silver
  • .75 oz PATRÓN Citrónge
  • .75 oz Cranberry juice
  • .5 oz Fresh Lime juice
  • .25 oz Simple Syrup

Method: Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and shake to chill.  Strain into a chilled martini glass or cocktail coupe.  Garnish with an orange twist.

 

Grand Dragon Margarita

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
  • 2 oz. Blanco Tequila
  • 1 oz. Lime Juice
  • 3-4 chunks of Dragon Fruit
  • ½ simple syrup
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Lime wedges and dragon fruit slices for garnish

Method: Fill a wide, shallow dish with 2-3 mm of fine salt. Cut a lime in half at the width and rub around half of the rim of a margarita glass. Cut a thin, crosswise slice from one of the lime halves for garnish. Holding glass upside down, dip wet half delicately into the salt. Shake Grand Marnier, tequila, lime juice, dragon fruit chunks, simple syrup and cayenne pepper with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glass and apply lime garnish and dragon fruit slice to the rim.

 

And if you are looking for a premium tequila to elevate your cocktails, we wanted to share Cenote Green Orange Tequila, the innovative tequila that transforms your Margaritas into a tantalizing orangey, citrus paradise! With its unique blend of premium tequila and natural green orange flavor, Cenote Green Orange Tequila eliminates the need for an orange liqueur, taking your Margarita to new heights.

 

 

A new feature we have is a new sipping tequila that was introduced in April in the US and Mexico. Mayenda Tequila Blanco is a new luxury sipping tequila from Campari Group created to capture lost flavors from the heart of the agave. Mayenda is best enjoyed neat at room temperature, the finish offers a lingering echo of citrus, honey, and baking spices.

 

And lastly, we have some offerings and information from Flecha Azul:

  • TO BOOST YOUR BBQ: ANEJO
    • Known for its perfect pairing with meats, and  fuller meals, the traditional Añejo is expressive of rich maple and caramel but never cloying, as dried herbs and pineapple cream soda keep things vibrant, all tied together with a lingering note of black pepper. Aged for 18 months — 6 months longer than the industry standard, the Añejo tequila will add balance to your backyard BBQ.
  • TO KICK START 18 HOLES: BLANCO
    • “Tee off” the right way with Flecha Azul Blanco tequila. Blanco is the foundation of all of Flecha Azul’s expressions and delivers a  profile of crisp tasting notes, expressive spice, and cooked agave gives way to ripe fruit and honey-sweet floral notes.
  • TO COMPLIMENT YOUR BEACHSIDE CABANA: CRISTALINO 
    • Nothing can cool you down like crystal clear Cristalino! An incredible tasting and ultra-smooth tequila, Cristalino is triple-filtered to produce the same approachable characteristics of Blanco, but still maintains the delicious flavor profile of the Añejo. Best paired with fruits for its chocolatey undertones, Cristalino can elevate any poolside cocktail.
  • TO PAIR WITH POKER: REPOSADO 
    • A chip, a chair and Flecha Azul Reposado in hand will transform your guy’s night!  Its golden brown color with notes of vanilla and butter maintain the  bright, crisp, character of the traditional Blanco, while layering citrus and a gentle grassiness against praline, vanilla, and sandalwood. It is rested in ex-bourbon American oak barrels for 6 months delivering a round, sweet finish with a subtle taste of brown spices. The Reposado’s smoky aroma and smooth texture can be best paired with a cigar or on the rocks!

 

Whiskey & Bourbon

 

Ingredients:

Method:

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake briefly. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

 

Ingredients:

Method:  Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, and stir until well-chilled.  Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with a big ice cube.  Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

 

Banana Peel Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

  • 2 parts Monkey Shoulder
  • 1/4 part rich Banana simple
  • 3 dashes black walnut bitters

Method:  Stir, pour over ice, and add banana for garnish.

 

THE ORANGE HIGHBALL

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Glenmorangie Original
  • 1/2 an Orange
  • 2oz Tonic water
  • 2oz Soda water
  • Orange wedges, to garnish

Method: Juice half an orange.Then fill a highball glass with ice cubes and thick wedges of orange. Finally, pour all your ingredients over the top and enjoy.

 

Alabama Berry Smash

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey
  • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
  • ½ oz rich turbinado syrup
  • 5 blackberries
  • 5 mint leaves
  • Garnish: mint sprig, caramelized lemon wheel, blackberries

 

Method: Add syrup, lemon, blackberries, and mint to a cocktail shaker. Lightly muddle, add the
rest of the ingredients and shake with ice. Double strain into a rocks glass with fresh
pebble ice, garnish and enjoy!

 

The Rose Nest

Ingredients: 

  • 1⅓ Parts Redbreast 12
  • ⅓ Part Lillet Rose
  • ⅙ Part 2:1 Sugar Syrup
  • Tonic Water (Clementine)

Method:  Add Redbreast 12, Lillet and sugar syrup into a spritz glass. Fill with ice and stir. Add tonic water. Top up your ice and garnish with a long grapefruit zest and mint.

 

Ingredients

  • 1.75 oz. Old Elk Bourbon
  • 1 oz. fresh lime
  • .50 oz. agave

Method: Shake everything and pour over fresh ice into garnish with lime margarita foam lime wheel and pink salt

 

This summer The Glenlivet is breaking boundaries of what the buzzy ingredient, pistachio, can do in scotch-tails. Elevate your summer soirees with this chill cocktail using The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve and pistachio ice cream. To add an extra touch of glamour, try garnishing with a dash of orange blossom or rose water.

Ingredients

  • 2 Parts The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve
  • .5 Parts Lime Juice
  • 4 Parts Pistachio Ice Cream
  • Optional: dash of orange blossom or rose water

Method: Combine ingredients into shaker. Fine strain into coupe or small wine glass.  Garnish with honey and finely chopped pistachios

 

The Golden Hour is that magical time just before sunset, with beautiful soft lighting that presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on the day. This simple, three-ingredient cocktail represents the balance, elegance, and quiet joy that its namesake also provides.

Ingredients 

  • 1 part Basil Hayden® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 3/4 part Lillet® Blanc
  • 3/4 part Aperol® Aperitif
  • Grapefruit peel

Method  Combine ingredients over ice in a mixing glass.  Stir thoroughly.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass over a large ice cube.  Garnish with a grapefruit peel.

 

And one brand we wanted to feature is from WhistlePig Whiskey.  Recently, they have partnered with Pit Viper to launch the duo you can’t go to a summer party without: sun-toasted whiskey and custom Pit Viper sunglasses. This light whiskey is an unexpected treat that will show you whiskey can be enjoyed on the rocks or in a cocktail for summer sipping.   The custom Pit Viper sunglasses complete the experience to sport while sipping poolside, fireside, surfside, pig-side or wherever your summer adventure leads.

The Limited Edition duo celebrates WhistlePig achieving 100% solar power at the WhistlePig Farm & Distillery this year, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to a solar energy nonprofit.

 

 

Vodka

 

Suns

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz Whispering Angel
  • 5 oz Belvedere Vodka
  • .5 oz Lime Juice
  • .25 oz Honey Water
  • 3 Blackberries
  • Garnish with Mint Sprig

Method: Place Blackberries into shaker and muddle. Add remaining ingredients into shaker except the Rosé. Shake with ice and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with Rosé and garnish with Mint.

 

Watermelon  Cooler

Ingredients:

  • 2oz The Beach Rosé
  • 1oz Vodka
  • 2oz Fresh Watermelon Juice
  • Ice

Blend all ingredients with ice for a summer frosé or simply enjoy over ice!

 

Baby, I’m a FireWork

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Half Shell Vodka
  • 2 muddled strawberries
  • 0.5 oz of lemon
  • 0.5 oz of simple syrup

Simple Syrup Recipe:

  1. Combine 1 part sugar to 1 part water in a saucepan, stir till dissolved
  2. Bring to a light boil for 20 minutes
  3. Transfer syrup to a container and let cool before refrigerating

Recipe:

  1. In a tall glass, add two strawberries and muddle
  2. Then fill glass with ice
  3. In a shaker, add 2 oz of Half-Shell Vodka, 0.5 oz of lemon juice, 0.5 oz of simple syrup, and shake.
  4. Strain over glass, then garnish with blueberries.

 

Rum

 

Ingredients: 

Method: Combine ingredients and shake over ice.Top off with Elderflower Tonic Water and strain into a coup glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries on a cocktail stick.

 


Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Sorel Liqueur
  • .5 oz dark rum
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • .5 oz lime juice
  • 8 frozen strawberries
  • Mint

Method: Blend until smooth, garnish with fresh mint

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces of Bayou White Rum
  • 1-ounce cranberry juice
  • 1/2 ounce quality orange liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

Method: In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients. Top with cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add a lime wheel or lime wedge for a tart addition or an orange for a slightly sweeter take.

 

And our latest feature for this section isn’t actually rum, but rum’s cousin, Cachaça.

Ingredients:

Method: Add all ingredients in a blender with ½ cup of ice and blend until smooth.

 

 

Gin

 

Ingredients:

Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 15-20 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

 

Ingredients:

  • Homemade rosemary syrup (sugar/water/rosemary)
  • 2 parts Tulchan Gin
  • 1 part Rosemary syrup
  • 3 blackberries
  • 1 part fresh lemon juice

Method: Build all in a tall glass with ice, stir and top with soda.

 

Glendalough Rose Martini

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. Glendalough Wild Rose Gin
  • 5 oz. Dry Vermouth
  • 5 oz. Elderflower Liqueur
  • Lemon twist, garnish

Method: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until very cold. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

 

Glendalough Negroni

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
  • Orange Peel, garnish

Method: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to combine until very cold.. Pour into a rocks glass over a fresh ice cube, then garnish with an orange peel, expressing the oils over the glass before tucking it in with the ice.

 

Canned Spirits

 

Cultor, a premium ready-to-drink tequila cocktail brand founded and manufactured in Miami, Florida, recently made its big debut in the market with the release of four cocktail expressions: Passion, Flora, Soul, and Coco. Cultor ready-to-drink cocktails are not to be mistaken with usual low-alcohol seltzer beverages; rather, Cultor is a 12.5% ABV cocktail per can, serving two cocktails ready to enjoy over ice or straight from the can, made with ultra-premium 100% blue agave Tequila.

 

Hoop Tea, is a new favorite and is a line of bright & refreshing spiked iced teas founded on the sunny beaches of Ocean City, Maryland.  They have now added two new flavors to their line of innovative, made-to-share, 3-liter (12 servings) pouches! Peach and Watermelon join Original and Mango just in time for all your summertime (21+) gatherings and activities!

  • Watermelon: Made with real green tea and watermelon, it’s as if they found a way to put an entire watermelon in a can.
  • Peach: Made with real black tea and bright, peachy flavors, it’s safe to say this tea is perfected.
  • Original: Their original spiked tea is a classic flavor everyone knows and loves. Made with real black tea, pour it over ice with a freshly squeezed lemon and taste the sunshine in every sip.
  • Mango: Made with real white tea and bright mango flavors – one sip and your pool day will instantly feel like a tropical getaway.

 

Just in time for summer, Dulce Vida Tequila has launched a line of ready-to-drink cocktails for a premium, portable, cocktail experience in sustainable Tetra Pak® cartons. Available in Margarita, Watermelon Margarita and Paloma, each Dulce Vida cocktail is crafted using real fruit juice, all natural ingredients and Dulce Vida Blanco Tequila as a base.

Dulce Vida also has a line of all-natural, fruit-forward, bottled infusions available in Grapefruit, Lime and their hottest (literally) growing infusion and staple summer trend, Pineapple Jalapeño! Infusions take the guesswork out of creating a perfectly balanced cocktail, guaranteeing consistent flavor with each pour.

 

Recently, Something & Nothing, the award-winning premium soda brand from the U.K., is bringing their new line of wine/sake spritzes, including a brand new Junmai Saké + Yuzu expression, and flavorful sodas stateside.

Something & Nothing foremost leads with taste, is ingredient conscious, uses only natural grape and lemon juices, and offers low-calorie soda and low ABV(4%) ready-to-drink spritz options for those looking for an elevated, refreshing alternative that includes creative flavors such as:

  • Premium Sodas: Hibiscus + Rose, Cucumber, and Yuzu (all non-alcoholic and under 44 calories)
  • Spritzes: Yuzu and Saké, Sauvignon Blanc and Cucumber, French Rose and Hibiscus Rose

The Junmai Saké and Yuzu spritz is entirely new to the brand (in both US and UK) and tastes like a hit of citrus balanced by a dry and savory Saké – making a perfectly balanced high-ball-esque drink that feels like wandering Kyoto’s backstreets at golden hour.

 

And a new feature we have is from Thomas Ashbourne, a female-led and owned line of ready-to-sip craft cocktails developed by professional mixologists and notable celebrities.

Harnessing the power of some of today’s most recognized global celebrities, CEO and beauty industry vet Cara Kamenev has built an elite team of founding partners, each personally and actively ingrained in the company DNA:

  • The Perfect Cosmo by Sarah Jessica Parker is a modern twist on the classic Cosmopolitan. A well-heeled mixture of cranberry, aromas of freshly squeezed lime, and hints of strawberry with a premium vodka and triple sec base for a sweet yet perfectly balanced finish.
  • The Margalicious Margarita by Ashley Benson, Rosario Dawson, and Vanessa Hudgens – Full of freshly squeezed limes, pure sea salt, and hints of orange zest with a premium tequila and triple sec liqueur base, this refreshing and clean Margarita pairs crisp citrus-forward notes with bright agave.
  • After Hours Espresso Martini by Neil Patrick Harris – An elevated and smooth caffeinated cocktail, bursting with aromas of Arabica and extra dark roast espresso beans, hints of vanilla and rich dark chocolate. Made with all-natural, premium crafted vodka, this buzzy yet elegant cocktail is best served shaken cold with ice.

 

And for those that like shochu, the Japanese-native spirit, we have a list of brands and expressions to try from below:

  • Awamori: Made from long grain indica rice imported from Thailand, and indigenous to Okinawa, Japan. Traditionally aged in clay pots to improve the spirit’s flavor, awamori’s specific notes vary by distiller.
  • Imo: Distilled from Japanese sweet potatoes, this variety has a sweet, almost molasses-like flavor with a round, rich mouthfeel, with an unexpected, slightly-smokey roasted caramel finish. Top bottles within the category include:
  • Kokuto: Produced from black sugar cane and boasts a light, crisp, green aroma, and develops a richer, fuller body with age. Top bottles within the category include:
  • Kome: This variety is distilled from rice, which is known for its smooth flavor and purity, and is often produced in Kumamoto, Niigata, and Akita prefectures, with individual notes varying between distillers and producers. Top bottles within the category include:
  • Mugi: Coming from barley, with a rich, layered flavor profile similar to whisky. As the shochu ages, the flavor profile becomes more robust and intense. Top bottles within the category include:

 

 

 

Wine

 

And since summer is the season of celebration, you may be in need for some gift sets depending on the occasion.  And one solution comes from Argaux, a luxe wine destination for discovering hidden gems from around the world.  Their membership program (Club Argaux) provides customers with wide selection of wines, and uniquely curated tasting and gift sets. Their team is entirely female-run from the sommeliers to the warehouse

And recently, Argaux launched a new product within their Year of Firsts Collection. The Year of Firsts Collection celebrates life’s most meaningful moments from getting engaged to saying “I do” and this spring we are excited to release Year of Firsts: Baby. The Year of Firsts: Baby Gift Set celebrates the milestones you and your partner experience throughout your first year with your new baby.  And some other best selling products in their lineup include the Argaux Blind Tasting Kit, Year of Firsts Engagement Gift Set, and our Italian Food & Wine Tasting Set

 

Sonoma-Cutrer, also announced the release of Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, part of its highly-anticipated annual Winemaker’s Release series. Sonoma-Cutrer’s Winemaker’s Release is a series of wines that showcases the brand’s commitment to artisan craftsmanship and showcases their unique, high-quality production practices. By blending the best elements from the art of winemaking with innovation, Sonoma-Cutrer is able to offer elegant, premium wines that are worth sharing vintage after vintage.

Known for their consistent and flavorful Chardonnay fruit, Dutton Ranch has been a long-time grower partner of Sonoma-Cutrer. When planning for this year’s Winemaker’s Release, the winery invited Dutton Ranch to be the first designated grower vineyard to be featured in the series. Members of the Dutton family have been working the land in Sonoma County since the 1880s, and today, the family is farming approximately 1,200 acres of sustainable wine grapes in the Russian River Valley, Green Valley, and Sonoma Coast appellations.

 

 

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