FrogPrincesse

I like Beefeater, Tanqueray or Junipero for more juniper, and St. George dry rye gin for a more unusual savory take on the Negroni.

Amazing to see that Jordan Silbert, the founder of Q Tonic, started this thread. There are a bunch of ideas in the New York Times today - Tequila & Tonic, Mezcal & Tonic, Rum & Tonic, White Port & Tonic, and even Calvados & Tonic!

There are various versions of the drink, slightly different tequila/lime/orgeat ratios (2/0.75/0.75 in the Bartender's Choice app or 2/1/0.75 in the Lush Life book), some with orange or rose water, grated nutmeg, etc.

It already does.

Infante (Giuseppe Gonzales) with 7 Leguas blanco tequila, lime juice, homemade orgeat. This really brings out the savory/peppery character of this tequila.

I had a delicious Eastside variation this weekend at Ironside, a seafood bistro in San Diego. They call it a Skubic Diver (it's an homage to Michael Skubic, the distiller of the gin) - Old Harbor San Miguel gin (a gin made in San Diego heavy with fresh botanicals including lime, cucumber, cilantro, and sage), basil eau de vie, lime juice, celery bitters, cucumber, and sea salt. A fine libation to accompany a platter of oysters. (That's an equally fabulous Mai Tai in the front)

Bloody Nail (Zachary Nelson via Gaz Regan), drawing its inspiration from two classic scotch-based cocktails, the Rusty Nail and the Blood and Sand. Monkey Shoulder blended scotch whisky, Drambuie, Luxardo cherry liqueur, Regan's orange bitters.

A very nice twist on Audrey Saunder's Little Italy - Jason Schiffer's Brown Bitter Stirred with rye (Willet 2-year), sweet vermouth (Cocchi vermouth di Torino), Cynar, Clement Creole shrubb, aromatic bitters (Angostura). The Creole shrubb adds a brightness that is pretty great.

Campari Martini!

I don't own it but you can order a copy directly through the bar's website.http://www.69colebrookerow.com/publications

It's a different/more recent book.

Punt e Mes works great. The little extra spike of bitterness can be a good thing with an assertive gin. My neighborhood bar/restaurant uses it by default in Negronis (with Tanqueray) and made me a convert. I also like Dolin red (herbal, dry, and not as not " in your face" as other red vermouths) and Cocchi vermouth di Torino (deeper, richer flavor with chocolate undertones). The only vermouth I stay away from is Carpano Antica Formula. Too sweet for Negronis.

My pick for Cinco de Mayo earlier this week was Alex Day's Alta California with Siembra azul blanco tequila (Siete Leguas blanco tequila), Dolin white vermouth, yellow Chartreuse, cinnamon bark syrup (homemade). Crisp and bright like a peppery tequila martini.

I tried it a few days ago and it's great! Hops in all its fabulous forms - pine/resin, citrus (lemon, orange), stone fruit, tropical fruit (mango, passion fruit).

Ironic blue drinks are so passé already... Last night I made myself a Negroni with St George dry gin, Campari, Cocchi vermouth di Torino and a little bit of Byrrh (grapefruit twist). The Byrrh contributes a touch of bitterness and red currant notes. Delish.

I like 7 Leguas. A bit peppery with fresh agave notes. Very nice in a Margarita or a simple sour.

From this weekend's Rum Barrel Challenge, the Bum Barrel (adapted from Jeff Berry) with Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, Plantation Barbados 5 years, lime, white grapefruit, orange, passion fruit syrup, honey syrup, Angostura bitters. I reduced the amount of orange juice and passion fruit syrup a bit and skipped the soda water that the original recipe called for.

Since you said you loved gin, try the Southside. 2 oz gin, 1 oz lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, mint, Angostura bitters if you have them. Shake with ice and fine strain into a coupe. If you like it, try its cousin, the Eastside, by skipping the bitters and adding a few slices of cucumber in your shaker that you muddle before shaking.

Here are the books I used the past month or so. Blue tabs for recipes I've tried over the years. Also a huge fan of Eat Your Books. How else would I keep track of everything... It's a great resource to search through my 100+ cookbooks (and cocktail books).

Cynar and coffee are naturals together.

Weeski (David Wondrich) with Redbreast 12-year Irish whiskey, Lillet, Cointreau, orange bitters. It's like training wheels for people who have never had Irish whiskey. So I am with Dan on this one. I think I'd rather drink the whiskey by itself.

I would not try to compare these two. Smith & Cross is a Navy strength rum, whereas the Lost Spirits rum is a Navy style rum. See the following clarification on the Alpenz website.

Another Irish Whiskey + Aperol combo (who knew) - The Glorious Socialite (Benjamin Davies) with Jameson Irish whiskey (upgraded to Redbreast 12-year), Aperol, Lustau Puerto fino sherry (Lustau Jarana fino), Lillet blanc, Fee brothers whiskey barrel aged bitters, discarded lemon twist (oops). Spicy indeed. Small sips.

Don't let that impression deter you from trying their other rums. They are killer (sipping on the 151 as I type).

Tiaré has detailed tasting notes on her site.