Summer to Fall Transitional Cocktails
Five seasonal drinks that hold strong as the weather shifts
Whether or not we care to admit it, the seasons are about to shift and with it our consumption habits. Nobody needs to step away from rosé, or hide the Aperol, but we do tend to alter what we imbibe as the weather changes. Over the past few weeks, we’ve tried the following cocktails and found that there’s something within that matches the end of summer energy while delivering substance enough for fall. From the dynamics of gin to the weight of bourbon and the mix-ability of vodka, there’s a lot to appease the palate here.
Grilled Peach Old Fashioned
Throw away everything you think you know about Jose Cuervo. Reserva de la Familia, their luxuriant high-end extra-anejo is something special—selected from family reserves, aged in French and American oak, and crafted only from blue agave. All of these factor into its premium ability to complement a good cocktail, like this one invented by Billy Riley of TALDE. Fresh peach keeps it summery, while the grilled peach garnish brings it to the fall, all bound by the much richer Reserva.
2 oz. Reserva de la Familia
0.75 oz. Carpano Antica
1 slice Fresh Yellow Peach
2 Italian Amarini cherries (Luxardo)
2 cube Demerara Sugar
3 dashes house citrus bitters
1 slice fresh grilled peach, garnish
In a mixing glass, muddle peach, cherries, sugar and bitters. Add Reserva de la Familia and Carpano Antica and stir to combine. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a grilled peach slice.
Boodles Gin & Gomme
Of all the cocktails we selected, this one clings closest to the notion of summer sipping, and yet the richness of the mango puree carries the cocktail forward into heartier territory. Developed by the team at Boodles Gin, the Gin & Gomme almost invents the autumn tiki drink.
2 oz Boodles Gin
0.75 oz pineapple juice
0.5 oz. mango puree
0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
Shake all ingredients thoroughly in cocktail shaker tin. Strain into a large rocks glass with ice. Top with tiny splash of soda and garnish with a fresh sprig of cilantro.
The Sunset Sour
Created by Micaela Piccolo of Tribeca’s Distilled, the Sunset Sour reimagines the potential of the whiskey sour. Bourbon, egg white and fresh lemon juice play an important role, but Piccolo adds Frangelico to the mix, for a nice nuttiness throughout the drink. The hazelnut is a delightful addition in concert with the drink’s creaminess—and yet, the citrus stands strong enough to refresh the tastebuds.
1 ¼ parts Wild Turkey Bourbon
½ part Frangelico
½ part spiced simple syrup
The whites of one egg
In a shaker tin, add all the ingredients. Lock your shaker tin and dry whip the cocktail for about 10 seconds cooking the egg using the lemon juice acidity. Open the tin and add ice. Shake again for temperature and dilution for about 10 seconds. Strain into a sour glass. Garnish with a touch of freshly grated nutmeg and serve.
French Onion Bloody Mary
If you’re a Bloody Mary fan, there’s never a bad season for the brunch classic, but this variation created by Hangar 1 Vodka balances fresh pressed springtime vegetables with a seasoned French onion soup broth. The result is an uncommon flavor—and the perfect twist on a classic.
1 oz Hangar 1 vodka
2 oz fresh pressed vegetable juice
1 oz French onion soup broth
This recipe is open to fresh-pressed vegetable juice variations—in fact, the greener the better, unless you want something carrot-y. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail tin and shake vigorously. Garnish with a sprig of basil.
Gin & IT
Another discovery from this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, the Gin & IT (short for Italian Vermouth) was developed by Martini & Rossi to highlight the strength of their new Riserva Speciale Ambrato—a blanc in the style of Vermouth di Torino. The gin keeps the drink crisp and refreshing, while the Ambrato vermouth and bitters lend a nice gravity to the concoction. Altogether, it keeps things simple yet substantial.
1 oz Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato
1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 dash orange bitters
Twist of lemon
Fill a mixing glass with ice. Pour one oz Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato, one part Bombay Sapphire gin and a dash of orange bitters over ice. Stir gently. Single strain into a vintage cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.
Images courtesy of respective brands
