Gin

Traditionally, punch is made with some kind of spice element. We satisfied that requirement with this tea-infused vermouth, which was a real game changer for us.

Relax into Friday night with a honey-sweetened gin, Aperol, and Champagne cocktail.

"The herbal notes of gin pair well with celery in this refreshing cocktail—and bonus points for the cool green color." —Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor

"Tastes like a boozy Orangina; I could drink 'em all day long." —Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor

Bitter notes from grapefruit and ale balance the floral sweetness of the gin and liqueur—one sip and it will all make sense.

An incredibly simple cocktail that, odds are, you've never had before.

To faithfully re-create this cocktail, do as Nostrana does and seek out blue plum brandy from Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery.

Choose an unaged aquavit like Aalborg.

Greetings, comrade. This quasirevolutionary sorbetto is so bone-chillingly good that there'll never need to be another cold war. It's one of the flavors we were developing for our "Dictators of Cool" collection, which included our old favorites Adolf Hitler (The Great Licktator), Colonel Gaddafi (Cone El Gaddafi), and David Cameron (Fake 99, after a British ice cream cone).

This is one of those sleeper recipes that's more complex-tasting than it sounds. Each element is supereasy to prepare and can be made days in advance, but the finished dessert is a stunner.

The Suffering Bastard is a 1940s tiki standby that was originally made with bourbon and gin as its base. This variation utilizes cask-strength True Blue corn whiskey from Balcones Distilling in Waco, with a nod to that city's famous teetotaling population.

A simple chunk of ice, such as one frozen in a loaf pan or bowl will suffice, but for a special, decorative touch, consider freezing orange wheels inside the ice.

For a zippier, more refreshing cocktail (that's what summer drinks are about, right?), it's all in the wrist. Muddling extracts essential oils to deliver maximum herb impact. Tarragon flavors the boozy lemonade here, but basil makes an excellent sub. And while muddled mint is essential to a Mojito, you won't believe what it can add to a Margarita. Shake up a few and see.

This lime- and cilantro-infused cocktail will appeal to both Gimlet and Martini drinkers. We like to use Tanqueray for its strong juniper and spice profile.

Martini drinker? Try this Italian take on the Vesper, which uses the slightly sweet aperitif Cocchi Americano.

Use the ripest, juiciest blackberries or raspberries for this cocktail.

St. John Frizell of Fort Defiance in Red Hook, Brooklyn, created this recipe for a Fourth of July drinks feature—this is the blue option in a special red, white, and blue Sangria series. The drink gets its oceanlike hue from just 1 ounce of blue curaçao, but if color isn't important to you, feel free to use regular (clear) curaçao instead. Frizell warns against using cheap vermouth: "An excellent dry vermouth, like Dolin, is necessary for this recipe." The drizzle of Maraschino liqueur, Frizell explains, "adds a nutty, bittersweet note."