Liqueur

Where a margarita is usually sweetened with orange liqueur, the Rosalita uses bittersweet amaro. This version is chilled in your freezer before it heads to the blender with a big scoop of ice.

The base for this make-ahead frozen cocktail goes in the freezer two to five hours before serving, so it doesn’t require much ice to stay chilly, even on a hot day. If your blender is less than turbo-powered, starting with crushed ice can make blending easier (if you don’t have a fridge dispenser, place ice in a sealed bag, wrap in a kitchen towel, and break up with a meat mallet or rolling pin). Be sure your simple syrup is at room temperature or chilled before you begin. Caffo Amaretto is as a.…

Put together spicy rye, smoky mezcal, and coffee-accented amaro, and it’s easy to understand why Joe Briglio, of Chicago’s Billy Sunday, describes this cocktail as “my interpretation of the flavors of the early American West and possibly a cowboy’s campfire.” The drink name is inspired by a Tom Waits song called “Goin’ Out West,” he adds.

Manhattanesque in both composition and deliciousness, this whiskey and sherry welcomes swapping in bourbon if you prefer your drink a little sweeter.

This simple two-ingredient cocktail is the ideal brunch or before-dinner drink. Campari gives it a delicate bitterness, while fresh orange juice creates a beautiful froth.

This cocktail is a refreshing, slightly bitter spin on the Pimm’s Cup, thanks to the addition of Cynar, a vegetal Italian liqueur.

I created this sparkling cocktail for the menu at Keith McNally’s Morandi Italian restaurant.

In this cocktail, Riesling (Marrero favors dry Rieslings from the Finger Lakes or Alsace) adds brightness to a mix of fresh apple cider and bourbon. Blending dried figs with honey syrup gives you a sweetener that’s full of earthy, nutty notes, and a small amount of floral liqueur gives the tart, refreshing drink a subtle luscious quality.

This festive, refreshing cocktail balances bittersweet Campari with tart, unsweetened 100% cranberry juice. The drink’s tartness and bitterness awakens the palate for whatever you’ve got cooking.

This luscious combination of hot cider and Averna is our favorite way to spike cider these days. Sweetened with citrusy Grand Marnier and enriched with salted butter, it’s the perfect hot drink to enjoy outdoors.

This sherry-Cynar Negroni riff was created by bartender Dan Greenbaum at The Beagle in New York City.

Strawberries, rosé, Aperol, and mild carbonation yield a refreshing, barely sweet tipple. 

Tart, bitter orange kisses roasted agave.

I created the Arinato to be a lighter stirred drink and to celebrate the more delicate sides of mezcal. I use the 80-proof Ilegal Joven; paired with floral fortified wines, it makes for an easy-sipper that proves how elegant mezcal can be.

If vodka and cream and coffee are among your favorite things, this cocktail may be your jam.

This bitter and juicy highball is one of the greatest hits at Fort Defiance in Brooklyn.

A brisk bitter stirred tequila drink that's a bit lighter than a Negroni.

The perfect romantic-comedy homage in a drink—a little sweet, a little bitter, and HOT. 

This Aperol Margarita is a great union of two amazing places: Italy and Mexico.