Cocktails to Impress

Here are some cocktail recipes for a stunning drink at home.

Masquerade
Created by Ektoras Binikos, Head Mixologist at Aureole Restaurant in New York, this is his version of a favorite of mine, Pisco Sour.

1 oz Pisco
½ oz GranGala Triple Orange Liqueur
1 oz fresh lime juice
4-5 drops orange bitters
1 green cardamom seed
½ tsp egg white orange zest

Place cardamom seed and bitters in a martini shaker and muddle well
Fill shaker with ice and add egg white
Shake well
Add remaining ingredients and shake well
Strain into a chilled wine glass
Garnish with orange zest

Bombay Toddy
A wintry drink created especially for Cravings by Merlin Griffiths, the Global Brand Ambassador for Bombay Sapphire.

1 oz Bombay Sapphire
2/3 oz fresh lemon juice
3 tsp runny honey
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2½ oz hot water
5 ml Highland whisky (optional)

Add all ingredients in above order to a latte glass or tumbler
Stir with cinnamon stick to dissolve honey
If needed, add more honey to taste
Optional: the whisky can be washed around the glass beforehand and then discarded to add to the overall aroma.

For non-alcoholic options, go with CherryPharm’s cherry juice (8 bottles, $20; 24 bottles, $48). The bright garnet drink fits the season’s festivities and is almost as good as a cocktail. I enjoy it purely with a few ice cubes in a whisky tumbler, but CherryPharm with pungent rye-based Swiss Xellent Vodka (Sherry-Lehmann, 212-838-9286; $30) is a stellar mix. Top it with a dry sparkler for a scintillating effect!