The Dutchess

This cocktail from Theo Lieberman of Lantern's Keep and Milk & Honey in NYC has a heavy pour of Angostura bitters in it, but that doesn't make it bitter. The spice is balanced with bright fruit and rich almond from housemade orgeat.

Improved Gin Cocktail

Genever and Cointreau: odd, but oh-so-compelling.

Irish Cocktail

This classic drink is similar to the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, but uses Irish whiskey instead of malty genever.

Dandelion

This variation on the classic Chrysanthemum cocktail uses a Yellow and Green Chartreuse combination in place of Benedictine, and subs in bitter Malört in place of the more traditional absinthe.

Lucien Gaudin

Introducing the Lucien Gaudin. Named for an early 20th century French Olympic fencer, the Lucien Gaudin starts off in the manner of a Negroni by combining gin with Campari. With the addition of Cointreau and dry vermouth the result is a pleasantly bitter drink that is simultaneously rich and dry--a challenging flavor to create which is all the more enjoyable because of its rarity.

Guns of Barbaresco

This cocktail softens potent 100-proof apple brandy with bright lemon and Barolo Chinato, a bittersweet, herb- and spice-dosed digestivo made from one of Italy's best wines. The results are rich, fruity, and spirituous.

Bijou Cocktail

With equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and green Chartreuse, accompanied by a dash of orange bitters, the Bijou is bombastically herbaceous.

Darkside

This smooth sipper from Adam Bernbach of Proof in Washington, DC has undertones of cherry and anise.

Green Devil

Developed by Canadian beer expert and author Stephen Beaumont, the Green Devil utilizes one of Belgium's landmark ales, Duvel, and accents its subtle flavor with a dose of gin and a touch of absinthe. Using a full-flavored, aromatic gin such as Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength, and a small amount of good absinthe (Marteau is a good one for this drink, though Lucid, Kubler or several other brands also work well),

Italian Buck (Amaro and Ginger Beer Highball)

This fizzy, spicy, sweet-tart, and bitter drink was created by Jamie Boudreau of Canon in Seattle, and appears in Amaro by Brad Thomas Parsons. It's a little like a bitter, gutsy take on a Dark 'n Stormy, but instead of rum, the drink is made with two bittersweet Italian liqueurs: orangey Montenegro and vegetal Cynar.