Agavoni

Developed by German bartender and drinks writer Bastian Heuser, the Agavoni replaces the Negroni's gin with the bright spark of a silver tequila. Accenting the Campari's citrus notes with a couple of dashes of orange bitters, the Agavoni breathes new life into the venerable classic. To me, it simply tastes like spring. Even if you have to turn up the heat and put on a sweater to ward off the arctic chill while retrieving the ingredients from the liquor cabinet, mix an Agavoni this weekend and re...

Spiced Averna Toddy

Move over, whiskey, Averna is the star of this delicious hot toddy.

The Two-One-Two

Created by New York bartender and consultant Willy Shine, the Two-One-Two is brilliantly simple, yet has an engagingly complex flavor. Composed of a base of reposado tequila—Partida, one of the better brands to emerge in recent years, is recommended here—the Two-One-Two includes a couple of the agave spirit's most agreeable companions: fresh grapefruit juice, and the Italian amaro Aperol, a bright, bitter liqueur rich with orange peel and rhubarb.

The Arnaud's Special

With the advance of autumn, it's time to break out the dark-spirit drinks suitable to the cooler seasons. The Arnaud's Special is a close cousin to the Rob Roy, and was the house cocktail for Arnaud's Restaurant in New Orleans during the 1940s and '50s.

Apricot and Averna Bourbon Sour

This bourbon sour has a nice bitter bite from the Averna to balance the sweetness of the apricot liqueur.

Diablo

Really, who'd think that the zippy New-World spirit from the agave would match so well with a demure liqueur flavored with an Old-World fruit? But there's just some kind of romance between the two that defies explanation; all you need to know is that separately, they can be very entertaining, but together, they're dynamite.

Bittersweet Amaro- and Whiskey-Spiked Coffee

Bourbon-spiked coffee gets a bittersweet flavor from caramelly Amaro Averna and herbal, citrusy Gran Classico.

Sierra Madre Sunrise

This mezcal drink, made with bittersweet Aperol and fresh lemon, can go two ways: with Angostura bitters, it's spicy-earthy-cinnamony. Or try chocolate bitters, which play up the sweet and bitter orange flavors in the Aperol.

Bywater Cocktail

The Bywater is an original cocktail by Chris Hannah, a bartender at Arnaud's French 75 Bar. Named for the city's Bywater neighborhood, this cocktail matches the vanilla notes of good aged rum with the richness of Averna, an Italian amaro, and is given an elaborate touch through the inclusion of the vibrant herbal Chartreuse and the spicy citrus flavor of falernum, a rum-based Caribbean syrup.

The Charming Foxhole

This bitter and refreshing amaro-laced tequila cocktail from Aaron Joseph of Wit and Wisdom in Baltimore, MD gives a nod toward the Negroni