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.

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 Yellow Jacket

This aromatic tequila cocktail comes from Speakeasy, the cocktail cookbook from Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric of Employees Only in New York.

The Irish Derby

An Irish spin on a vintage cocktail recipe that originally called for bourbon.

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.

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.

Mojalisco

If you like the flavors of a Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule, or Mojito, you'll love the Mojalisco.

Long-Faced Dove

Adapted from Paul McGee of RPM Italian in Chicago, this cocktail is tart from fresh lime and pink grapefruit, with a touch of bitterness from Campari.

Larchmont

One of the most highly sought-after books is The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, a volume first printed in 1948, written not by a bartender but by a New York lawyer named David Embury who was determined to establish a system of proper rules for mixing drinks. Most of the drinks he covered were ones that were already in regular rotation in New York bars. Here's one of his originals, the Larchmont.

The Blur

You've seen bubbly brunch drinks before, but this tart lime variation, served at San Francisco's Nopa (one of our favorite Bay Area brunch spots) is a bit unusual, made with herbal Green Chartreuse and maraschino liqueur to sweeten.