The Rose

Rescued from a vintage bar menu by cocktail historian David Wondrich, the Rose enjoyed a brief flash of popularity at the Chatham Hotel in Paris in the 1920s. Good luck finding it since then, which is a shame; soft, floral, lightly sweet and with a titillating aroma from the cherry eau de vie, the Rose is an exercise in delicate decadence, a drink that, like the Widow's Kiss, can put the imbiber in a mindset from a completely different era.

The French Kiss

This simple drink proves that vermouth doesn't really need to be mixed with stronger stuff. The French Kiss is refreshing as an apertif or on a hot summer's day. Use French sweet vermouth if you really want to be true to the name.

Honeymoon Cocktail

The Honeymoon Cocktail is essentially an apple brandy sour, boozy and sultry but balanced with fresh acidity.

Courting Two Sisters Cocktail

Vermouth stars in this cocktail that pays homage to The Court of Two Sisters Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Fallen Leaves

This is a perfect autumn cocktail. With the color of its namesake foliage, the Fallen Leaves has a rich, delicate flavor derived from that most seasonal of spirits, aged apple brandy. It's fine to use Calvados in one of these, but I like to reach for the 8-year-old Eau de Vie de Pomme, from Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery. At a time when the autumn chill is becoming a little more apparent each night, a Fallen Leaves can be a great evening companion.

Bijou Cocktail

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

Aviary's Bitter

The Bitter cocktail, from the Aviary in Chicago, is served in a glass that's been smoked over a piece of smoldering bourbon barrel stave, which is custom-cut by the cocktail lounge's industrial designer. Fear not—we love this cocktail with or without the touch of smokiness! But if you're feeling adventurous and want to truly re-create this drink at home, used small-format, seasoned barrels are available for purchase online from New York's Tuthilltown Spirits, makers of Hudson whiskey.

The Pan American Clipper

Originally from Charles H. Baker's The Gentleman's Companion and adapted by Erik Adkins from Heaven's Dog in San Francisco for the new book, A Taste for Absinthe, the Pan American Clipper is rich with the flavors of apple brandy and pomegranate syrup. A perfect drink for an autumn weekend.

Cocktail à la Louisiane

First documented 70 years ago in Arthur's Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em, the Cocktail à la Louisiane has been largely ignored since then. It's worth the effort to search out the ingredients (or a talented bartender in a well-stocked establishment) and bring this drink into the 21st century.

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.