The Bronx

Let's be honest: The Bronx is unlikely to be anyone's favorite drink. But while it's not exactly bottled excitement, The Bronx is actually pretty good, and surprisingly refreshing. Be sure to use fresh-squeezed orange juice (and if you add a dash or two of Angostura bitters, you've got a somewhat tastier Income Tax Cocktail on your hands), and approach it with an open mind.

Martinez Cocktail

The Martinez starts with equal parts gin and sweet vermouth, and this alone distinguishes it from the modern martini. You then add a teaspoon of maraschino liqueur and either Angostura or orange bitters.

Tradewinds Negroni (Angostura, Sweet Vermouth, and Cointreau Cocktail)

Justin Elliott of The Townsend in Austin created this spicy variation on the Negroni using equal parts sweet vermouth, Cointreau, and Angostura bitters. That's right: It's a lot of Angostura bitters.

Improved Gin Cocktail

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

Bijou Cocktail

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

Atty Cocktail

A good gin contains floral elements in its mix of botanical flavors, and the creme de violette nicely calls the floral notes to the fore.

Tuxedo

Did I mention this drink is dry? Good lord, it's nothing less than arid—your typical dry martini is positively flamboyant next to a cocktail as reserved as the Tuxedo. But don't take this dryness as a sign that it's boring; rather, the sherry brings a touch of its distinctive nuttiness to the drink, which puts a new spring in the gin's step and makes this relative of the classic martini a worthwhile variation.

Satan's Whiskers

Dating to at least 1930, Satan's Whiskers is actually relatively modest in firepower, perfect for celebrating a festive evening without making it an early night. Gin is mixed with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth and fresh orange juice, and the mixture is given crisp depth by adding orange bitters and the gentle sweetness of orange liqueur. This last point results in two versions of the cocktail: the curled version, which uses orange curacao for the liqueur; the straight version employs Grand ...

Blood Orange Flip

Lately one of my favorite ways to use blood orange juice is with whiskey. Both ingredients have a certain amount of sweetness, but the citrusy sourness of the blood orange helps liven up the richness of whiskey. Looking to add a little depth to the cocktail, I added a hint of honey syrup.

Monkey Gland

This is a drink where spending the time and money to get your hands on the right ingredients makes all the difference. Fresh-squeezed orange juice is essential, and a quality grenadine—Stirrings makes a decent one, though it's quite simple to make your own—and an authentic absinthe really make the cocktail come together (though a substitute such as Herbsaint, Pernod or Ricard will also suffice).