Applejack Rabbit

At PDT, Jim Meehan uses local Deep Mountain Grade B maple syrup in this classic cocktail, but any Grade B syrup will work. It adds a deep, complex flavor to this bright, tart, and delicious drink.

The Jacobean

McCarthy's take on a Manhattan makes use of green chartreuse; "The Jacobeans always sided with the French, so my chartreuse drink is named for them." AnCnoc is stirred with Carpano Antica ("the more savory of the sweet vermouths"), a half-ounce of green chartreuse, and a good measure of ice.

Manhattan Cocktail

The stiff, smooth union of whiskey and vermouth is a classic of the cocktail canon.

Mott and Mulberry

This cocktail was created by Leo Robitschek of The Nomad and Eleven Madison Park in New York City. It spices up apple cider with rye and Amaro Abano, an amaro that's a bit more bitter than Averna, and a bit less mentholated-tasting than Fernet.

Apple Brandy Old-Fashioned

An Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail is a simple mixture of whiskey, sugar, bitters and a citrus peel. It is a sublimely simple and delicious preparation for a wide range of spirits besides just whiskey—rum, tequila, brandy—and a fine apple brandy is no exception. Showcasing the earthy flavor of fermented apples with just a bit of sugar and bitters is a perfect preparation to enjoy classic holiday flavors in a new way.

Diamondback

Let's start the weekend right--with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? Hit up the archives. Cheers! [Flickr: Michael Dietsch] Sometimes, at this time of the year, you want a drink that's light and...

Reveillon Cocktail

During the holidays even the most reluctant cooks take their shot in the kitchen. It's much the same with drinks. Those who would ordinarily get no more creative than opening a beer find themselves caught with the idea of mixing...

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.

Apricot Aviation

This variation on the classic Aviation cocktail highlights all the best parts of summer stone fruits.

The White Manhattan

The White Manhattan takes one of the 19th century models of a Manhattan—whiskey, vermouth, bitters, and a trace of liqueur just because—and tweaks it to accommodate the bright, malty flavor of unaged white dog whiskey.