At the start of 2021 as we were entering another lockdown in the UK, I took up a few New Year’s resolutions, one of which was mixology, the art of cocktail making. I now have a cupboard full of spirits and liquors for mixing all sort of concoctions.
Discovering what you really like is more difficult than I thought. I don’t like them all, not that they are tipped away. Finding something which both my wife and I like, is more difficult.
I wanted somewhere where I could have easy access to recipes, and where I could rate how I felt about each one, and in turn hopefully it will point me towards the sort of cocktails that one or other of us will like and allow us to follow our nose to other discoveries with a greater likelihood of success.
I must mention here that apart from possibly dabbling with my own mixtures I turn to the excellent website of Simon Difford and the Difford’s Guide. The weekly email bulletin is normally an inspiration for something new and his 2kg hardback of 3,000 cocktails is just the best coffee table book to be had.
Negroni
My Rating ★★★★ 3.8
Strength Scale 7 Sweetness Scale 4
30ml Gin 30ml Campari 30ml Dubonnet Stir with ice.
Black Russian
My Rating ★★★ 3.5
Strength Scale 6 Sweetness Scale 5
60ml Vodka 22.5ml Kahlua Stir with ice, serve with ice
Singapore Sling
My Rating ★★★★ 4.4
Strength Scale 7 Sweetness Scale 3
45ml Gin 15ml Cherry Brandy 7.5ml Benedictine 7.5ml Cointreau 45ml Pineapple Juice 15ml Lime Juice 2.5ml Grenadine Syrup Dash Angostura Bitters Shake with ice.
Cherry Alexander
My Rating ★★★★ 4.5
Strength Scale 5 Sweetness Scale 5
30ml Vanilla Vodka 15ml Maraschino Liqueur 15ml Creme de Cacao (white) 7.5ml Cherry Brandy 30ml Single Cream Shake with ice.
Cosmopolitan
My Rating ★★★★★ 5.0
Strength Scale 5 Sweetness Scale 4
30ml Vodka 30ml Cointreau 45ml Cranberry Juice 15ml Lime Juice Dash Orange Bitters Shake with ice.
Grasshopper
My Rating ★★★★★ 5.0
Strength Scale 4 Sweetness Scale 6
30ml Creme de Menthe 30ml Creme de Cacao (white) 30ml Single Cream Shake with ice.
The Diary of a Digital Nobody 