Jumpstart Your Spring Cocktails

April has showered, May is in bllom and iot’s time to put away the brown spirits and lighten up with these cocktails that herald warmer days ahead.

Nikka Red Bee

1.5 parts Nikka Coffey Gin

.25 parts Campari

.5 parts Chamomile Honey Syrup

.5 parts Lemon Juice

Method: Shake until well chilled and frothy, and served up in a coupe glass with a sage leaf for garnish.

Gin & Tonic à la Française

1 oz Citadelle Gin Jardin d’été

3 oz tonic

Lemon peel for garnish

Method: In a large, stemmed glass filled with ice, add Jardin d’été and top with tonic. Express a twist of lemon peel above the glass and place in the glass.

The Wavemaker, Luke Nevin-Gattle, from The Shift Cocktail Book by Gray Whale Gin

2 ounces Gray Whale Gin

.75 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz yellow chartreuse

.5 oz Junmai sake

Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with cucumber ribbon.

One World, One Love, COTE Korean Steakhouse and COTE Miami, Sondre Kasin

.2 oz Soju

.25 oz St Germain

1 oz Lemon juice

1 oz Turkish tea*

. 5oz Simple syrup

Method: Mix all the ingredients together in a shaker. Shake until the shaker is nice and frosted on the outside. In a rocks glass place a cucumber ribbon around the inside of the rocks glass. In the rocks glass add ice cubes or one large ice cube if you have. Fine strain the shaken cocktail into the rocks glass.

*Turkish Tea is brewed like regular tea. If you can’t find Turkish Tea, use a black tea instead.

Dusk Over Hudson by Kaslyn Bos (NYC)

2 ounces Gray Whale Gin

.25 oz fresh plum

.75 oz fresh lemon juice

.75 oz simple syrup

1 egg white

4 spritzes rosewater

Cold soda water

Lemon twist for garnish

Method: Add plum to a cocktail shaker and muddle well. Combine remaining ingredients except soda water in the cocktail shaker and dry shake with no ice. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a coupe glass and top with soda water. Garnish with lemon twist.

Whale Flower

2 oz Gray Whale Gin

.5 oz elderflower liqueur

2 oz grapefruit juice

Soda water

Method: Combine Gray Whale Gin, elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice into a shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a glass over fresh ice and add a splash of soda water. Garnish with grapefruit wedge and lavender sprig.

Cantera Negra Tequila Lime Smash

2 oz Cantera Negra Silver Tequila

1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

1 oz simple syrup

2 to 4 oz soda water

6 mint leaves, plus additional for garnish

Method: In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves. Add the lime juice, syrup and tequila and fill the cocktail shaker with ice and shake until cold. Place ice into a glass, and strain in the drink. Top off the glass with soda water. Garnish with additional mint leaves.

Fire Flower, Marc Rizzuto Death & Co East Village

1 oz Cocchi Rosa Vermouth

.5 oz Forthave Red Bitter

.5 oz St. George Green Chile

.25 oz St. George Raspberry EDV

1 drop rose water

.5 oz Orange juice

Method: Build in glass and top with cava. Serve in a white wine glass with an orange wheel