With a Twist

Talented barkeeps around town share their special interpretations of classic cocktails. You’ve never had them like this before. See what they’re serving up – with a twist!

By  Katie Faulkner

Photography by  Rich Smith

Blackberry Julep

by Sabrena Haywood at The FEED Co. Table & Tavern

The darker side of a Southern Julep

Ingredients

• 6 mint leaves
• 2 oz. Chattanooga Whiskey 91 
• 1/2 oz. blackberry simple syrup
• 4 fresh blackberries, for garnish

Directions

Smack mint leaves between your hands to release mint flavor. Place mint leaves in bottom of 9 oz. rocks glass. Add whiskey and simple syrup. Fill glass with ice and stir. Garnish with fresh blackberries.

Photos by Lanewood Studio

Raised in a Barn

by Matt Lawson at Whiskey Thief

A rowdy take on a traditional Manhattan

Ingredients

• 2 oz. WhistlePig PiggyBack 6 Year Rye
• 1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Campari
• 3 dashes orange bitters
• Orange peel, for garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients with small ice in mixing glass, stirring for 15 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange expression. Discard peel afterwards or leave on glass rim (not in drink).

Chatt’ Me Up

by Ben Carlson at The Fix

An Old Fashioned with a Tennessee Twist

Ingredients

• 4 red raspberries
• 4 dashes Elemakule Tiki Bitters
• 1 barspoon simple syrup
• 2 oz. Chattanooga Whiskey 91
• 1 large rocks ice cube
• Orange peel, for garnish

Directions

Muddle 2 raspberries, bitters, and simple syrup in bottom of rocks glass.  Add whiskey and ice to glass and stir for 20 seconds. Garnish with remaining raspberries and orange peel flag on a pick.

All Stirred Up

by Monica Penn at Matilda Midnight

A spiced-up serving of the
classic Boulevardier

Ingredients

For the cocktail:

• Lemon wedge, to rim glass
• 2 oz. house-made hot smoked paprika rye infusion (below)
• 1 oz. Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
• 1 oz. Campari
• Powdered Campari-soaked strawberries, to rim glass
• Lemon twist, for garnish

For the infused rye:

• 1/4 cup hot smoked paprika
• 1 bottle rye whiskey (of your choice)

Directions

For the cocktail:

Rim coupe glass with lemon and put in fridge. Add infused rye, Carpano Antica, and Campari to mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Take chilled coupe out of fridge. Rim coupe with powdered Campari strawberries. Strain contents of mixing glass into coupe and garnish with lemon twist.

For the infused rye:

Triple layer coffee filters and pour 1/4 cup hot smoked paprika inside. Tie with kitchen twine to form paprika pouch. Pour 1 bottle rye whiskey (of your choice) into large open container. Drop in paprika pouch and cover. Let sit for 24 hours or until desired flavor is achieved. Strain back into original bottle.

Photos by Matt Reiter

Whiskey Ginger Mojito

by Matt Nelson at Urban Stack

A bit of bite and bourbon taking the traditional mojito to the next level

Ingredients

• 5-7 mint leaves
• 3 packets sugar
• Juice of 3 limes
• 1 oz. ginger syrup
• 1 1/2 oz. Coopers’ Craft bourbon whiskey
• Soda water, to top
• Lime wheel and mint, for garnish

Directions

Add first four ingredients to highball glass and muddle together. Add ice and bourbon, then top with soda water. Stir and garnish with lime and mint leaf. Serve.

Photos by Lanewood Studio

311 Cocktail

by Michael Long at The Read House Bar and Billiards Room

A hauntingly tasty overhaul of the well-known Negroni

Ingredients

• 2 fresh orange wedges
• 1 1/2 oz. Red Apple-Ginger Infused Gate 11 Gin
• 3/4 oz. Domaine de Canton
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Campari
• Few dashes hibiscus bitters, for garnish
• Spicy ginger candy, for garnish

Directions

Muddle 1 orange wedge in mixing glass. Add everything except bitters and garnish to mixing glass and stir with ice. Pour and strain into martini glass. Top with hibiscus bitters and garnish with spicy ginger candy and orange wedge pick.

Watermelon Margarita

by Chris Scott at STIR

This popular potion adopts a refreshingly fruity new façade

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. watermelon syrup (recipe below)
• 2 oz. tequila
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• Watermelon garnish

Directions

To make watermelon syrup: Cut one whole watermelon into chunks and pour 2 lbs. of sugar on watermelon. Allow it to sit for 6 hours. Next, blend watermelon mixture. Once thoroughly blended, fine strain. 

Place watermelon syrup, tequila, and lime juice into shaker tin with ice and shake. Strain over ice into desired glass. Garnish and enjoy.

The Hawaiian Room

by Natalie Strong at ROBAR Cocktail Bar

A modern make of this 1940s tropical tipple

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. white rum
• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. orange liqueur
• 1/2 oz. apple brandy
• Angostura bitters, for garnish

Directions

Add all ingredients, except Angostura bitters, to tumbler and shake. Fine strain into chilled coupe or rocks glass. Using a dropper, add Angostura bitters on top and serve.

Gibson’s BBQ

by Devin Laman at Gate 11 Distillery

A saucy rendition of the classic Gibson

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Gate 11 Vodka
• 1/2 oz. vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Hoff BBQ sauce
• Cocktail onion, for garnish

Directions

Pour vodka, vermouth, and BBQ sauce into tumbler and stir vigorously. Add ice. Strain mixture into chilled martini glass. Add cocktail onion to garnish.

75 Autumn Sunsets

by Ashley Shampine at The Social

An autumnal interpretation
of a French 75

Ingredients

• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 oz. honey simple syrup
• 1 oz. Gate 11 gin
• 2 dashes Fee Brothers
  Old Fashioned Bitters
• Sparkling wine to top
• 1/2 oz. Empress gin
• Flamed rosemary, for garnish

Directions

Add lemon juice, honey syrup, Gate 11 gin, and old fashioned bitters to shaker. Shake and strain into Champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine 1/2-inch from the top and float Empress gin. Flame rosemary by soaking in high proof spirit and lighting.

Peanut Butter Old Fashioned

by Veronica Morgan at Moxy

Sweet and Southern, this rich rendition of the classic Old Fashioned is sure to be a comforting concoction

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• 1 orange twist
• 1 dried apple slice, for garnish 

Directions

Stir Skrewball over ice with Peychaud’s Bitters. Strain into rocks glass over an ice ball. Cut an orange twist and drop it into drink. Place the dried apple slice on the edge of the glass for garnish.