If you’ve been following me on Instagram over the years, you know how much I love making cocktails. These are my favorites to make, drink, and serve.

Cucumber Basil Gimlet

A 100% copycat recipe from Julington Creek Fish Camp. It’s refreshing, it’s just strong enough, it’s truly one of my all time favorite drinks. I can’t quite seem to make it as good as they do, though 😉

Fish Camp’s Cucumber Basil Gimlet

3 oz Hendricks Gin

.25 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liquor

Handful of cucumber, muddled

Fresh Basil, muddled

.25 oz Simple syrup

.25 oz Fresh lime juice

Cucumber and/or mint float for garnish

Aviation

This is a crowd pleaser drink. It’s refreshing and complex and a little sweeter. Plus, the light purple color is so beautiful to serve!

Aviation Recipe

1 oz lemon juice

.5 oz Luxardo

.5 oz Creme de Violette

2.5 oz Gin

Cherry for garnish

Tipsy Dole Whip

Waiting on Disney World to put this on their menu! This makes about 2 drinks. I layer whipped cream and dole whip blend in the glass.

Tipsy Dole Whip Recipe

3/4 frozen pineapple

1 cup coconut milk

5 oz rum

A spray of whipped cream

A tsp vanilla extract

Ice

French 75

This one’s real easy, and truly almost everyone will love this.

French 75 Recipe

2 oz gin

3/4 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup (up to you)

Top with champagne (around 2-4 oz)

Float a lemon peel

John’s Favorite Manhattan

Again, another copycat recipe. This one’s from Cowford Chophouse, they call it the “Perfected Manhattan”, because it truly, truly is. (This recipe is a guess on how they make theirs)

Manhattan Recipe:

2 oz Michter’s single-barrel rye whiskey

.5 oz Carpano dry vermouth

1 oz Antica formula sweet vermouth

A few dashes of cherry bark vanilla bitters