The Swiss Family Cocktail

1.5 oz. blended whiskey
.75 oz. dry vermouth
.50 teaspoon anisette
2 dashes bitter

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

We have guest tasters in the house! Making his inaugural appearance, Brett: I enjoy it and think it's a delightful aperitif.

Kerry: Not great. Not great, Bob.

Crooney: Eh, not bad.

Shannon: Anisette is disgusting.

Incider Cocktail

Ingredients: 1.5 oz blended whiskey, apple cider, ice.

Pour whiskey over ice in old fashioned glass. Add cider. Stir.

Shannon says it is the perfect Fall cocktail. It's apple cider with just a little kick. Chris still prefers his whiskey on the rocks.

The Mint Highball

2 oz. creme de menthe

Club soda

Pour into highball glass over ice cubes and fill with ginger ale or club soda. 

We both agreed that this drink is ... refreshing. I tend to think it's a little more mouthwash than I generally prefer to ingest. 

Chinese Cocktail - Yes, Really

1 T grenadine

1.5 oz. Jamaica rum

1 dash bitters

1 t maraschino

1 t triple sec

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. 

There is a lot going on here. "It's interesting," Crooney said. "I don't hate it."  I suppose I don't hate it either, but I don't love it. I should note for posterity that we used Captain's Tattoo. Which probably accounts for the terrifying blood color. 

Me. Boston offered no explanation as to why this drink might be Chinese. 

Old Fashioneds for Season 6

1 cube sugar
1 dash bitters
1 tsp. water
2 oz. blended whiskey

In an old fashioned glass, put sugar cube, bitters and water and muddle well. Add whiskey, stir. Add a twist of lemon peel and ice cubes. Decorate with slices of orange and lemon and a cherry. Serve with a swizzle stick (sadly not shown here).

Verdict: not surprisingly, we love it. Crooney says it tastes more like whiskey than some of the old fashioneds you get in bars these days, where they like to muddle in the citrus. He bets this is the kind of old fashioned Don Draper was drinking. Bottoms up. Or down, if you're Roger Sterling. (I'm not the only one who remembers where last we saw Roger, right?)

Vodka Stinger

One oz vodka
One oz white creme de menthe

Shake, strain, serve over ice.

Crooney says it's tasty and tastes like mint. No surprises there. I must admit I rather like it myself. You might even go so far as to call it refreshing.

Derby Daquiris

1.5 oz light rum
1 oz orange juice
1 T lime juice
1 t sugar

Put into a blender with ice.

Crooney, Kim and I are drinking these in honor of the Kentucky Derby. Universal praise.

For the record, Kim is going with I'll Have Another. Crooney is all in on Gemologist and I'm rooting for Done Talking. We are united in hate for Union Rags.