Recipes

This simple sipper is perfect for when you crave the spice of a Whiskey Ginger and the warmth of an Old Fashioned.

Spooky Season Recipe:

2 oz Whiskey

.5 oz Top Note Ginger Beer Reduction*

3 dashes Aromatic Bitters

Garnish: dehydrated orange wheel

Stir all ingredients together with ice to chill, strain into a rocks glass with one big ice cube and garnish.

*Ginger Beer Reduction: Combine 1 bottle of Top Note Ginger Beer and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool. Keep refrigerated.

Photo by @steph.achter

Classic and spirit-forward cocktail fans will love this Boulevardier riff! In this sparkling variation, Gentiana stands in for Campari while a smooth barrel-strength bourbon balances out the sweetness of vermouth and bitterness of the tonic.

Midnight in Paris Recipe:

1.25 oz barrel-strength bourbon

1 oz sweet vermouth

3 oz Top Note Gentiana Tonic Water

Garnish: orange slice and cocktail cherry

Stir ingredients together in a glass with ice and garnish.

Complex and herbaceous, this low-proof cocktail is perfect for spritz fans looking for a tropical-inspired twist.

Summer Crush Recipe:

1 oz Campari

.25 oz lime juice

2 oz Top Note Gentiana Tonic Water

Garnish: orange wheel

Fill a glass with crushed ice and add Tonic Water. Add Campari, lime juice and cubed ice to a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into glass and garnish.

Fans of spritzes and dry martinis will love this bitter, earthy cocktail - and clocking in at an ultra low-proof, it’s just as perfect for leisurely afternoon happy hours as it is for long nights of partying.

Vespa Recipe:

1 oz dry vermouth, chilled

3 dashes orange bitters

3 oz Top Note Gentiana Tonic Water

Garnish: green olives

Add bitters to a chilled cocktail glass. Add vermouth, finish with Tonic Water and garnish.

Give your coffee routine a European twist! This Espresso & Tonic variation combines two classic Italian libations - espresso and the Spritz cocktail. Perfect for summer sipping and fancy brunching.

Caffè Spritz Recipe:

2 oz freshly brewed espresso or cold brew concentrate

5 oz Top Note Lemon Spritz

Garnish: orange wedge

Add Tonic Water to an ice-filled glass (we like a wine glass for an authentic Italian Spritz experience, but any glass will do), then slowly pour in the coffee. Garnish.

Celebrate cider season with this cozy spirit-free Mule!

Spirit-Free Ginger-Apple Mule Recipe:

2 oz cold apple cider

.5 oz lime juice

3 oz Top Note Ginger Beer

Garnish: apple slices, cinnamon stick, star anise (optional)

Stir all ingredients together in a copper Mule mug* filled with crushed or cubed ice. Garnish as desired.

*If you don’t happen to have Mule mugs on hand, any other glass works just as well!

While the Sea Breeze might evoke images of spring break circa 1985, this lightened-up version is rooted firmly in the present day - and still just as perfect for beachside sipping!

Sea Breeze Spritz Recipe:

1.5 oz vodka

1.5 oz unsweetened cranberry juice

3 oz Top Note Sparkling Grapefruit Soda

Garnish: grapefruit wedges

Stir all ingredients together in an ice-filled glass and garnish.

If you’re anything like us, you love an Aperol Spritz but don’t always have Prosecco on hand. In these instances, when you're craving something bitter and bubbly, Aperol and Club Soda make for a simple and refreshing combo - you won't even miss the Prosecco!

Aperol & Soda Recipe:

2 oz Aperol

4 oz Top Note Club Soda No. 1

Garnish: orange slices

Stir all ingredients together in an ice-filled glass (we like a Copa de Balon or wine glass, but anything will do!) and garnish.

"This highball blends the richness of Jacoulot's Fine de Bourgogne with the earthy complexity of their Le Petit Marc, leading to a dynamic, subtle highball for brandy and whisky drinkers alike." - De Maison Spirits

Be sure to check out our Highballs at High Noon session with De Maison's National Spirits Portfolio Director, Annie Beebe-Tron to watch them build this highball live!

Annie Beebe-Tron's Jacoulot Highball⁠ Recipe:⁠

1 oz Jacoulot Fine de Bourgogne⁠

.5 oz Jacoulot Le Petit Marc⁠

Top Note Club Soda No. 1, to top

Garnish: lemon peel (optional)

Build spirits in a chilled highball glass. Add ice, stir briefly to integrate, and then top with Top Note Club Soda No 1. Garnish if desired.

The earthy, fruit-forward notes of Catan Pisco pair perfectly with Pimm’s, while ginger and vanilla lend a welcome backbone of baking spices. For fans of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned and Pimm’s Cup, you’ve gotta try this highball!

Be sure to check out our Q&A with Catalina and keep up with Catan Pisco on Instagram.

Catalina Gaete-Bentz’s Pisco & Pimm’s Highball Recipe:

1.5 oz Catan Pisco

1.5 oz Pimm’s

1 drop vanilla extract 

Top Note Ginger Beer, to top

Garnish: fresh mint and lemon wheel

Stir all ingredients together in a highball glass with ice. Garnish.

The drink that launched dozens of Something & Tonic’s that would make their way into Nick Kokonas’s first book. Be sure to check out our Q&A with Nick, keep up with him on Instagram, and order a copy of Something & Tonic!

Nick Kokonas’s Something & Tonic Recipe:

1.5 oz Letherbee Gin

1 oz Ancho Reyes (or 3 dashes mole bitters + 1/2 oz simple syrup)

.5 oz lime juice

.5 oz rosemary simple syrup*

Top Note Classic Tonic Water, to top

Garnish: rosemary sprig

Add all ingredients except Tonic Water to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with Tonic Water, lift ice with a bar spoon to incorporate, and garnish.

*Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 cup (250 grams) white sugar

1 cup (250 grams) water

3-4 (5 grams) fresh rosemary sprigs

Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove it from the heat and let the rosemary steep for 15 minutes. Remove the rosemary and allow the syrup to come to room temperature before storing it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Syrup can be stored for 2-3 weeks.

Spirit-Free Recipe:

2 slices jalapeno or favorite fresh chili

1 oz lime juice

1 oz rosemary simple syrup*

Top Note Classic Tonic Water, to top

Garnish: rosemary sprig, lime wheel

Add lime, rosemary syrup, and two slices of chili to a shaker with ice. Shake hard and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with tonic water, lift ice with a bar spoon to incorporate, and garnish.

 Photo @somethingandtonic

This highball is earthy, tart and complex: the perfect year-round sipper!

Be sure to check out our Q&A with Bridgit and follow Dampfwerk Distilling on Instagram for the latest distillery news.

Image credit: Bridgit Loeffelholz

Bridgit Loeffelholz’s Grapefruit & Aquavit Highball Recipe:

1.5 oz Dampfwerk Aquavit

.75 oz dry vermouth

.75 oz grapefruit juice

.25 oz grapefruit oleo saccharum or simple syrup

2 drops saline, optional

1 drop lavender bitters, optional

Top Note Sparkling Grapefruit Soda, to top

Garnish: grapefruit slice and fresh thyme

Short shake all ingredients except Soda together with ice and strain into a highball glass. Top with Soda, stir, and garnish.