Brunch weather is beginning, and Spec’s recommends combining the freshness of herbal flavors with classic liquors for delicious cocktails to impress your brunch bunch! Here are a few savory springtime cocktails that go beyond the Bloody Mary and add depth to your mid-day spread.
Tomato Thyme Cocktail
2 oz gin
4 cherry tomatoes
1 sprig fresh thyme
½ oz fresh lime juice
Muddle tomatoes, thyme, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and ice and shake to blend. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a halved tomato and thyme sprig.
Cucumber On Cue
3 thin slices peeled cucumber, plus 1 slice for garnish
½ oz absinthe
2 oz gin
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz simple syrup
2 to 4 oz tonic water, chilled
Muddle the cucumber until broken up in a cocktail shaker. Add the absinthe, mix, and let the flavors meld for about 30 seconds. Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, then fill the shaker with ice and shake until completely mixed. Strain into a collins or other tall glass, top with tonic, and garnish with a cucumber slice.
Pepper Pot
1 ½ oz citron vodka
½ oz green chartreuse
1 cucumber wedge
2 coriander leaves
4 peppercorns
1/3 oz simple syrup
squeeze of lemon
Muddle the cucumber, coriander, and peppercorns in a cocktail shaker. Add all other ingredients, shake well, and double strain. Serve in a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with cucumber slices.
Rabbit On The Rocks
1 oz carrot juice
½ agave nectar
½ oz grapefruit juice
½ oz lemon juice
1 ½ oz silver tequila
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
Pucker Up
1.5 oz dry vermouth
1 oz gin
¼ oz grenadine
¼ oz lemon juice
bitter lemon soda or lemon club soda
lemon wheel for garnish
Collins glass
Add all ingredients except the soda to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake and strain into ice-filled Collins glass. Top with soda and garnish with lemon.
