10 Intermediate Cocktails You Can Make at Home

If you've mastered basic classics, here are a few more advanced cocktails to make now.

Mixology is a constant feedback loop. The more ingredients you buy, the more cocktails you want to make, and the more cocktails you want to make, the more ingredients you want to buy. Once you've graduated from essential classics, the world of cocktails is a vast place to explore. If you've read my Intermediate Home Bar article, you have everything you need to make these drinks and dozens more. Here are 10 more advanced cocktails worth making today.

Ingredients

1.25 oz. rye

1.25 oz. cognac

1 sugar cube (or ½ oz simple syrup)

2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

1 dashes Angostura bitters

Absinthe or Herbsaint, to rinse

Instructions

Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discarding excess. In mixing glass, muddle sugar. Add rye and cognac, fill with ice, stir until chilled, and strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. 100 Proof Bourbon

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. Sweet vermouth

Instructions

Stir all ingredients in mixing glass with ice until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel and serve.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Dark rum

0.75 oz. Campari

1.5 oz. Pineapple juice

0.5 oz. Lime juice

0.5 oz. Simple syrup

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with pineapple fronds.

Ingredients

2 oz. Demerara Rum (or white rum)

1.5 oz. Pineapple juice

1 oz. Coco Lopez mix (3:1, Coco Lopez; coconut milk)

0.5 oz. Lime juice

0.5 oz. Rich Demerara syrup (2:1 sugar, water)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Pour into hurricane glass and top with crushed ice. Garnish and serve.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Cognac

0.75 oz. Cointreau

0.75 oz. Lemon juice

Instructions

Coat rim of coupe glass with sugar and set aside. Add all ingredients to shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into prepared glass and garnish with orange twist.

Ingredients

2 oz. Blended Scotch

0.75 oz. Honey-ginger syrup

0.75 oz. Lemon juice

0.25 oz. Islay single malt scotch

Instructions

Add all the ingredients besides Islay scotch into a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Tope with Islay scotch and garnish with candied ginger

Ingredients

2 oz. Old Tom gin

0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice

1⁄2 oz. honey syrup

Instructions

Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 oz. gin (preferably Old Tom style)

1 1⁄2 oz. Sweet vermouth

1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Instructions

Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. reposado tequila

0.5 oz. sweet vermouth

0.5 oz. dry vermouth

0.5 oz. Campari

1 dash Angostura bitters

Instructions

Stir ingredients in a mixing tin with ice, strain into a glass filled with cracked ice and garnish.

Ingredients

2 oz. Gin

0.5 oz. Elderflower liqueur

0.75 oz. Lemon juice

0.75 oz. Basil simple syrup

Club soda to top

Cucumbers

Instructions

Muddle 3 slices of cucumber with lemon juice in a shaker tin. Add remaining ingredients except club soda with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Top with club soda and garnish with a cucumber slice.