Mix it up with Liqueurs, Mixers and Bitters

1. Orange Liqueur: Orange liqueur is a fundamental building block of countless cocktails, including the Margarita, the Sidecar, and the Corpse Reviver No. 2. But if you’ve found yourself stumped by which orange liqueur to buy, you’re not alone: These sweetened orange-flavored alcohols go by different names (which aren’t legally protected) and can have different spirit bases, alcohol contents, and sweetness levels. Curaçao was historically a brandy- or rum-based orange liqueur made from bitter oranges grown on the Caribbean island of the same name. Nowadays, neutral spirits are also used, colors can be added, and curaçao can come from anywhere. Triple sec was originally an orange liqueur of French origin, made from a neutral-flavored clear spirit (and likely evolved from curaçao). Cointreau is one of the most famous and readily available brands of triple sec. Grand Marnier, another well-known brand of orange liqueur, is often called a curaçao-style orange liqueur, due to its cognac base.

While one may assume that any orange liqueur in a cocktail will do, which orange liqueur you use can makes a difference in the cocktail’s overall profile. If you’re going to buy just one bottle, we recommend Cointreau or a similar high-quality triple sec. This style generally makes for a brighter, cleaner orange flavor in cocktails, particularly those using "lighter" spirits (like gin, tequila, or vodka). Just be aware that there is a wide range of alcohol content, sweetness, and flavor profiles across brands of triple sec. If you are able to buy a second type of orange liqueur, try a brandy-based version like Grand Marnier, which complements drinks that have deeper flavors or use darker spirits, like the Sidecar.

2. Other Fruit Liqueurs:

• Maraschino liqueur also plays a key role in many cocktails, including the Aviation, the Fancy Free, and the XXX. It is made from Marasca cherries and is more of a dry liqueur than a sweet one.

• Berry liqueur, like Chambord and crème de cassis, is great in punches or mixed with sparkling wine.

• Limoncello, made from lots of lemon zest, makes a martini-style Limontini and is also perfect for solo sipping.

• Chile liqueur is an up-and-comer for Southwestern-style drinks like the Tumbleweed.

• Amaretto is technically a fruit liqueur, since it’s made from the bitter kernels found inside apricot pits. It tastes like almonds, though, and it’s worth buying for the Amaretto Sour.

3. Herbal Liqueurs:

Benedictine and Chartreuse are examples of sweeter-style herbal liqueurs, while Italian amari (a broad category) are often more lightly sweet or bittersweet (or even just plain bitter). These herbal liqueurs are frequently consumed on their own, after a meal, but they are increasingly making their way into cocktails. The Alcachofa and the Fernet Fizz are two of our favorites.

Anise liqueur is another herbal liqueur that plays a small but important role in certain cocktails, most notably the Sazerac. The most famous—or infamous—version is absinthe, which is potent and delicious, but expensive. In our testing, we found that Herbsaint (originally made as an absinthe substitute), a dry pastis (such as Ricard), and a dry anisette each made an excellent alternative.

4. Other Liqueurs:

Floral liqueurs are most often associated with the elderflower-infused St-Germain, but you can also use lavender, chamomile, or jasmine flowers or rose petals.

Coffee and tea liqueurs aren’t just for dessert drinks. Make a sophisticated, not-too-sweet Espresso Martini with coffee liqueur.

5. Vermouth: Vermouth is a type of fortified wine. Whether dry or sweet, it’s made from white wine that is infused with a mixture of botanicals and then fortified with a neutral spirit (usually grain or grape alcohol) to raise its alcohol level. What distinguishes vermouth from other aromatized wines (like Lillet) is the inclusion of an herb called wormwood (from which the word “vermouth” is derived). The process for making dry and sweet vermouths is similar. Dry vermouth (also called white or French vermouth) has a more herbal flavor profile. Sweet vermouth (also called red or Italian vermouth) has more floral and spiced flavors in addition to herbs.

6. Citrus: Citrus fruit is critical to cocktail making. The juice is one of the most common nonalcoholic mixers, and the peel is frequently used for garnishing. Our single-most important piece of advice regarding citrus is to always use fresh fruit—never juice from a bottle or carton. It’s easy enough to squeeze citrus for one or two cocktails, but what if you’re making big-batch cocktails? Do they suffer in quality if you squeeze ahead of time? The short answer is no. Lemon and lime juices can be squeezed a few hours ahead with no problem; in fact, some tasters felt they even improved in flavor. We do recommend squeezing oranges right before you plan to use them, since they contain a compound that turns bitter when exposed to air. Generally, one large lemon yields about 2 ounces of juice; one large lime yields about 1 ounce of juice; and one large orange yields about 3 ounces of juice.

7. Simple Syrup refers to a 1-to-1 mixture of sugar and water. It is an essential ingredient in cocktails. Any other type of sugar syrup can be referred to as a flavored syrup, and your options are many.

8. Fizzy Waters:

• Seltzer is simply carbonated water, with no added ingredients. It’s indispensable in cocktail making, particularly for highball-style cocktails that are built right in the glass, including Gin and Tonic and the Americano. It also is frequently used in nonalcoholic cocktails.

• Club soda is slightly different in that it has added minerals, which do affect its flavor. But it can be used as a substitution for seltzer. Likewise, sparkling mineral water may be used for cocktails, but since it commands a higher price than seltzer without adding anything in terms of flavor, it’s really not worth it.

• Tonic water is carbonated water with the addition of quinine, the bark of a tree that was originally added to protect against malaria. These days tonic water is almost always sweetened to varying degrees but still has a distinct bitterness. It’s essential for our Favorite Gin and Tonic.

9. Bitters: Behind the modern cocktail bar, bitters can be found in two main forms: potable bitters and non-potable bitters. Potable bitters are liqueurs intended for sipping, usually as a digestif. This broad category includes Campari, Italian amari, and herb-based liqueurs like Jagermeister. What most people think of as cocktail bitters are the type called non-potable bitters. While perfectly safe to ingest, these are not meant for sipping; rather, these intensely concentrated elixirs are designed to be added to cocktails in minuscule amounts, to add nuanced yet complex flavors and aromas.There are hundreds of types of cocktail bitters; some have a particular ingredient as their predominant flavor profile, like orange, mint, or maple bitters, while others blend many flavors, like Angostura bitters—arguably the most famous and well used of them all. Stock a few different types and your seasoning options will increase exponentially.

To get the most out of your bitters, we recommend measuring them by the teaspoon.