The Vieux Carré is a slightly sweet, spiced, and warming drink with herbal, citrus, and smoky notes. It is one of the signature drinks of New Orleans made from equal parts of rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth. Not one, but two bitters are used and there is a hint of a classic herbal liqueur to give it even more dimension.

This complex rye whiskey and cognac cocktail from the 1930s is named after a hotel in the Old Quarter of New Orleans. It is just as popular today as it was when it was first created. It is named after the French phrase meaning “old square” which refers to the French Quarter.

Vieux Carré Recipe
Yields one cocktail
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Simple and refreshing, the Classic Gin Gimlet is fantastic to have in your repertoire of cocktail recipes. Made of gin, fresh lime juice, and sugar, the gimlet is technically a gin sour. This puts it in good company with other drinks like the Daiquiri (which is technically a rum sour).

It’s believed the gimlet was invented out of necessity by British sailors in the late 18th century. The story goes that they needed the citrus to prevent scurvy. And, the easier way to get sailors to drink lime juice and intake vitamin C was to mix it with gin, of course. This preventative drink was also delicious. So, the Gimlet has staying power.

The drink eventually made its way into cocktail recipe books—including the classic 1930 tome The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock. Today, fresh lime juice is the preferred choice, but for decades the Gimlet was predominately made with Rose’s lime cordial, a bottled mixture of lime juice and sugar that debuted in the 1860s. If using Rose’s in your drink, you can skip the simple syrup, because the cordial is already sweetened. Aim for one ounce of Rose’s to achieve the desired balance.

The Gimlet can also be made with vodka. This practice was particularly common during the 80s and 90s. But, gin is a natural companion to lime, and the spirit’s dry, botanical nature adds structure to the drink while keeping the sugar in check.

For a variation, check out our Green Chile Gimlet recipe.

Classic Gin Gimlet Recipe
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The sweetness of raspberry syrup in this El Hermano contrasts wonderfully with the spice of jalapeños in this mezcal-based cocktail. Try it the next time you are enjoying Mexican food. The flavors are perfect together!

El Hermano
Adapted from Imbibe Magazine
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This Classic Martinez cocktail is a precursor to our modern gin martini. And, you just might want to make it a regular treat.

The Martinez adds a hint of sweetness to the gin and vermouth combination. It uses sweet vermouth rather than dry and brings in just a hint of maraschino liqueur. The result is a smooth and cheery drink that is delicious at cocktail hour.

A customer shared with us that this cocktail has Bay Area origins. Check out this post on the City of Martinez website for the story.

The Classic Martinez
Yields one cocktail

For variations, you can replace the maraschino liqueur with Cointreau or Triple Sec. Read more…