Country: Puerto Rico 

ABV:  70 proof/35% 

Brand: Bacardi Limited 

Spirits Type: Rum 

Taste: Strong coconut and sweetness 

Price Category: $ 

A molasses based rum that is distilled and then flavored with coconut.  Strongly flavored with artificial coconut flavor, this coconut flavor is ideally mixed with balancing acids or flavors that can stand up to its own. 

Country: Dominican Republic 

ABV:  94 proof/84% 

Brand: Proximo Spirits 

Spirits Type: Spiced Rum 

Taste: Spice, Caramel 

Price Category: $ 

Distilled from sugar cane molasses, aged, then blended with proprietary blend of spices.  The result is a warming rum by flavor and alcohol burn.  Vanilla and pie spice flavors accompany the warmth.

Made by blending together meat from a mature coconut and sugar, barkeeper's cream of coconut has concentrated fresh coconut flavor and a lot of sweetness. 

Country: Dominican Republic 

ABV:  42 proof/21% 

Brand: Chinola 

Spirits Type: Liqueurs/Cordials/Schnapps 

Taste: Fruit, Floral, Fresh Pineapple 

Price Category: $ 

6% - 8.5% Acidity 

Lime juice is generally the most acidic of the citrus fruit juices used cocktails.  The high acidity can help balance flavors and smooth bitterness as well as astringent flavors of high-spirited or unfiltered alcohol. Limes that have had more time to ripen will render a more concentrated and sweeter flavor with floral notes adding complexity to a cocktail.  It is advisable to taste your fresh-pressed juice and adjust added sweeteners accordingly. 

Salt/Saline is a great flavor booster.  It can balance sweetness and bitterness, smoothing out a cocktail.  It can also enhance citrus flavor and acidity without the need for more acid. 

A pinch of salt can be added to the cocktail, but for consistency, saline is easy to make and allows more control.  

To Make It:  

2 oz (60mL) Distilled or Purified Water 

1 Tbsp (15g) Fine Sea Salt 

Combine in a jar and shake vigorously.  Once salt is dissolved, pour into a dropper bottle.

14.2 proof/7.1% ABV 

Fee Brothers 

Lots of spice and a little bit of the garden in these bitters.  A dash or two will do you to help distribute flavor throughout your mouth as well as a kick to your cocktail.

Country: Germany 

ABV:  44 proof/88% 

Brand: The Bitter Truth GmbH 

Spirits Type:  

Taste: light floral with a faint licorice root flavor 

Price Category: Liqueur/Cordials/Schnapps 

Made from the blossoms and roots of violets infused into a neutral grain spirit.  Light purple in color which turns blue when mixed with neutrally colored spirits or mixers. 

Prickly pear syrup is bubblegum sweet, tart and subtly earthy.  It's magenta color has a lot of pay out impact creating a vibrant pink cocktail with a delicious, but not lingering flavor. 

Nostalgic, fluffy, creamy, and sweet, whip-in-a-can is cream sweetened with sugar and flavored with vanilla than pressurized in a can.  The fat content and sweetness help coat the mouth and tongue to sustain flavor and soften any ethanol from alcohol.