Country: Japan 

ABV:  48 proof/24% 

Brand: Takara Shozu International Co., Ltd 

Spirits Type: Shochu 

Taste: Complex, Savory, Balanced 

Price Category: $ 

A 63% Sweet Potato and 37% Rice and black koji fermentation into a single distillation resulting in a smooth, savory and complex and warm shochu. 

Country: Ireland 

ABV:  34 proof/17%  

Brand: Diageo Company 

Spirits Type: Liqueurs/Cordials/Schnapps 

Taste: Cream, Caramel, Chocolate, Oaky vanilla 

Price Category: $ 

Baileys is made by suspending cream, cocoa and sugar in Irish Cream using vegetable oil and an emulsifier.   The flavor is sweet, lightly oaky, cherry and vanilla notes with a slight bite and bitterness from the cocoa all smoothed out by the cream.

Country: Italy 

ABV:  87 proof/43.5% 

Brand: Sazerac Company 

Spirits Type: Liqueurs/Cordials/Schnapps 

Taste: Herbal spice and cinnamon 

Price Category: $ 

A Swiss-style Cinnamon Schnapps with small 24-karat gold flakes in the bottle.  This higher proof alcohol is traditionally stored in the freezer and served neat, chilled.  Smooth and sweet, the cinnamon flavor meets the middle of the palate and is absent of the earthy flavors generally associated with cinnamon spice. 

Light earthy sweetness, the potato starch in the syrup gives the cocktail a velvety texture.  

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. 

Country: United States 

ABV:  128 proof/64% 

Brand: Ole Smoky 

Spirits Type: Moonshine/White Whiskey 

Taste: Clean, Citrus with a Moonshine burn 

Price Category: $

Country: United States 

ABV:  54 proof/27% 

Brand: DeKuyper 

Spirits Type: Liqueur/Cordials/Schnapps 

Taste:  Syrupy sweet dried orange peel with slight bitterness 

Price Category: $ 

De Kuyper Blue Curacao is a liqueur made by redistilling spirits with bitter citrus peels and adding sugar producing a sweet citrus flavored liqueur.  The blue additive creates its distinct color appeal.

A minimally processed sugar and a favorite in many cocktails because of its natural characteristics of toffee, molasses and caramel.  Usually made into a syrup for quick cohesion with the other cocktail ingredients, but used granulated form often around a glass rim or inside the cocktail for texture and gradual incorporation of sweetness. 

A polysaccharide that is used as a food thickening agent and stabilizer.  Made through a fermentation process using xanthomonas campestris that produces the xanthan gum sugar.  Found in the baking aisle at the grocery store, xanthan gum is a flavorless, fine powder.  Activating xanthan gum takes aggressive agitation from a frother or blender. 

An Egg White Substitute for cocktails.  Aquafaba offers a silky texture that is slightly savory and can be aerated or shaken to create a cocktail foam.   

To Make It: 

1- 15 oz can Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas 1  

 barspoon Cream of Tartar   

Strain out the chickpeas using a fine mesh strainer. Pour chickpea brine in a clean and dry condiment bottle, add 1 tsp cream of tartar and stir gently to combine. Seal and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. * A note on using aquafaba for cocktails: Gently swirl prepared aquafaba before use to redistribute the settled cream of tartar; acid such as citrus juice will be necessary for frothing emulsion.

Country: United States 

ABV: 5 proof/2.5% ABV 

Brand: Fee Brothers 

Spirits Type: Bitters 

Taste: Clove, Coffee, Nutmeg, Tobacco 

Price Category: $$ 

Ground cinnamon adds a warming and earthy flavor in the front bringing out fruit flavors towards the middle of the palate and bring chocolate flavors from the back towards the front.  Ground Cinnamon can also add a texture in the form of grittiness when laid on top of the cocktail and a silkiness when suspended inside the cocktail.