Chris' Cocktails: A Personal Recipe Collection
I've never been one for overly complicated drinks with fourteen ingredients and a foam on top. The cocktails I return to again and again tend to be simple, balanced, and rooted in tradition. Some I discovered while traveling, others within the numerous excellent cocktail bars in New York City. This is my personal reference, a collection of recipes I've made enough times to nearly commit to memory, now written down so I stop second-guessing measurements at 7 p.m. on a Friday.
The drinks are organized by base spirit. Within each section, I've included not just the ingredients but the technique, the glassware, and any notes I've picked up along the way.
Jump to: Margarita · Manhattan · Black Manhattan · Paper Plane · Pisco Sour · Chilcano · Capitán · Spritz
Glassware Glossary
Before diving into the recipes, a quick primer on glassware. The right glass isn't just presentation — it affects temperature, aroma, and how you experience the drink.
Coupe — A stemmed glass with a broad, shallow bowl. Originally designed for champagne, it's now the go-to for stirred and shaken cocktails served up (without ice). Elegant and classic.
Nick & Nora — A smaller, more rounded alternative to the coupe, named after the cocktail-loving couple from The Thin Man films. Holds about 5–6 oz, which helps keep drinks cold since you finish them faster.
Rocks Glass — Also called an Old Fashioned glass or lowball. A short, sturdy tumbler used for spirits served neat or on the rocks, and for cocktails like the Margarita or Old Fashioned.
Highball — A tall, narrow glass for drinks with a higher ratio of mixer to spirit. The Chilcano, Gin & Tonic, and Whiskey Soda all belong here.
Wine Glass — For cocktails like the Spritz, a large wine glass works best. The wide bowl gives room for ice and garnish, and the stem keeps your hand from warming the drink.
Agave Spirits
Margarita
The margarita is one of those drinks that's easy to get wrong. Skip the neon-green mixes and sugary shortcuts. A proper margarita is tart, slightly bitter from the orange liqueur, and balanced by the smokiness of mezcal or the brightness of blanco tequila.
Ingredients
- 2 oz mezcal or blanco tequila
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is frosty cold. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. If you want a salted rim, run a lime wedge around half the rim and dip it in flaky salt before pouring — I prefer salting only half so you can choose with each sip.
Glass: Rocks glass
Notes: Mezcal adds a smoky depth that I prefer, but a quality blanco tequila works beautifully. Fresh lime juice is non-negotiable.
Whiskey
Manhattan
The Manhattan is stirred, never shaken. It's a drink that rewards patience and good ingredients. Rye whiskey gives it a spicier backbone than bourbon would, and the sweet vermouth rounds everything out.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 3/4 oz sweet (red) vermouth
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
Method
Add the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir gently for about 30 seconds — you want to chill and dilute the drink without aerating it. Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Drop in a cherry.
Glass: Coupe or Nick & Nora
Notes: Keep your vermouth in the refrigerator after opening. It's a wine and will oxidize. A good cherry matters too — Luxardo or Amarena, not the bright red ones from a jar.
Black Manhattan
A darker, more brooding cousin of the classic. Swapping sweet vermouth for amaro gives this drink a bitter, herbal complexity that I find myself craving in colder months.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 oz amaro (Averna works well)
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cherry.
Glass: Coupe or Nick & Nora
Notes: The amaro you choose will significantly change the drink's character. Averna is the classic choice — bitter and slightly sweet with notes of orange and herbs.
Paper Plane
The Paper Plane is a modern classic, created in 2007. It follows an equal-parts formula that's easy to remember and surprisingly well-balanced. The bourbon provides warmth, the Aperol adds bittersweet citrus, the amaro contributes depth, and the lemon juice ties it all together.
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz bourbon
- 3/4 oz Aperol
- 3/4 oz amaro (Nonino is traditional)
- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12–15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe to catch any ice chips or pulp.
Glass: Coupe
Notes: The equal-parts ratio makes this one easy to scale up for batches. Amaro Nonino is the traditional choice, but Averna or Montenegro work in a pinch.
Pisco
I fell in love with pisco while traveling through Peru, where these drinks were everywhere — from the bustling bars of Lima to quiet spots in the countryside. Peru and Chile have a friendly (sometimes not-so-friendly) rivalry over who makes it best. I'll stay out of that debate and just say: drink more pisco.
Pisco Sour
The pisco sour is the flagship cocktail of South America. The egg white gives it a silky, frothy texture that transforms the drink into something elegant. If you're not into raw egg whites, you can make a frozen version without it — still delicious, just different.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz pisco
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- 1 egg white (optional — see notes)
- Angostura bitters for garnish
Method
If using egg white, start with a dry shake: combine the pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a shaker without ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white. Then add ice and shake again for another 12–15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe. Drop 3–4 dots of Angostura bitters on the foam and drag a toothpick through them to create a simple pattern.
Glass: Coupe
Notes: For a frozen variation, skip the egg white and blend the other ingredients with ice. You can also experiment with additions: a few calafate berries, fresh mint, a slice of ginger, or basil leaves muddled in before shaking.
Chilcano
The chilcano is lighter and more refreshing than the pisco sour — essentially a pisco highball with ginger ale. It's what I reach for when I want something easy and effervescent.
Ingredients
- 2 oz pisco
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- Ginger ale, chilled, to top
- 2 drops Angostura bitters
Method
Add the pisco and lime juice to a highball glass filled with ice. Top with cold ginger ale and stir gently once or twice. Add the bitters on top — they'll float and add aroma with each sip.
Glass: Highball
Notes: Use a good ginger ale with real ginger flavor, not the overly sweet stuff. Fever-Tree or Q Ginger Ale work well.
Capitán
Think of the Capitán as a pisco Manhattan. It's spirit-forward and aromatic, with the bitters adding complexity. A great choice when you want something strong and contemplative.
Ingredients
- 2 oz pisco
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 3 drops Angostura bitters
Method
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass.
Glass: Coupe or rocks glass
Notes: As with any stirred drink, the quality of your vermouth matters. Keep it refrigerated.
Aperitivo
Spritz
The spritz is more of a formula than a strict recipe. The classic ratio is 3-2-1: three parts sparkling wine, two parts bitter liqueur, one part soda. Aperol gives you something lighter and sweeter; Campari makes it more bitter and assertive. I lean toward Campari, but both have their place.
Ingredients
- 3 oz prosecco
- 2 oz Aperol or Campari
- 1 oz soda water
- Orange slice for garnish
Method
Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add the prosecco first, then the Aperol or Campari, then top with soda water. Give it one gentle stir. Garnish with an orange slice.
Glass: Large wine glass
Notes: Build this directly in the glass — no shaking or stirring required beyond that one gentle mix. The order matters: prosecco first helps maintain the bubbles. This drink is meant to be leisurely, served before dinner as the sun goes down.
A Few General Notes
On ice: Use large cubes or spheres for stirred drinks served on the rocks. They melt slower and dilute less. For shaking, standard ice cubes are fine.
On fresh juice: Always squeeze your citrus fresh. Bottled lime and lemon juice taste flat and artificial. It takes thirty seconds and makes all the difference.
On chilling glasses: Pop your coupes and Nick & Nora glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before serving. A cold glass keeps the drink colder longer.
On measuring: Use a jigger. Eyeballing works for some things in life, but cocktail ratios aren't one of them. The balance between sweet, sour, and spirit is everything.
Cheers.