Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide

The Martinez is a tricky cocktail to pin down. Even in its earliest mention in 1884, the author provides not one, but two different recipes for this tasty tipple. Although many people consider it to be the missing evolutionary link between the Manhattan and the Martini, lots of people don't even know it exists. So what keeps the Martinez going? A lot actually. First of all, the Martinez is actually the predecessor to the Martini, which is widely considered the greatest cocktail ever to be poured. The Martinez plays to a much older style though. Where the Martini is dry and crisp, the Martinez is lush and round with rich spice notes to balance everything out. Like many truly classic cocktails, everyone likes to drink their Martinez a specific way, so feel free to play around until you find yours.

Imagine a perfect summer's day. Maybe you're sitting in a porch swing, maybe you're lying on a beach under an umbrella. A light afternoon breeze flutters gently by. You take a deep breath and bask in the glory of it all, and then you think to yourself, “I could really use a cocktail.” This is exactly what you need. The combination of gin and elderflower makes the Juniper Breeze #1 the perfect cocktail for lazy summer afternoons. It was created by one Ms. Julie Reiner, who has become somewhat of a fixture in the New York cocktail scene over the past 15 years. She has worked with a number of New York's finest establishments and is a co-owner of the Flatiron Lounge, where she says that this drink is very popular with her guests.

There are many variations on the story of how the Hemingway Daiquiri came to be, but the general consensus is that the story begins with a bathroom break. While passing by El Floridita, a popular bar in Havana, Mr. Hemingway stopped off to answer nature's call and make use of the facilities. On the way out, he noticed the bartender preparing a large batch of Daiquiris and, not wanting to miss out on an opportunity, decided to try one. He told the bartender that he preferred his Daiquiris with no sugar and twice the normal dose of rum. The bartender made one as requested and named it after him. After the double dose of rum, the story gets a little fuzzy. Perhaps the bartender wasn't quite satisfied with the drink and decided to doctor it up with Maraschino and grapefruit juice. However it happened, this is an exceptional cocktail.