# Signature Cocktail



## Takai

I was perusing through some online blogs, and one mentioned something to the effect of "Every man should have a signature cocktail that they can order flawlessly at any venue." This, combined with a few occurrences recently got me thinking. So I thought I would put it to the board, do you have a "signature cocktail?," If so, what is it?

Mine has become a traditional 1:1:1 or 2:1:1 Sidecar, depending, but I have found very few places are familiar with the cocktail unfortunately. So my fall back is usually either a Vodka Tonic, or a G&T.


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## WouldaShoulda

One Rusty Nail, please.


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## drlivingston

I prefer a Cuba Libre (without the rum). :icon_smile:


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## Snow Hill Pond

Banana Daiquari.

Everyone makes fun of me when I order one, but they're darned delicious...


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## smmrfld

Bourbon and branch.


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## Pentheos

The phrase "order flawlessly" has me stumped. Do you mean expect to have the drink made flawlessly? Or be able to say "gin and tonic" without stumbling over one's words?


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## VaBeach

Tonic water, lemon - thank you.


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## Pentheos

VaBeach said:


> Tonic water, lemon - thank you.


That's not a drink.


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## Pentheos

WouldaShoulda said:


> One Rusty Nail, please.


That's a drink.


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## VaBeach

Pentheos said:


> That's not a drink.


It is if you don't drink alcohol.


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## Jovan

Pentheos said:


> The phrase "order flawlessly" has me stumped. Do you mean expect to have the drink made flawlessly? Or be able to say "gin and tonic" without stumbling over one's words?


I believe it means one that you can get anywhere.


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## Pentheos

Jovan said:


> I believe it means one that you can get anywhere.


Then that rules out anything with two or more ingredients.


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## Hitch

Pentheos said:


> That's a drink.


It really an old air plane driver's joke.


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## Hitch

Laphroaig,,,neat.


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## Howard

Rum & Coke


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## Mike75

Manhattan on the rocks in the winter. Negroni on the rocks in the summer.


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## Takai

Actually when I read it from the source, I wasnt really sure, and actually commented to my father that if it were to mean something you could expect to get flawlessly at any bar, it really limited you to KISS cocktails. I tried to get a Sidecar at one my favorite lunch spots in town, and received a lemonade with brandy and triple sec.


Pentheos said:


> The phrase "order flawlessly" has me stumped. Do you mean expect to have the drink made flawlessly? Or be able to say "gin and tonic" without stumbling over one's words?


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## Pentheos

Hitch said:


> It really an old air plane driver's joke.


? I like rusty nails. There was this bar I used to frequent that had 2 for 1 happy hours, no distinction between rain and top shelf. 2 for 1 rusty nails with, usually, Glen Livet or better. They went out of business. I like to think I contributed to that.


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## Dieu et les Dames

Pentheos said:


> Then that rules out anything with two or more ingredients.


David Embury in _The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks_ says a cocktail must include 1. a *base* (the fundamental ingredient); 2. a *modifying, smoothing or aromatizing agent*, such as bitters, fruit juice or miscellaneous things like cream, eggs, sugar. He further describes "the modifier should add that elusive _je ne sais quoi_ which makes the cocktail a smooth fragrant, inspirational delight and not a mere drink of gin or whiskey." A third ingredient, *a special flavoring or coloring agent*, may be added, but is not necessary. These special other ingredients include cordials, liqueurs, and non-alcoholic fruit syrups.


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## dks202

I guess scotch with an ice cube doesn't count then. In that case a Gimlet is my next choice (Hendrick's of course).


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## Mike Petrik

Hitch said:


> Laphroaig,,,neat.


Not a cocktail. But delicious!


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## Mike Petrik

Canadian Club Manhattan straight up, though I enjoy changing whiskies. 
or
Beefeater martini, dirty with olives straight up, though I enjoy changing gins. I do insist on vermouth, but am not that picky. A martini without vermouth may be a splendid drink, but it is not a martini.


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## MaxBuck

After a lifetime of experimentation, I've concluded I don't really like cocktails. So I suppose my "signature cocktail" will be defined thus:


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## Jovan

Don't really have a "signature" cocktail, but just about anywhere I go they can make a martini, Manhattan, and old fashioned.


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## WouldaShoulda

Hitch said:


> It really an old air plane driver's joke.


"What could possibly go wrong with an Old Fashioned??"


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## Jovan

Pentheos said:


> Then that rules out anything with two or more ingredients.


 I've rarely been to a decent sit down restaurant that can't make a martini.


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## Tilton

Bourbon and branch is my go-to. Sometimes I mix it up and order High West Rye or a G&T, but I'm a simple man. My other half is into the speakeasy bars (speakcheesey, if you ask me) where every drink on the menu has at least a dozen ingredients.


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## Joe Frances

It's not a drink that I can order at any venue, but I know places where I can get it-- mine is an Aviation. A great, potent drink that I have relished since first discovering it about three years ago. I also like Sidecars; classic Martinis (with proper proportions of vermouth, stirred not shaken) and a Martinez if the happen to have Old Tom Gin.


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## Pentheos

Jovan said:


> I've rarely been to a decent sit down restaurant that can't make a martini.


Any restaurant can _make_ a martini. Many make bad ones. Perhaps you don't know the difference.:confused2::confused2::confused2:

I thought we were talking about good drinks?


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## Shaver

Hitch said:


> Laphroaig,,,neat.


I like your style! Neat single malt, and a hard stare at the bar tender if he dares to suggest ice.

However, I have been known to drink a cocktail on rare occasion - White Russian.


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## Bjorn

I had a bunch of Vespers when I was in Helsinki. Good stuff, I thought. Though a good olive in good gin is hard to beat.


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## GatorFL

I still like a good Manhattan--stirred, not shaken, with 3 bing cherries.


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## Reuben

Old-fashioned with rye, hold the fruit, add a twist of lemon peel. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Magnusson

I've been known to order a Whiskey Sour from time to time.


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## Jovan

Bjorn said:


> I had a bunch of Vespers when I was in Helsinki. Good stuff, I thought. Though a good olive in good gin is hard to beat.


No vermouth? 

I'm curious, how did they make the Vesper? After searching around the internet, I now use Stolichnaya 100 Proof, Bombay Sapphire, and Lillet Blanc with a dash of Angostura Bitters to make everything just a bit closer to the original intent.


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## Bjorn

There was no angostura and, I believe, Tanqueray and a Finnish vodka. 

I tend to like as little V as possible in Martinis. Blame the vodka belt, I guess


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## Jovan

I'm a bit of a traditionalist and use one part vermouth to three parts gin in my martinis. To me, if you're using as little vermouth as possible, you may as well just have a glass of cold gin with an olive or lemon twist. Not much of a drink.

Tanqueray is okay, but I think Bombay Sapphire is better for around the same price. Gordon's Gin doesn't have the same alcohol content as in 1953, hence why either of those are a better choice for Vespers.

Some argue that a potato vodka is desirable since that's what was used in the novel, yet from the same source...

_"Excellent," he said to the barman, "but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better."_

So, by using today's common grain vodka you'd be making a more ideal version of the cocktail anyway.


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## Joe Frances

*Ageed as to Traditional Martini-- Different Gin*



Jovan said:


> I'm a bit of a traditionalist and use one part vermouth to three parts gin in my martinis. To me, if you're using as little vermouth as possible, you may as well just have a glass of cold gin with an olive or lemon twist. Not much of a drink.
> 
> Tanqueray is okay, but I think Bombay Sapphire is better for around the same price. Gordon's Gin doesn't have the same alcohol content as in 1953, hence why either of those are a better choice for Vespers.
> 
> I am a traditionalist as well, and agree on the proportions of gin-to-Vermouth; but my choice in gin is Plymouth, which was called for in the original Martini recipe. I sometimes use Brokers gin as an alternative. Any decent London Dry should work well; no Gordon's though for me either, however.


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## MaxBuck

Joe Frances said:


> ... my choice in gin is Plymouth, which was called for in the original Martini recipe. ... Any decent London Dry should work well


Interesting combination of comments, since Plymouth gin is not London dry.


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## GatorFL

Went to the South Beach Wine & Food festival this weekend. Tanqueray had a booth and they were serving a drink with their gin and sweet grapefruit juice. It was surprisingly refreshing.


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## Adventure Wolf

Call me a cheap date, but my cocktail is always one tequila sunrise.


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## Jae iLL

I suppose mine is Jack Coke. From numerous bars across the states, to Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Dubai, Underground in Kuwait, I've never had an issue ordering Jack Cokes.


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## Euston40

Old-fashioned... amaretto sour (or amaretto on the rocks on the weekend). 

The Wynn in Las Vegas makes a decadent drink called the Sinatra Smash that I quite like when in town: 

-5-6 blackberries
-2 ounces of sweet and sour mix
-1/3 ounce of vanilla syrup
-3/4 ounce of creme de cassis
-2 ounces of Gentleman Jack Daniels


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## Johnson1

I don't think a man needs to have a cocktail that he can order flawlessly. So one ought not to worry if they don't have one.

However, if you do have a favourite, learn to order it with precision and concision, and in terms that are easily understood by a typical server, and learn to do so in a manner that does not sought haughty, contrived, or pretentious. But if you like a very specific sort of drink, such as a Martini (one of my favourites) you won't likely get a server to make it exactly as you like it as it is a very specific and nuanced sort of thing.

But I also like:

Scotch and Soda - so refreshing, some nice flavour, easy on the system and easy to order
Any good port or red wine.
Gin and Tonic
Manhatten - a classic
Sidecar - also a classic
Negroni - i've just got into this gin and campari concoction which is awesome


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## Acme

_"Bring me another pitcher of that *Shangri*-*la*. And, waiter, *hold the garbage*."_


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## Reuben

Old fashioned with rye, hold the fruit and add a twist of lemon. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## orange fury

Hitch said:


> Laphroaig,,,neat.


One of my absolute favorites, I love the peat smokiness

my liquor is scotch (at a bar, MaCallan 12yr is usually what I go for). As for mixed drinks, an Old Fashioned (I usually have to tell them how to make it: 1 sugar cube, splash of water, couple healthy dashes of Angostura bitters, add the rocks, 2 oz of rye (if available), garnish with an orange peel and cherry, and don't even think about muddling).


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## FiscalDean

Pentheos said:


> ? I like rusty nails. There was this bar I used to frequent that had 2 for 1 happy hours, no distinction between rain and top shelf. 2 for 1 rusty nails with, usually, Glen Livet or better. They went out of business. I like to think I contributed to that.


I love a good Rusty Nail but haven't had one in years. Whe we were in college, my wife (girlfriend back then) and I used to go to a little bar in the basement of a Best Western and I'd always order a rusty nail. She would always order a Harvey Wallbanger.


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## FiscalDean

Mike75 said:


> Manhattan on the rocks in the winter. Negroni on the rocks in the summer.


+1, my winter drinks would be a Manhatten, made with either Bourbon or brandy or Rob Roy (essentially a Manhatten made with Scotch) and my summer drinks are a Martini or a Vodka Gimlet.


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## MaxBuck

I'm not sure whether the Dark & Stormy really qualifies as a "cocktail," but I've discovered it to be quite the tasty and refreshing quaff.


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## shadoman

Brandy Old Fashioned is my favorite, with a Martinez a close second.


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## racebannon

G&T for me.


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## jerry_in_motown

Johnny Walker Black on the rock with a waterback


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## L-feld

Reuben said:


> Old fashioned with rye, hold the fruit and add a twist of lemon.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Good man.

More often than not, I keep it simple with rye, soda and lemon. This time of year, however, it's all about the mint juleps for me.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Karl89

Gents,

Try a Fighting 69th - 3 parts champagne, 1 part Irish whiskey. Much, much better than it sounds. Caution though as it packs a punch.


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## Brigadier Cheape

I like the old fashioned, but I'm so often disappointed by the results that I usually refrain from ordering. To make the drink properly takes a bit of time and I take that into consideration as well. My stand by is a perfect Manhattan with rye, on the rocks, and no garnish. Ideally the "rocks" aren't a pile of bar ice, but two proper cubes.


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## Bjorn

Whisky sour on bourbon, just because they rarely screw it up.


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## StylePurgatory

Bourbon or rye (depending on my mood) Manhattan, on the rocks, in a cocktail glass. Sometimes I'm in the mood to drink from an old fashioned, so I just order on the rocks.


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## Mr Humphries

A Corpse Reviver if I'm feeling a tad liverish.


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## Orsini

Beefeaters and tonic tall.


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