Classic Cocktail Challenge Recipes 2012 expand all  

Ultimate Beverage Challenge is proud to announce that for Ultimate Classics Challenge 2012 most of our recipes are from the best-selling book, The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy by Jim Meehan.

Each entered spirit or sparkling wine will be made using the same recipes in each category. For example, every entered Gin or Genever will be made in an Aviation, a Dry Martini and a Negroni using the recipes below.

Each spirit or sparkling wine entry will be judged against its categorical peers in the following recipes and all will be carefully made by professional bartenders out of sight of the judging panels. The highest scoring brand in each Classic Cocktail recipe will move forward to the next judging round. A Chairman's Trophy for each classic recipe will be selected based on the competing brand's cumulative score from the two judging rounds.

Jiggers will be used – no free-pouring – to ensure that all cocktails are identically made. All cocktails will be tasted blind in appropriate glassware. All citrus juices are fresh squeezed.

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G100. Gin/Genever Recipes

2 oz. Gin/Genever
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
.25 oz. Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe. No garnish.

3 oz. Gin/Genever
1 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

1.25 oz. Gin/Genever
1.25 oz. Campari
1.25 oz. Martini Sweet Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain over ice in a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

V159. Unflavored Vodka Recipes

(Flavored Vodkas should enter Signature Cocktail Challenge)

2 oz. Unflavored Vodka
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Cranberry Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.

1.5 oz. Unflavored Vodka
1 oz. House Ginger Beer
1 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled mule cup filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and candied ginger.

3 oz. Unflavored Vodka
1 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with three olives on a pick.

T200. Tequila/Mezcal Recipes

(Flavored Tequilas should enter Signature Cocktail Challenge)

2 oz. Tequila/Mezcal
1 oz. House Ginger Beer
.75 oz. Theuriet Crème de Cassis
.75 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and candied ginger.

2 oz. Tequila/Mezcal
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.25 oz. Al Wadi Pomegranate Molasses
2 Strawberries, a slice taken out of the middle and reserved for garnish
2 Thin Slices Green Bell Pepper

Add the strawberries, green pepper slices, and molasses to a mixing glass and muddle. Add everything else, then shake with ice and fine-strain into a chilled couple. Garnish with a slice of strawberry.

2 oz. Tequila/Mezcal
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.25 oz. Agave Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

R309. Light Rum Recipes

(Spiced/Flavored Rums should enter Signature Cocktail Challenge)

2 oz. Light Rum
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.

1 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Rhum Clement VSOP
1 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Orange Curaçao
.5 oz. Orgeat

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with pebble ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

2 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Club Soda
.75 oz. Lime Juice
8 Mint Leaves (plus 1 mint sprig for garnish)

Add the simple syrup and mint leaves to a mixing glass and muddle. Add everything else, then shake and fine-strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with ice. Top with 1 oz. club soda and garnish with the mint sprig.

R308. Dark Rum Recipes

(Spiced/Flavored Rums should enter Signature Cocktail Challenge)

2 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Lemon Juice
.5 barspoon Grenadine
.25 barspoon grated Nutmeg

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine all of the ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. V.S.O.P. Cognac
.75 oz. Orange Juice
.5 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Orgeat

Shake with ice and pour unstrained into a chilled tiki mug. Float .5 oz. of Lustau Cream Sherry. Garnish with a mint sprig.

2 oz. Dark Rum
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
.5 oz. Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.

C310. Cachaça Recipes

2 oz Cachaça
Half Lime, quartered
2 barspoons Demerara Sugar

Muddle the lime and sugar. Add the cachaça, then shake with ice and pour unstrained into a chilled rocks glass. No garnish.

2 oz. Cachaça
.75 oz. Lime Juice
. 5 oz. Agave Syrup
.25 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
4 dashes A.B. Smeby Verbena Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with pebble ice. Top with 4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters. No garnish.

2 oz. Cachaça
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Orgeat
3 quarter-sized Slices Freshly Peeled Ginger

Add the ginger and orgeat to a mixing glass and muddle. Add everything else, then shake with ice and fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.

C409. Cognac/Armagnac Recipes

2 oz. Cognac
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
. 5 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
.5 oz. Orange Curaçao

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled sugar-rimmed wine glass filled with an entire lemon and orange peel.

2 oz. Cognac
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled, half sugar-rimmed coupe. No garnish.

1 oz. Cognac
1 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
.25 oz. Bénédictine
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters

Stir with ice and strain over one large cube into a chilled rocks glass. No garnish.

C420. Brandy Recipes

2.25 oz.Brandy
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
2 Sprigs Mint

Muddle one sprig of mint in the bottom of a highball glass with simple syrup. Fill the glass with crushed ice and add half of the brandy stirring well. Top with crushed ice and add the remaining brandy. Stir with a bar spoon until the outside of the glass frosts. Garnish with the second sprig of mint.

1.5 oz. Brandy
1 oz. House Ginger Beer
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.25 oz. Velvet Falernum
4 Cucumber Wheels (reserve one for garnish)
6-8 Mint Leaves (and 1 sprig for garnish)

Add the cucumber, mint, and simple syrup to a mixing glass and muddle. Add everything else, then shake with ice and strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with ice.  Garnish with a mint sprig poking through a cucumber wheel.

2 oz. Brandy
1 oz. Lemon Juice
.75 oz. Green Chartreuse
.75 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled white wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

B450. Brandy Apple-Based/Calvados Recipes

2 oz. Brandy Apple-Based/Calvados
.5 oz. Orange Curaçao
.5 oz. Bénédictine
.5 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

2 oz. Brandy Apple-Based/Calvados
.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz. Grenadine

Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

2 oz. Brandy Apple-Based/Calvados
.25 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
.25 oz. Bénédictine
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

Widow’s Kiss
2 oz. Brandy Apple-Based/Calvados
.25 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
.25 oz. Bénédictine
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

P470. Pisco Recipes

1 oz. Pisco
1 oz. Orange Juice
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. Apricot Brandy

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve in chilled coupe glass. No garnish.

2 oz. Pisco
.75 oz. Aperol
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled Kirschwasser-rinsed Collins glass filled with ice. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

2 oz. Pisco
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
4 drops Angostura Bitters

Dry-shake, then shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with 4 drops of Angostura Bitters swirled with two straws.

Canadian Whisky

(Canadian Whiskies should enter Signature Challenge)

W500. Irish Whiskey Recipes

2 oz. Irish Whiskey
1 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled Absinthe-rinsed coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

1.5 oz. Irish Whiskey
.5 oz. Lime Juice
2 oz. Club Soda
2 barspoons Grenadine

Shake whiskey, grenadine and lime juice with ice. Strain into Collins glass and top with Club Soda. Add ice cubes and stir. No garnish. 

2 oz. Irish Whiskey
1 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled, Green Chartreuse-rinsed coupe. No garnish.

W600. Scotch Whisky Recipes

1.5 oz. Scotch Whisky
.75 oz. Orange Juice
.5 oz. Cherry Heering
.5 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe. No garnish.

2.5 oz. Scotch Whisky
.75 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

2 oz. Scotch Whisky
.75 oz. Drambuie

Stir with ice and strain over a large cube into a chilled rocks glass. No garnish.

W709. U.S. Bourbon Whiskey Recipes

2 oz. Bourbon Whiskey
1 oz. Martini Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with three brandied cherries on a pick.

2 oz. Bourbon Whiskey
1 Demerara Sugar Cube
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Muddle, stir with ice, and strain over one large cube into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

1.5 oz. Bourbon Whiskey
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.75 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve up in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino cherry and an orange slice.

W679. Rye Whiskey Recipes

2 oz. Rye Whiskey
.75 oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
.75 oz. Pineapple Juice

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

2 oz. Rye Whiskey
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Orange Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
1 barspoon Al Wadi Pomegranate Molasses

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.

2 oz. Rye Whiskey
3 Lemon Wedges
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
6 Mint Leaves (plus 1 Mint Sprig for garnish)

Muddle the lemon wedges, mint leaves, and simple syrup. Add the rye, then shake with ice and fine-strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

X800. Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling Recipes

6.5 oz. Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling
1 Angostura Bitters-soaked sugar cube

Pour Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling into a chilled flute. Add sugar cube. Garnish with a spiral lemon twist.

5 oz. Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling
.25 oz. Crème de Cassis Liqueur

Pour Crème de Cassis Liqueur in the bottom of a chilled flute and fill with Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling.  

4 oz. Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling
2 oz. Orange Juice

Pour the orange juice into a chilled flute and fill with Champagne/Prosecco/Sparkling.

Vermouth/Fortified/Table Wines

(Vermouths, Ports, Sherries, Still & Aromatized Wines, etc. should enter Signature Challenge)

Liqueurs

(Liqueurs, Amaros, etc. should enter Signature Challenge)

Sake
(Sakes should enter Signature Challenge)