I was recently asked when did I start playing around so frequently with cocktails. While I could describe the original awful creations, or my numerous conversations with bartenders on how to create the perfect Daiquiri, there’s probably no real answer.

When we lived in Alexandria, VA, we were steps from nationally-known mixologists. The need to make cocktails at home was often disregarded because we could go around the corner and be back within an hour. Medina has shifted what’s easier and more convenient for us, so I began to “play” a little more. 

As I began looking for local spirits, I was introduced to Tommyrotter’s Gin. As it became the base for several summer cocktails, they were generous enough to provide us with some bottles to continue crafting. In celebration of Repeal Day, here are 3 new cocktails you should try making at home:

#1: It’s late fall, and this drink takes some of my favorite flavors and mixes them together. The chai and Aperol offers a spiced orange flavor that’s perfect when you realize the leaves covering the lawn have changed to snow. 

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1.5 oz Bourbon
.5 oz Aperol
.5 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
.75 oz Chai Syrup (4 oz of simply syrup combined with a chai tea bag)
.5 oz Lemon Juice
2 Dashes of Mole and Orange Bitters

#2: Sometimes I just pick ingredients, throw them into a drink, and decide it’s good enough to write down. In this situation, I actually had two ingredients I wanted and it took me a year to figure out what to do with them. Pomegranate and molasses seemed easy, opting for bitters became the solution. 

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1 oz Bourbon
.5 oz Brandy
1 oz Pomegranate juice
.25 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Triple Sec
2 Dashes Molasses Bitters
Egg White
Garnished with a Dehydrated Orange

#3: I’ve now done two iterations of this drink, since trying it for the first time last week. I’ve come to wonder if vodka is one of the more polarizing spirits. As recent as this weekend, I heard the common remark that it just doesn’t have much flavor. For many, it seems this is also the exact reason they go for it. When it comes to Tommyrotter, I was actually surprised how approachable their vodka is. 

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1.5 oz Vodka
.5 oz Cocchi Americano (one of my favorite things to mix with)
.5 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Aperol
Egg White
Garnish with a Sage Leaf

Thanks again to Tommyrotter for supplying us with products to test in cocktails. After trying their first bourbon, we’re excited to add their recent release to our barroom. Tell us, what are you drinking on Repeal Day??