Monthly Archives

October 2025

Oct 06
0

10 Flavors Bartenders Can’t Get Enough Of in 2025

By | Mixology News

The world behind the bar is always evolving, and so are the flavors bartenders crave.

From bold twists on classics to surprising new ingredients, here are the top ten flavor trends shaping cocktails this year.

Smoky Citrus

Charred grapefruit, smoked lemon peel, and other citrus kissed by fire are adding aroma, drama, and unexpected depth to everything from a whiskey sour to a gin fizz.

Try it: Oaxacan Margarita with Gracias A Dios Espadín mezcal, Bauchant Orange Liqueur, and fresh lime.

Botanical Forward

Beyond juniper, bartenders are leaning into rare herbs, flowers, and roots for cocktails that taste like a stroll through the garden.

Try it: The Lavender Paloma (lavender-infused tequila, grapefruit, lime) or the Garden Daisy (cucumber, honeydew cordial, aloe liqueur, yuzu gin, topped with sparkling sake).

Savory Infusions

Umami has moved from the kitchen to the cocktail bar. Tomato, miso, pickle brine, and even smoked paprika are turning drinks into savory showpieces.

Trend spotlight: Pickle brine and olive brine martinis, tomato-balsamic riffs, and even blue-cheese garnishes are showing up on menus (In a Pickle? These Cocktails Have You Covered, From Sweet to Savory: The New Trend in Mixology).

Exotic Spice Blends

Szechuan peppercorns, grains of paradise, and other global spices are giving cocktails just enough heat and tingle to intrigue without overwhelming.

In NYC: Wonderland Bar in the East Village has become a destination for Sichuan-spiced drinks that marry traditional flavors with modern mixology.

Functional & Herbal Elixirs

Wellness continues to seep into cocktail culture, with bartenders incorporating adaptogens, CBD, and nootropics—without sacrificing flavor.

Try it: CBD-laced riffs like the Smokin’ Old Fashioned or Cucumber Basil Delight.

Barrel & Wood Notes

Cocktails are taking cues from the barrel with oak, cherrywood, and rum-aged mixers lending warmth and sophistication.

Try it: Smoked Barrel-Aged Manhattan with Knob Creek Rye and Carpano Antica Vermouth aged over cherrywood and hickory, garnished with Luxardo cherries.

Smoky Sweetness

Bartenders are caramelizing syrups and experimenting with smoked honeys to bring rich layers of sweet-meets-smoke.

Try it: Smoky Aztec (vanilla bourbon, spicy honey syrup, chocolate bitters, Tajín rim) or DIY Hickory-Smoked Honey Syrup for bourbon cocktails.

Fermented & Funky

From kombucha to kefir, lightly sour ferments are creating fizzy, tangy cocktails that keep guests intrigued.

Try it: Isla de Pasión with rum, kombucha, banana-oleo, passion fruit, and nutmeg, or Amore e Morte topped with strawberry kombucha.

Tropical & Tactile

Juicy, colorful fruits like passion fruit, tamarind, and dragon fruit bring both playful flavor and Instagram-worthy visuals.

Unexpected Bitter

Bartenders are finding new balance with amaro and coffee bitters—layering sweetness, sourness, and spirit-forward intensity in fresh ways.

Try it: Edmond’s Revolver with bourbon, coffee liqueur, chocolate and orange bitters, and a rinse of Vecchio Amaro Del Capo.

The post 10 Flavors Bartenders Can’t Get Enough Of in 2025 appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Oct 03
0

3 Must-Try Penelope Bourbon Cocktails

By | Mixology News

Raise your glass to Penelope Bourbon, a spirit born from celebration and crafted to capture life’s little (and big) pleasures.

Whether you’re in the mood for something bubbly and refreshing, a twist on a classic iced tea favorite, or a sparkling spritz with a herbal kick, these three Penelope cocktails are all about easy sips, pretty garnishes, and flavor that hits just right—perfect for toasting anything worth celebrating.

Rosé Wine

Penelope Rosé Highball

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Penelope Rosé
  • 6 oz. Ginger Beer (or swap for club soda if you prefer it less sweet)
  • Garnish: Strawberry + Mint

Preparation

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
  2. Pour Penelope Rosé into the glass.
  3. Add ginger beer to top.
  4. Garnish with strawberries and mint.

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Whiskey

A Penelope Twist on the Arnold Palmer

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Penelope Barrel Strength
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1 ½ oz. Lemon Juice
  • 3 oz. Iced Tea
  • Garnish: Lemon Slice

Preparation

  1. Add lemon juice and honey to a shaker and stir until the honey dissolves.
  2. Pour in iced tea and Penelope Barrel Strength.
  3. Fill with ice, shake well, and strain into a glass over ice.
  4. Garnish with a lemon slice.

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Prosecco, Whiskey

Penelope Spritz

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Penelope Bourbon
  • ½ oz. Sage Simple Syrup
  • 3 oz. Prosecco
  • ¾ oz. Lemon
  • Garnish: Lemon Slice

Preparation

  1. Combine Penelope, lemon juice, and sage simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well chilled.
  2. Pour over ice and top off with Prosecco.
  3. Garnish with a lemon slice.

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The post 3 Must-Try Penelope Bourbon Cocktails appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Oct 02
0

Behind Tamarind Tribeca’s Pain Puri Cocktail

By | Mixology News

With Diwali less than a month away, one New York City restaurant is turning to Indian street food for inspiration.

Chaat, a vibrant category of savory Indian snacks, is known for its bold, tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors, paired with a playful mix of textures. At Tamarind Tribeca, those same flavors and textures aren’t just on the plate—they’re in the glass.

Just in time for Diwali, Tamarind is launching the Tamarind Pani Puri Cocktail, a tasting flight of four inventive drinks inspired by chaat. The base is a frozen Mumbai Cosmopolitan (Belvedere vodka, lime juice, orange liqueur, rooh afza), while the other three are served inside actual pani puri spheres.

Presented on a tiered shelf, the inventive pours include

Pani Puri: Jaisalmer Indian gin, tamarind, mint, cucumber, jaljeera
Sour Masala: Indri Indian Single Malt, ginger liqueur, masala sour
Pani Masala: Watermelon, apple liqueur, Midori, Aperol, chaat masala

Tamarind Pani Puri Cocktail

Build the Mumbai Cosmo base first, then assemble the three pani puris—Pani Puri, Sour Masala, and Pani Masala—to rest atop the frozen Cosmo.

Mumbai Cosmo

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Belvedere Vodka
  • ½ oz. Orange Liqueur
  • ¼ oz. Lime Juice
  • Dash of rooh afza

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass, and freeze overnight.

Pani Puri

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Jaisalmer Indian Gin
  • ½ oz. Elderflower Liqueur
  • Fresh Cucumber and Mint, to taste
  • Dash Tamarind Sauce
  • Sprinkle Jaljeera Powder

Preparation: Muddle mint and cucumber in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients with ice, shake, and pour into a puri shell.

Sour Masala

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky
  • ½ oz. Ginger Liqueur
  • Sour Masala, to taste

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into a puri shell.

Pani Masala

Ingredients:

  • ½ oz. Apple Liqueur
  • ½ oz. Midori
  • ½ oz. Aperol
  • Fresh Watermelon and Chaat Masala, to taste

Preparation: Muddle the watermelon in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients, shake, and pour into a puri shell.

The post Behind Tamarind Tribeca’s Pain Puri Cocktail appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News