Absinthe-Minded Professor

A distilled, highly alcoholic (45-75% ABV), anise-flavored beverage derived from botanicals like wormwood, green anise, fennel, hyssop, melissa and other herbs. Technically a spirit, as it is not bottled with sugar. The green fairy.

Also referred to as silver or white, light rums are unaged, aged in steel, or aged in oak and have had their color filtered out, and usually have a sweeter and lighter taste than darker rum varieties. The name refers to these rums lighter or clear color.

A sub-set of dark, molasses-driven rums. These rums are very dark in color from added refined sugar (molasses), multiple distillation, and likely, but not always, aging in charred oak. There is no formal definition of black rum, if a recipe calls for this type of rum, it is usually refering to a very very darkly colored rum; a common example is Gosling's Black Seal. Pair it with lemon, lime, ginger and pineapple.

A high proof, usually 151, (>57.5 ABV) unaged rum. Most producers are based in Jamaica, such as Wray & Nephew (W&N). This rum is usually reserved for mixed drinks and is a key ingredient in many classic cocktails.

A high proof (>57.5 ABV) dark/black rum, that may be specifically from one origin or a blend from many. Common examples are Plantation OFTD and Lemon Hart 151.

The most common fruit juice used in cocktails. This citrus juice is about 6% acid; pure citric acid. Lemon juice should be used the day it is squeezed, some like it freshly squeezed and others like it a few hours old.

A sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and rose water or orange flower water. Sometimes other nut derived syrups are referred to as orgeat. You can make this yourself! There's a few recipes, this one if from liquid Intelligence. Combine 660g very hot water with 200g nuts of your choice (almonds are traditional). Blend together at high speed, then strain through a fine strainer or cheescloth. Add salt if you'd like. Then combine 500g nut milk with 500g sugar, blend to combine. If the emulsion breaks, use a stick blender to quickly recombine (or shake hard before using). If you're up for it, add 1.75g Ticaloid 210s and 0.2g xanthan gum to stablize the emulsion. If you can't find Ticaloid, use a mixture of gum arabic and xanthan gum in a ratio of 9:1. This recipe doesn't use rose or orange flower water, if you'd like you can add small teaspoon of either.

A syrup made from dissolving granulated sugar (sucrose) in water. Regular simple is made by combining 1:1 sugar:water by mass, rich simple is 2:1 sugar:water by mass although only 1.5 times as sweet as regular. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

A bitters made from Seville oranges, cardamom, caraway seed, coriander and burnt sugar.

A yellow citrus fruit. The peel is often used as a garnish while the juice incorporated into the drink for a tart flavor profile (citric acid).

Aromatic plants used in cocktails as a garnish or muddled into the liquor to add a light fresh taste. Common in the Mint Julep.