Feet First in the Deep End

A concentrated aromatic bitters made in Trinidad from water, ethanol, gentian and other herbs and spices; used in many classic cocktails like the Manhattan.

A medium-bitter Italian digestif made from local herbs such as condurango, cardamom, cinnamon, bitter orange rind and cinchona around the Euganean Hills; with a 30% ABV.

A sweet and rich banana flavored liqueur. You can make it yourself! Here is a recipe from Serious Eats: Combine 2 peeled and sliced bananas with 1 1/2 cups rum in a sealable glass jar. Let steep for 3 days. Strain the fruit out and filter through cheesecloth. Press the bananas down to extract liquid. Heat 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves, add the syrup to the mixture. Seal and shake, then let rest for 1 day. Enjoy!

Often referred to as silver or white, these rums are actually lightly aged (1-3 years), but have had their color removed by charcoal filtering. They are molasses based (as opposed to the cane juice-based rhum agricole, clairin, or cachaça). Flavors range from light (Bacardi, Caña Brava, Plantation 3 Star, El Dorado 3) to more flavorful (Probitas, Ten-To-One).

Produced by moderate aging (3-8 years) of molasses-based rums. Flavor profiles vary: some recipes call for a lighter Spanish-style rum (e.g., from Puerto Rico or Cuba), while others call for a richer rum from Barbados (Mount Gay, Doorly's) or Jamaica (Appleton Signature).

A whiskey made primarily from a corn grain mash, aged in charred oak barrels.

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).

An orange colored citrus fruit. Many types of orange make an appearance in cocktails. The peel and juice are equally valuable to diverse cocktails.