THE FAMILY LIBATIONS LIBRARY

A collection of drinks we’ve tested, tasted, and refined over years of entertaining. Everything from after-dinner classics to party-size batches. Many use fresh citrus from the garden — when you’ve got lemons, limes, and tangelos coming off the trees, you learn to make them do interesting things. Mix and match, adjust to taste, and don’t be afraid to swap in homemade versions of the spirits called for.

Coffee and after dinner

Carajillo

• Ice
• 50ml Licor 43
• 1 shot coffee, served alongside

1. Half fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour over 50ml Licor 43.
3. Serve with the shot of coffee on the side.

Espresso martini

• 30ml vodka
• 30ml Kahlúa
• 30ml espresso, cooled slightly

1. Combine 30ml vodka, 30ml Kahlúa, and 30ml espresso in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass.

Rüdesheimer coffee

• 3 sugar cubes
• 40ml brandy, heated
• Hot coffee
• Whipped cream
• Vanilla sugar
• Grated dark chocolate

1. Place 3 sugar cubes in a coffee cup.
2. Pour 40ml heated brandy over the cubes and carefully light it. Let it burn for one minute, stirring.
3. Pour in hot coffee to about 2cm below the rim.
4. Top with a scoop of whipped cream.
5. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar and grated dark chocolate.

Bushwacker

• 15ml rum
• 15ml vanilla vodka
• 15ml Baileys Irish Cream
• 15ml Kahlúa
• 15ml Amaretto
• 15ml chocolate-flavoured liqueur
• 15ml Frangelico
• 30ml coconut cream
• 30ml milk
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 3 dashes grated nutmeg
• 1 maraschino cherry, to garnish

1. Combine 15ml rum, 15ml vanilla vodka, 15ml Baileys, 15ml Kahlúa, 15ml Amaretto, 15ml chocolate liqueur, 15ml Frangelico, 30ml coconut cream, 30ml milk, and 1 cup crushed ice in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a glass, dust with 3 dashes grated nutmeg, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

White Russian

• 60ml vodka
• 30ml coffee liqueur
• 30ml heavy cream

1. Pour 60ml vodka and 30ml coffee liqueur over ice in a glass.
2. Stir, then float 30ml heavy cream on top.

Bubblies

French 75

• 30ml London Dry gin
• 15ml fresh lemon juice
• 22ml simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water), to taste
• Prosecco, to top up

1. Shake 30ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, and 22ml simple syrup with ice.
2. Strain into a champagne flute.
3. Top up with Prosecco.

Aperol spritz

• 90ml Prosecco
• 60ml Aperol
• Soda water, to top up

1. Fill a large wine glass with ice.
2. Pour in 90ml Prosecco and 60ml Aperol.
3. Top up with soda water and stir gently.

Mimosa

• 15ml triple sec or Cointreau
• 45ml fresh orange juice (or peach purée or mandarin juice)
• Prosecco, to top up

1. Pour 15ml triple sec and 45ml orange juice into a champagne flute.
2. Top up with Prosecco.

Pornstar martini

• 60ml vodka
• 30ml Costco passionfruit and honey mix
• 15ml vanilla
• 15ml fresh lime juice
• 15ml sugar syrup, to taste (optional)
• Prosecco, to top up

1. Shake 60ml vodka, 30ml passionfruit and honey mix, 15ml vanilla, 15ml lime juice, and 15ml sugar syrup with ice — shake hard enough to pull the pulp off the passionfruit.
2. Strain into a martini glass.
3. Top up with Prosecco, or serve the Prosecco alongside as a shot.

Straight and strong

Negroni

• 30ml sweet vermouth
• 30ml Campari
• 30ml gin
• Orange twist, to garnish (or a slice of dried orange)

1. Stir 30ml sweet vermouth, 30ml Campari, and 30ml gin with ice.
2. Strain over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with an orange twist.

Old fashioned

• 40ml bourbon
• 3 dashes bitters
• 20ml sugar syrup
• Tangelo or orange skin, to twist over the top

1. Combine 40ml bourbon, 3 dashes bitters, and 20ml sugar syrup with ice in a glass.
2. Stir well.
3. Twist a strip of tangelo or orange skin over the top to release the oils, then drop it in.

Limoncello gin cocktail

• 30ml gin
• 30ml limoncello
• Tonic water, to top up

1. Pour 30ml gin and 30ml limoncello over ice in a glass.
2. Top up with tonic water and stir gently.

Classic cocktails

Cosmopolitan

• 30ml vodka
• 15ml triple sec
• 40ml cranberry juice
• 10ml fresh lime juice

1. Shake 30ml vodka, 15ml triple sec, 40ml cranberry juice, and 10ml lime juice with ice.
2. Strain into a martini glass.

Gimlet

 

• 60ml vodka
• 15ml triple sec
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 30ml tangelo juice or sugar syrup

1. Shake 60ml vodka, 15ml triple sec, 30ml lime juice, and 30ml tangelo juice with ice.
2. Strain into a chilled glass.

Orange martini

• 60ml vodka
• 60ml fresh orange, tangelo, and lemon juice, combined
• 15ml sweet vermouth
• 15ml triple sec or cumquat liqueur
• Sugar syrup, to taste
• Dried orange peel, to garnish (optional)

1. Shake 60ml vodka, 60ml combined citrus juice, 15ml sweet vermouth, and 15ml triple sec or cumquat liqueur with ice, adding sugar syrup to taste.
2. Strain into a martini glass.
3. Garnish with dried orange peel if using.

Tequila sunrise

• 60ml tequila
• 120ml fresh orange juice
• 15ml grenadine

1. Pour 60ml tequila into a glass over ice.
2. Add 120ml orange juice and stir.
3. Slowly pour 15ml grenadine into the glass over the back of a spoon, or drizzle it down the side, to create the sunrise effect.

Bourbon blood orange

• 30ml bourbon
• 120ml blood orange juice
• A few dashes bitters
• Soda water, to top up

1. Pour 30ml bourbon and 120ml blood orange juice over ice.
2. Add a few dashes of bitters.
3. Top up with soda water.

Gin and tonic

• 60ml gin
• 120ml tonic
• Fresh lemon or lime juice, squeezed to taste

1. Pour 60ml gin over ice.
2. Top up with 120ml tonic.
3. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice over the top.

Mai tai

• 15ml dark rum
• 30ml light rum
• 15ml triple sec
• 15ml Amaretto
• 15ml fresh lime juice
• 60ml fresh orange juice
• Splash of grenadine, for colour
• Orange slice, lime slice, and mint sprig, to garnish

1. Shake 15ml dark rum, 30ml light rum, 15ml triple sec, 15ml Amaretto, 15ml lime juice, and 60ml orange juice with ice.
2. Strain over fresh ice.
3. Add a splash of grenadine for colour.
4. Garnish with orange slice, lime slice, and mint sprig.

Caipirinha

• 1 lime, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 60ml cachaça (or white rum)

1. Muddle 1 cubed lime with 2 teaspoons sugar in a glass.
2. Add 60ml cachaça and a handful of ice.
3. Stir well.

Mojito

• 6 mint leaves, plus 2 extra to serve
• 2 lime wedges, plus 1 extra to serve
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 60ml white rum
• Soda water, to top up

1. Muddle 6 mint leaves, 2 lime wedges, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a glass.
2. Add 60ml white rum, 2 fresh mint leaves, and a lime wedge, and stir.
3. Add a handful of ice and top up with soda water.

Mango Daiquiri

• 60ml white rum
• 200g frozen mango or strawberries
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 40ml mango, orange, or pineapple juice
• 22.5ml simple syrup

1. Combine 60ml white rum, 200g frozen fruit, 30ml lime juice, 40ml juice, and 22.5ml simple syrup in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.

Party pairings

Classic margarita

• 45ml blanco tequila
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 15ml triple sec
• Salt, for the rim

1. Shake 45ml tequila, 30ml lime juice, and 15ml triple sec with ice.
2. Strain into a salt-rimmed glass.

Spicy fermented lime margarita

• 45ml blanco tequila
• 30ml fermented lime juice (see When Life Brings You Lemons or Limes)
• 15ml triple sec
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeños, finely chopped

1. Stir 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeños through 30ml fermented lime juice and let it sit for a few minutes to infuse.
2. Shake with 45ml tequila and 15ml triple sec over ice.
3. Strain and serve. The fermented tang and pickled heat balance each other well.

Cazuela Valodora (party size)

• 1 grapefruit, sliced
• 2 oranges, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced
• Salt
• Zest from 1 lime
• ¼ cup each of orange, lime, and grapefruit juice
• 6 cups blanco tequila
• 4–5 cups solo lemon soda
• 3 cups ice

1. Add the sliced grapefruit, oranges, and lime to a cazuela (large serving bowl) and stir in a pinch of salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the lime zest, ¼ cup each of the fruit juices, 6 cups tequila, 4–5 cups solo lemon soda, and 3 cups ice.
3. Pour the liquid mixture over the citrus in the cazuela.
4. Serve by scooping out a portion of fruit into each glass and topping with the tequila mixture.

Long Island iced tea (serves 2)

• 30ml tequila blanco
• 30ml white rum
• 30ml vodka
• 30ml gin
• 30ml triple sec
• 45ml fresh lemon juice
• 45ml simple syrup
• Cola, to top up
• Ice cubes

1. Combine 30ml each of tequila, white rum, vodka, gin, and triple sec in a tall glass or jug with ice.
2. Add 45ml lemon juice and 45ml simple syrup, and stir.
3. Top up with cola.

Lychee colada (serves 4 or more)

• 1 can lychees with syrup (minimum 440g)
• 1 can coconut cream (270g)
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 15ml Cointreau
• 30ml sugar syrup
• 180ml Malibu (or white rum)
• Ice

1. Process the lychees and their syrup, 1 can coconut cream, 30ml lime juice, 15ml Cointreau, 30ml sugar syrup, and 180ml Malibu in a blender until smooth.
2. Add ice and blitz for a further 20 seconds on high speed until thick.

Notes

Many of these benefit from homemade versions of the spirits — our own limoncello, kumquat liqueur, and tangelo Christmas infusion all work well in place of store-bought. For simple syrup, use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, boiled until dissolved and cooled. Fresh citrus makes a real difference over bottled juice. Most of these are best made and served immediately rather than batched ahead, aside from the party-size ones designed for it. Adjust sweetness and spirit ratios to taste.