One of the many perks of my job is that I get sent free booze all the time. Yes, I know it’s awesome. Firstly, it is very important to note that I drink responsibly and I highly encourage you, my spectacular reader, to do so as well. Of course, I do not take this lovely perk for granted. I am so very lucky to sample these wonderful libations from some of the best drink brands around and pinch myself that this is my day job. To the delight (and sometimes, chagrin) of my friends and family, I like play mixologist and use these boozy gifts to create unique cocktail recipes. So, here we go. Here are my 2016 Spring Cocktail Recipes using my top three picks for springtime spirits. My first recipe was inspired by the deliciously smooth Cockspur Old Gold Rum. With roots in Barbados dating back to 1884, it has a well-developed and complex flavor that is well worth the bottle’s price tag. The process to create Cockspur Old Gold Rum is quite interesting, with it’s coral-filtered water and beach-side aging in prime oak barrels. All of this rich history combined with it’s deliciously smooth flavor inspired me to create a cocktail with a fresh, citrusy taste. Bring on “The Crying Orange”…
I have a confession to make… I lied about the fact that I created all of the recipes featured in today’s post. This next one actually comes to us from the maker themselves. Terlato Wines teamed up with designer Camille Styles to reimagine a honeymoon in Bali. With tropical influences and organic flares, they created a fantastic recipe with some surprising flavors to go along with their Nino Franco Prosecco. So my hands were tied when they sent me a bottle of the fine bubbly and a recipe card… I had no choice but to mix up a batch for myself!
My last Spring cocktail recipe comes from an unlikely source… Canadian icebergs. Yup, you heard me right. I know that icebergs aren’t normally associated with Springtime, but this wonderful (yet deceptively) silky vodka is the perfect stealth alcohol to add to a fruity drink. Iceberg Vodka actually harvests small chunks of broken off icebergs off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador in order to make their product. It’s a crisp alcohol that calls for a crisp cocktail recipe. Call in the fresh fruit! I present to you, “Up Spring’s Creek”…
And there you have it, my friends! The fruits of my boozy experimentations. Be grateful that I didn’t post all of my “springy” concoctions… there were some real doozies amongst these gems. Special thanks to Cockspur Rum, Terlato Wines, and Iceberg Vodka for letting me loose on their delicious products. Cheers!
