Classic Cocktails

Timeless builds the way I actually make them behind the bar — clean specs, intentional choices, and just enough personality to still feel fun.

Before you shake or stir

Fresh citrus, proper jigger, good ice. Taste as you go. These are my standard specs — a starting point for how I like these classics to drink. Once you've got them dialed, that's when the riffing starts.

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Whiskey Classics

Slow sippers, stirred builds, big flavor.

Old Fashioned

Whiskey Stirred

Spirit-forward, silky, and unmistakably Katie.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz bourbon or rye
  • 0.25 oz 1:1 simple syrup
  • 3–4 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Orange and lemon twist

Method

Stirred over a large rock.

Katie's Take

Orange twist for bourbon's warmth, lemon twist for rye's spice. I use both — it gives you the best of both worlds in one glass and makes it a true Katie Sips classic.

Manhattan

Whiskey Up

Boozy, bittersweet, and sophisticated — the little black dress of cocktails.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz rye whiskey
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • 3–4 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Luxardo maraschino cherry

Method

Stirred and served up.

Katie's Take

A proper Manhattan is like a jazz standard — smooth, a little bittersweet, and a little classy. That Luxardo cherry is the final note that brings the whole tune together. It's the royalty of garnishes, the little crown jewel that makes your Manhattan sing.

Agave Classics

Bright, zesty, and built around good tequila.

Margarita (Tommy's)

Agave Shaken

Bright, zesty, and always ready for a good time.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz agave syrup

Method

Shake and serve on the rocks.

Katie's Take

I'm a Tommy's Margarita girl — clean, balanced, and all about good tequila. No triple sec needed when the lime is fresh and the agave is dialed.

Paloma

Agave Shaken

Bright, refreshing, and effortlessly cool.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 oz agave syrup
  • Splash of soda water
  • Half salt rim

Method

Shake tequila, grapefruit, lime, and agave with ice. Strain into a salt-rimmed highball over fresh ice. Add a splash of soda water. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Katie's Take

The Paloma is my "I need a break from everyone" tequila cocktail. Fresh grapefruit makes it bright, the agave keeps it cute, and the splash of soda gives just enough sparkle without trying too hard — kind of like me when I pretend I'm low-maintenance. If you're still ordering Vodka Sodas… babe, it's time to grow up and get a Paloma.

Oaxacan Old Fashioned

Agave Stirred

Smoky, bold, and a little dramatic — the agave lover's Old Fashioned.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz reposado tequila
  • 0.5 oz mezcal
  • 0.25 oz agave syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • Flamed orange twist

Method

Stir tequila, mezcal, agave, and bitters with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Express a flamed orange twist over the top — let those oils catch a little heat — then drop it in.

Katie's Take

This is the agave lover's Old Fashioned for when you want a little smoke, a little drama, and a moment to yourself. The flamed orange twist? Pure attitude. It gives the whole drink a warm, aromatic glow — like slow-burning incense but make it sexy. It's smooth, bold, and honestly… what I order when I want to feel unbothered.

Rum Classics

Three-ingredient precision and serious refreshment.

Daiquiri

Rum Shaken

Bright, crisp, and the ultimate balance check.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz white rum
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup

Method

Shake hard and strain into a chilled coupe.

Katie's Take

Three ingredients, infinite nuance. Nail the balance and you've got magic.

Old Cuban

Rum Shaken

A mojito all grown up — minty, elegant, and quietly glamorous.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz aged rum
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • 6–8 mint leaves
  • 3–4 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Top with Champagne or sparkling wine

Method

Muddle mint gently with lime juice and simple syrup. Add rum and bitters, shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and top with bubbles. Garnish with mint.

Katie's Take

To me, the Old Cuban is what happens when a mojito grows up and moves to the city. It's minty, elegant, and quietly glamorous — the perfect rum cocktail when you want something classic with a little sparkle.

Gin Classics

Aperitivo hour, Italian energy, big personality.

Negroni

Gin Stirred

Bitter, bold, and beautifully balanced — an Italian icon.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz gin
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth

Method

Stirred and served over ice with an orange peel.

Katie's Take

The Negroni is an Italian icon and a nod to the elegance of Italian aperitivo culture — and it's also my dad's favorite cocktail. That perfect blend of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth is like a little taste of Italy in a glass, and that orange twist brings it all home.

French 75

Gin Shaken

Elegant bubbles meet bright citrus — celebration in a glass.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz gin
  • 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • Top with Champagne or Prosecco

Method

Shake gin, lemon, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a flute and top with bubbles. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Katie's Take

I love a French 75 that packs a little extra sparkle, so I personally lean toward 1.5 oz of gin when I make mine. And if you ever want to lean into the drink's origin story, try swapping the gin for cognac — it's a gorgeous, old-world twist that still keeps things elegant.

Brandy Classics

Old-world elegance, rich and refined.

Sidecar

Brandy Shaken

Balanced, ceremonial, and timelessly sophisticated.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz cognac
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz triple sec
  • 0.25 oz simple syrup

Method

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe with a half white-sugar rim.

Katie's Take

A Sidecar is all about balance and a touch of ceremony. I love the half-sugar rim — it gives just enough sweetness without overwhelming the drink. No orange twists here, ever. Just clean, bright citrus and that classic cognac warmth.

Vodka Classics

Clean canvas, bold flavors.

Cosmopolitan

Vodka Shaken

Crisp, bright, and a little bit flirty — timeless when done right.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 0.75 oz cranberry juice
  • 0.5 oz Cointreau
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.25 oz simple syrup

Method

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel or twist.

Katie's Take

The Cosmo gets a bad rap, but when it's made right, it's timeless. I add a touch of simple syrup to smooth out the citrus and cranberry so it's perfectly balanced — crisp, bright, and a little bit flirty in all the right ways.

Lemon Drop

Vodka Shaken

Sweet, sharp, and a little dangerous — look cute, cause problems.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 0.5 oz triple sec
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • Half sugar rim

Method

Shake vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe with a half sugar rim. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

Katie's Take

The Lemon Drop is sweet, sharp, and a little dangerous — basically the cocktail equivalent of "look cute, cause problems." It's bright, refreshing, and the kind of drink that disappears way too fast. If you serve this with a sugar rim, trust me… someone's about to flirt with the bartender.