TALK DRINKS

Chili & Passion Fruit Martini from the Dorchester Collection

Here is a great cocktail recipe video from the Dorchester Collection. The Dorchester Collection is a group of luxury hotels in London, Beverly Hills, Paris, Milan, New York ad Los Angeles. Each hotel has the reputation for offering the most sought-after experiences of good living, charm, elegance and service, but maintains their own original character. They've created a series of very slick videos highlighting the many talented bartenders and mixologists across their properties. It is great to see bartenders who take pride in their craft. It's not just about the drinks, but it's about the experience. Cheers - TALKDRINKS.COM

The Mexican Mule - Welcome to Miami

The National Hotel on South Beach is the place to be for Friday Happy Hour. Relax by the pool with half-off drinks (well) and listen to the groovy sounds of their DJ. It's a great place to enjoy and unwind at the end of a hectic week.
Recently, I visited my friend Carlos Acevedo, bartender for The National and challenged him to come up with a unique cocktail with Tequila. He impressed me with his "Mexican Mule", a delicious and refreshing cocktail, perfect for the hot steamy summers in Miami. It's always a pleasure to see a mixologist who has a passion for his craft. Next time you're on South Beach stop by The National and order one of their tasty cocktails, lay back, enjoy the sun, the view and the breeze coming off the ocean. Salud - Marita, The River Oyster
Mexican Mule
Reposado Tequila shaken with basil, fresh squeezed lemon and grapefruit juice, finished with ginger beer

"Pucker Up" with Copa d'Oro's Popular cocktails - L.A. Happenings

The TastingTable.com wrote a great article about our good friend Vincenzo Marianella, Bar Manager at Copa d'Oro. For those who don't know, Copa d'Oro is a beautiful cocktail lounge in the Santa Monica area with a warm atmosphere and perfect place to meet friends for a drink after work. Vincenzo prides himself on great cocktails using only the freshest ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmers Market just outside. Vincenzo not only uses fresh fruits in his libations, he is has an eye for using non-conventional ingredients such as MUSTARD!!! The article in TastingTable.com is about Vincenzo's The Sour Kraut cocktail. Before you write it off as too bizarre, I urge you to try it first. Cheers - Damian Windsor

Planters Punch - EverydayDrinkers.tv

Tequila Colada

Check out this great Tequila Colada Cocktail video from our buddy Derrick at EverydayDrinkers.tv. EverydayDrinkers.tv great blog/podcast/resource for those seeking to learn more about the cocktail universe and expand their recipe knowledge. Derrick is very good about using a variety of spirits and common ingredients. In this video, he uses the Partida Reposado. The Tequila Colada is a nice twist on the traditional Pina Colada and just demonstrates how versatile Tequila can be. 

Enjoy - TALKDRINKS

Drinks Galore on April Fool's

Over the weekend, I decided to unleash my creative juices and see what new & interesting cocktails I could come up with. Here are the best 3 that everyone can enjoy and that's no April Fool's joke. Enjoy - Mindy, the Hilton in Austin

Cilantro Love
1 1/4oz Partida Blanco
1/4oz Barenjager
1/4oz Green Chartreuse
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
orange zest for garnish
In a mixing glass muddle cilantro and add liquor. Shake extremely hard and double strain with a tea strainer into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with an orange skin peeled with a vegetable peeler.

I love how this drink is a visual explosion of color with the bright green from the cilantro and blazing pop of orange from the garnish. The aroma is of the cilantro and Chartreuse, the sweetness from the Barnjager is just enough, and the Chartreuse and Partida meld so nicely. Over all this is an amazing cocktail.

Yellow Rose of Texas
1 1/2oz Partida Blanco
1/2oz Yellow Chartreuse
2oz pineapple juice
2-3oz club soda
Build cocktail in a tall or highball glass and stir. Garnish with a candied pineapple slice.

This is a super and light refreshing drink. Perfect for hot summer days in Texas!

Bitter Happiness
1 1/2oz Partida Blanco
1/2oz Campari
1/2 grapefruit juice
2oz Q Tonic
6 tarragon leaves
1/4 tsp agave nectar
In a mixing glass muddle tarragon and agave nectar. Add Partida, Campari, grapefruit juice and shake hard. Double strain into a tall or highball glass over new ice and add Q Tonic. Garnish with candied grapefruit peel or a grapefruit wedge.

I owe credit of this flavor profile to my friend PJ Hanne, an amazing chef from New Orleans.

Tequila Mojito Video

Straits Atlanta - Hotlanta Times

Recently, I visited my good friend CS at Straits Atlanta to try his new Partida Red cocktail. Owned and operated by Chef Chris Yeo and rapper/actor Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, the Straits Restaurants are inspired by the unique cuisine of Singaporean, which for 200 years were the crossroads of Asia. Straits does a beautiful job of blending Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Nonya and other Asian cuisines together into a menu that is full of color, flavor and aroma. 
The Partida Red cocktail is made like a regular Margarita, but CS adds olive and cranberry juice, giving the cocktail a sweet and salty depth that turns out really nicely! I couldn't stop drinking this cocktail and would encourage anyone who's dropping by to call for this interesting version of the Margarita to compliment their one of a kind dinner. Salud - Navarro, bartender, Atlanta
Straits Restaurant 
793 Juniper St NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Tel: (404) 877-1283

The River Oyster Bar - Welcome to Miami

When it's that special time of day called Happy Hour, you can find me mixing it up at The River Oyster Bar in Downtown Miami/Brickell. My favorite thing about it, besides our handcrafted cocktails and great selection of beer on tap, are the 1/2 off oysters. We offer a selection of oysters from across the US. Everything including Kumamotos from Northern California (my fave) to Blue Points and Newport Cup from the East Coast. You can enjoy great bar snacks (most under $7) like Oyster Po Boys, Buffalo Frog Legs and Curried Duck Empanadas. If you want to enjoy Happy Hour to its fullest, you have to partake in bar snacking!
The friendly and knowledgeable bartenders can mix you up your favorite libation or you can try one of our signature drinks. We use homemade Ginger Beer for the Dark & Stormy, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice in the classic Greyhounds, fresh fruit purees in our Watermelon, Lychee or Passion Fruit Martinis, or you can enjoy my cocktail of choice the Partida Margarita made with 100% organic agave nectar and fresh lime juice. If you're a wine lover, nothing beats a glass of Muscadet with your oysters.
This bar is always hopping with a mix of locals and business folks unwinding after a long day. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. So next time you and your friends are in search of a great bar to visit in Miami, take a trip down to The River. Hope to see you soon. - Marita, The River Oyster Bar
Watermelon Martini
1 1/4 oz vodka
1 oz watermelon liqueur
1/2 oz fresh watermelon puree
1/4 oz sour
Combine all ingredients in mixing glass, shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with slice of watermelon.

The Londinium - Everything's Bigger and Better in TX

Here is a new drink that I just created. It took me a while to get the balance right, but it was well worth the effort! The Londinium is a UK inspired cocktail. It is clean, refreshing and all the ingredients work together in perfect harmony. Happy Cocktailing - Jeret Pena, Founder & President, Spirits Enthusiast of Texas 
The Londinium
1.5 oz of any premium UK style Gin
1 oz of Lavender infused simple syrup
4 English mint leaves (depending on potency)
3 lemon wedges
splash of tonic
At the bottom of a mixing tin, muddle the mint leaves with a few pieces of ice. Add lavender syrup and squeeze lemon wedges into tin. Add gin and shake 5 times. Pour into a Collins Glass and top it off with a splash of tonic. Garnish with Lavender stem.