Posts in Aperitivo
Basil Limoncello Spritz
Basil Limoncello Spritz

The lemon-forward spritz you’ve been looking for 🍋

Together with my friends at luxardousa we’re making a Limoncello Spritz to soak up all the #AperitivoHour vibes this summer. This one uses #Luxardo Limoncello which is made the old-fashioned way in Italy, using the traditional method of infusing alcohol with lemon peels, pulp and juice with REAL lemons harvested in southern Italy. Their Limoncello isn’t just great in a spritz, it can be enjoyed straight up and chilled, or on the rocks with soda or tonic water as well.

As with any spritz, keep it easy and fun! I encourage you to add a fun garnish to add a fun garnish of your own. I used basil to keep with the Italian flavors but also because we know how well basil pairs with the brightness of lemon.

Anyways, I hope you give this one a try this summer!

Read More
Cocktails, Spritz, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminococktail, stirred, bitter, lemon, fizzy, herbalComment
Watermelon High Sea
Watermelon High Sea

It’s watermelon szn and #WorldBeeDay? Let’s cook 🐝🍯🍉

This recipe combines a couple of my favorite things: gin, honey, basil, watermelon with an addition of a bitter aperitif in Select and a pinch of smoked sea salt just to bring out more of the fruity flavors in this cocktail. Of course this is going to be served over crushed ice which will let the drink evolve a bit as you drink it.

Cheers y’all.

Read More
Cocktails, Gin, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminococktail, shaken, fizzy, smokey, watermelonComment
Barrel - Aged Banana Boulevardier
Barrel - Aged Banana Boulevardier

slaps barrel* this baby has 30-40 cocktails in it and it gets better over time.

I’ve been meaning to do a barrel aged cocktail recipe for a while on here. There are so many benefits to barrel aging your cocktails instead of just batching (video coming soon!). But the true appeal is the mellowness that the oak brings to the [cocktail party]. Feel free to experiment with some of your favorite stirred cocktails but make sure not to use anything with citrus.

I kept this video pretty simple and didn’t use exact measurements, I figure using the actual bottles itself (full bottles + half bottles) would be more approachable and actually get y’all to do this at home. This recipe only fills up 3.6L of this 5L barrel so feel free to scale up to fill to the brim. Remember that smaller barrels have more surface area than the tradition 55 gallon barrels so this will age at a much faster rate (2-3 weeks should suffice), anything more than 2-3 months [if it lasts that long], should be transferred to a glass bottle.

If you’re looking for a barrel, check out the link on my bio site under ‘bar tools’.

Cheers and happy barrel aging!

Read More
Cocktails, Bourbon, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminococktail, barrel proof, batched, bitter, stirred, strongComment
Alive and Well (Long Song)
Alive and Well (Long Song)

A light take on the classic for #NegroniWeek 🥃

“A lighter rendition of the classic, the Alive and Well is more of an “orange” Negroni. aromatic, floral, herbaceous, and slightly fruity backed with Campari’s signature bitterness; it’s a fun, late-summer sipper.”

Cheers y’all!

“A lighter rendition of the classic, the Alive and Well is more of an “orange” Negroni. aromatic, floral, herbaceous, and slightly fruity backed with Campari’s signature bitterness; it’s a fun, late-summer sipper.”

Don’t forget you can grab this cocktail at @beautiful_south__ this week! Cheers y’all!

Read More
Cocktails, Aperitivo, Negroni, CampariMiguel Buencaminostirred, campari, lemon, baiju, apricotComment
Mare-ly Perfect Ride
Mare-ly Perfect Ride

Mare-ly Perfect Ride by Caroline Woodruff
This idea comes from a Paddock, which is an area for horses to graze in after a big day.  I wanted to really show off saddled leather and grassy notes from a split of dry vermouth for my take on a Boulevardier.  It’s easily one of my favorite cocktails to have many adaptations of, this one is a bit lighter, while the bitters let it run in a different strong direction.  

Read More
Cocktails, Bourbon, Vermouth, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitterComment
Gibson Martini
Gibson Martini

Oh the weather outside is… weather? Wait, how does it go?

I know we just did a classic martini but when it comes to martini variations, this one is my absolute favorite. This recipe is simple, elegant and perfect after a long day. Enjoy this one next to the fire and bundle up with a Christmas movie.

PS. For every “oh boo hoo, you wasted some and spilled liquor everywhere” or “what a mess” comment, I’ll be donating $5 to my kids’ college funds. I know it’s coming 😄

Read More
Cocktails, Aperitivo, Gin, VermouthMiguel BuencaminostirredComment
The Bianco Venetian Spritz
The Bianco Venetian Spritz

Ooooh… stunninnnnnn….

If you’ve never put olives in your Spritz, you’re missing out. I want to show y’all the versatility of luxardousa’s Bitter Bianco by using it in classic, aperitivo-forward cocktails such as a traditional spritz. Since the Bitter Bianco is crystal clear and free from artificial dyes/colors, it provides for a gorgeous and unique experience that you and your guests are sure to enjoy. If you’ve never had a Bianco Venetian Spritz, its has notes of bitter citrus and a bright/fruity finish, try this one out!

Read More
Cocktails, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitter, spritz, proseccoComment
Sbagliato² Spritz
Sbagliato² Spritz

What a day! It was an honor to be a judge for the @bombaysapphireus’s Most Inventive Bartender competition today at @dapschs. Some of the most creative mixologists in the southeast were in Charleston, showcasing some of the most unique cocktails I’ve ever seen. I’ll be posting some of these cocktails over the next few days. First up, Charleston’s own @schenzelwashington with his Forrest Gump inspired cocktail with a bit of peas and carrots.

Read More
Cocktails, Amaro, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminococktail, shaken, bitter, lemon, montenegro, spritzComment
Irish Coffee Tonic
Irish Coffee Tonic

🍀Who’s celebrating #SaintPatricksDay today?
.
I’m sure most of you are already familiar with that Irish Coffee, but have you ever tried an Irish Tonic?? I was introduced to the coffee/tonic combo by my friends over at @jackrudycocktailco not too long ago and was hooked! I figured this recipe would be fit for today’s festivities. Hope y’all give it a try and let me know what you think!

Read More
Cocktails, Aperitivo, WhiskeyMiguel Buencaminococktail, shaken, foam, liqueur, irish whiskey, coffeeComment
To the Stars
To the Stars

🌹 Rose-infused cocktails? Say what? With Valentine's Day around the corner, I’m excited to #partner with @grangala to bring you the perfect cocktail recipe for that date night with your significant other.
.
If you’re not familiar with #GranGala, it’s a blend of Italian VSOP brandy infused with fresh oranges. I figured this would pair really well with the floral aspect of rosebud tea, zestiness from fresh squeezed lemon and bring it all together with a rich coconut cream. Check out the recipe below or check out the link in the bio!
.

Read More
Cocktails, Aperitivo, Vodka, VermouthMiguel Buencaminococktail, shaken, foam, liqueurComment
The Health Kick
The Health Kick

I'm always inspired by a couple of you @instagram mixologists to create something a little more fun than the typical bourbon-centric cocktail y’all have been so used to seeing. A couple months ago, local kombucha maker, Jonathan Cox, over at @onelovekombucha invited me and my wife over to their ‘brewery’ to see the process and try a couple of flavors he had been working on. When I tried this hibiscus/ginger variety, I instantly knew it would be great in a bright summer cocktail. Combined with a butterfly pea flower ice sphere (ahem… thanks for the idea @shesmegnificent), here’s my attempt at a kombucha cocktail.

Read More
Cocktails, Gin, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminococktail, bitter, collins, gingerComment
Salty Summer
Salty Summer

IT HAPPENED! I’m so stoked announce my very first canned cocktail collaboration with my good buddies over at @dapschs! For the first time ever, you’ll be able to physically take home a cocktail pictured here. Dubbed ‘SALTY SUMMER’ - This cocktail is a hybrid between a Spritz, Gose, Negroni Sbagliato and a Salty Dog (ingredients below) and contains TWO servings per can. Its got a grapefruit-y spritz element with a touch of local sea salt that is perfect for a hot summer day under the sun.

Read More
Cocktails, Aperitivo, VermouthMiguel Buencaminococktail, bitter, saltyComment
Sunday Scaries
Sunday Scaries

The cure for all those Sunday scaries 💀🥃

Together with my friends at @blackenedamericanwhiskey, we took the traditional elements of a classic Boulevardier but enhanced it with caramelized banana and some torched absinthe to create something unique and familiar. BLACKENED American Whiskey provides a great base that provides both depth and richness to this already delicious recipe. Let me know what y’all think if you make it! #ad21+

Cheers y’all.

Read More
Cocktails, Whiskey, AperitivoMiguel Buencaminostirred, smoked, salty, bananaComment