cocktail with spices

It's no secret that liquor and spices have a long and tangled history. Many of the great staples in your liquor cabinet rely on herbs and spices to create their signature flavor. Gin, for example, derives its primary flavors from juniper berries and is often augmented with many other recognizable spice rack favorites.

Recently, however, mixologists have been looking to the spice rack for unique twists on mixed drinks. Using spices and herbs can liven up a drink and even add medicinal benefits. 

Below are some unique drink recipes using herbs and spices:

Pear and Cardamom Sidecar

Autumn Delight (Cinnamon)

The Brow Burner (Peppercorns and Ginger)

Fresh herbs can be crushed or muddled or even incorporated into a simple syrup. Dried herbs and spices can be trickier to include. Usually it is recommend to crush whole spices in the muddling process and then strain them out before serving. Another option is to steep them in the simple syrup and then strain. Most importantly, you don't want any powders floating in your final drink. 

Written by Leah Sugar

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