Signature Cocktails: A Sip of Perfection

A signature cocktail is almost the norm at parties these days. It's a great way to personalize your event. Jonathan Pogash a New York based mixologist offers his top tips in creating the prefect signature cocktail for your wedding.

1. The theme of your day – Whether it’s ‘Hamptons beach party’ or ‘70’s retro-disco’, align your specialty libation with what your day will hold forth.
2. Color – If this is a large part of your theme, consider it for your cocktails: Purple, pink, yellow, green, silver – all colors can be recreated in the liquid form.
3. What liquor do I use? – Ask yourselves what your favorite spirits are, and decide from there. The possibilities are endless. A trend nowadays is back towards classic cocktails, so if you’re lovers of Gin, Rum, and Rye or Bourbon, think about using those as your base spirits.
4. Save $$$ - By offering one or two specialty cocktails, you can limit your guests’ drinking habits. Even better, offer only your specialty cocktails during cocktail hour, and beer and wine during dinner.
5. Ease of preparation – If you’re fortunate enough to have caterers who are experienced in fine dining, you may not have an issue with this. But for the most part, catering bartenders don’t have much experience with specialty cocktails, let alone custom-made specialty cocktails. Think about using simple, ready-made and easily accessible ingredients. Even submitting a recipe for a batched or pitcher version of your drink would ease the bartender’s nerves, and ensure a perfect, consistent cocktail every time.
6. Always have non-alcoholic versions of your alcoholic cocktails readily available for your guests. It usually just entails eliminating the alcoholic portion of the drink, and adding in a bit more of the mixers.

French Martini

What You Need

• 1 oz. citrus vodka
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. Chambord
• Lime wedge, for garnish

How to Make It

• Shake vodka, pineapple juice, and Chambord well with ice in a shaker.
• Strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with lime wedge.

Image Via the Knot