• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cocktail Contessa

make great cocktails - drink great whiskey

  • Home
  • Cocktail Recipes
    • Bourbon
    • Gin
    • Rum
    • Rye Whiskey
    • Tequila
      • Mezcal
  • How-To
  • Cocktail Classes
  • Collaborate
  • About
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Main Content

Amaretto Cardamom Cocktail with ice in a sherry glass garnished with flowers and some almonds/cardamom

Amaretto Cardamom Cocktail – the Semla

March 5, 2021 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

If you love cardamom, this Amaretto Cardamom Cocktail reels you in with its strong cardamom aromatics and keeps you sipping. It combines an infused amaretto, cardamom bitters, and just a dash of rose water. A few weeks ago I had a cardamom/rye sweet bun filled with almond paste called a semla. It’s a Nordic treat […]

Suze Sour - two in coupe glasses

The Suze Sour – A Must Mix Angry Cocktail

February 28, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

This Suze Sour, with its cheery yellow color, balances sweet citrus and bitter herbaceous notes in a tangy and bitter sour. The bitterness compels you to keep drinking – just to check. It’s sweet, but that spice and hint of bitterness coat the tongue, making it an intriguing cocktail I had stolen from my hand […]

Easy Hot Toddy in a glass much with a lemon zest impaled with whole clove

Easy Hot Toddy Warms All Your Toes

February 24, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 1 Comment

If you’re feeling under the weather, or just need a warm comforting tipple, this easy hot toddy is your cold cure for what ails you. Growing up near Louisville, Kentucky, I learned early on the powerful healing benefits of a hot toddy. That little bit of citrus, the soothing taste of the honey, and the […]

Gin Toddy - view of pink toddy with lime garnish

Must Mix Gin Toddy

February 20, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 1 Comment

Try this Gin Toddy and you’ll know for a fact that hot toddies are meant for more than whiskey. You may have seen a random rum toddy, but the gin hot toddy is relatively rare, and I’m here to tell you, it shouldn’t be. (Post may contain affiliate links.) What is a Hot Toddy in […]

Salted Caramel Manhattan cocktail in a coupe glass with a drizzle of sea salt caramels in it

Salted Caramel Manhattan – A Killer Valentines Cocktail

February 12, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

You need this salted caramel Manhattan in your life. It’s sweet, a touch salty, and mostly, just pure decadence – you must make this Valentines’ cocktail. I’m calling it a Manhattan because the base spirit is whiskey, but it doesn’t have any vermouth or amaro in it, so it’s only a Manhattan in that it’s […]

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cocktail in a coupe glass with two peanut butter cups, flowers and bottle of ballotin whiskey

Reese’s Manhattan – A Peanut Butter Chocolate Cocktail

February 11, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

I came up with the perfect cocktail for any of you that love Reese’s cups – a Peanut Butter Chocolate Cocktail that’s easy and fast. You know I love Ballotin Whiskey, and I wanted to see how it played with spicy rye and some amaro. The amaro makes it more complex and adult, but it […]

Chocolate Sazerac with rye whiskey in a frozen goblet with an orange peel and cocoa nibs

Chocolate Sazerac: The Ultimate Sazerac Riff

February 10, 2021 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

I love the striking contrasts in a chocolate sazerac cocktail. You taste pepper and spice from the rye, earthy chocolate notes, and the cold medicinal taste of absinthe, all in each sip. It’s a great reminder that a cocktail made of contrasts can be more compelling than one of similar flavors. (Post may contain affiliate […]

Blood Orange Whiskey Sour in a coupe glass with dehyrated blood orange and egg white foam

Blood Orange Whiskey Sour

February 5, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

My cat, Arlo, destroyed two glasses while I was making this Blood Orange Whiskey Sour. It’s a good thing it was so delicious. You don’t have to do much to make a blood orange sour sing besides add a little fresh-squeezed lemon juice to adjust the acid, a bit of simple syrup (I used champagne […]

Indian Hot Buttered Rum - Kamala's Birthright - in a clear mug garnished with mango, cinnamon stick and star anise

Kamala’s Birthright – Indian Hot Buttered Rum

January 23, 2021 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

To celebrate a day of accomplishments and firsts I had to create a cocktail for our new Vice President Kamala Harris and came up with an Indian Hot Buttered Rum. With elements from both Jamaica and India, it’s a complex set of flavors with a big kick of fun in it. The best part, in […]

Best Ever Aperol Sour

January 21, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

Aperol’s bittersweet citrus flavors shine in this easy Gin Aperol Sour. While some build this cocktail without the gin, I find the addition of a floral gin adds to the complexity and enjoyment of the cocktail. To balance the cocktail, I added both grapefruit and lavender bitters. While you can make this cocktail without egg […]

Earl Grey Cocktail with orange wheel and orange twist in ice-filled rocks glass

Earl Grey Old Fashioned Cocktail

January 15, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 4 Comments

This Earl Grey cocktail blends the sweet scent of bergamot tea with the spicy aromatics of bourbon. Using a simple syrup made of strong Earl Grey tea and some tea and lemon bitters, it’s a great old fashioned for a late happy hour. While this Earl Grey cocktail doesn’t have the warmth of a fresh-brewed […]

Hot Jammed – Spicy Old Fashioned

January 14, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 3 Comments

Hot pepper jelly, bourbon smoked sugar, five spice and peach liquor in a spicy old fashioned? Did I think it would work? Hell, no! Did it, Hell yes! No one in their right mind would put hot pepper jelly in an old fashioned, would they? Well, I never claimed to be in my right mind, […]

Lion's Tail Cocktail with lime wheel garnish

How to Make a Fantastic Lion’s Tail Cocktail

January 14, 2021 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

The complex, spicy Lion’s Tail cocktail is a perfect one to make while limes are fresh and spice flavors are on my mind. With a simple list of ingredients, just bourbon, lime, allspice dram and simple syrup, it’s an easy shake. (Post may contain affiliate links.) What is a Lion’s Tail Cocktail? I’ll admit I […]

Add some punch to your carajillo with the addition of bourbon, Cardamaro and some pineapple syrup to make a slightly tropical and much more complex variation than coffee and Licor 43 alone.

Bourbon Carajillo

January 10, 2021 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

The Carajillo, a spanish cocktail of coffee and liqueur, usually sticks to a lower proof liquor such as Licor 43 or other brandy, but you know I had to make my own whiskey version with this Bourbon Carajillo. This cocktail packs a caffeinated punch with almost two ounces of espresso

Raspberry Rue Jam Cocktail in a wine glass with ice, garnished with a lemon twist

How to Make Jam Cocktails

January 9, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 2 Comments

One of the easiest ways to add a boost of fruit flavor to your next cocktail is to use a little jam or preserves to make a jam cocktail. Running out of simple syrup or flavored syrups doesn’t have to be a tragedy in the house. Simply use some jam or preserves to add that […]

Strawberry Gin Jam Cocktail with dehydrated half wheel of grapefruit and sage leaf. Served up in a cocktail glass.

Strawberry Campari Gin Jam Cocktail

January 6, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 1 Comment

Jam makes everything taste better, so I’m using a cheat in my Strawberry Gin Jam Cocktail today. I’m building the cocktail using strawberry preserves to give the cocktail a great taste of strawberry without having to make a simple syrup. One of the easiest hacks to use with a sour is to swap out all […]

DIY Champagne Cocktail Kit example picture with small tin with 4 flavored liqueurs and dried fruit garnish

DIY Champagne Cocktail Kit

January 3, 2021 By Heather Wibbels 1 Comment

Why gift someone a bottle of Champagne when you can give them a DIY Champagne cocktail kit to make their own celebratory cocktails? When it was time for a socially distant New Year’s Eve celebration, I wanted to put together a little gift/kit for my friends I’d usually be spending the evening with. Creating a […]

Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters

Raspberry Bourbon Bubbles for New Years Eve

December 31, 2020 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

One of the easiest and fanciest cheats for dressing up a bourbon cocktail is topping it with champagne or sparkling wines and this Raspberry Bourbon Bubbles recipe for New Years Eve fits the bill. The easiest way to do this for two is to make your favorite old fashioned cocktail, pour a half serving in […]

Boozy Caramel Brulee Latte topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle and toffee with Ballotin Caramel Turtle whiskey bottle

Boozy Caramel Brulee Latte

December 29, 2020 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

I always associate sea salt caramels with this time of year, so I’m happy to announce a boozy caramel brulee latte for your drinking pleasure. The holidays are one time of year I rejoice at making exceptions to eating healthy. And home-made caramel is one of those guilty pleasures. Not that I make it, but […]

Boozy Toasted White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream and red sprinkles and a bottle of Ballotin Chocolate Mocha Cream in the background

Boozy Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

December 24, 2020 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

White chocolate lovers rejoice – I have a boozy toasted white chocolate mocha for you today! Another installment in my boozy adult lattes, this latte doesn’t require any actual toasting of white chocolate to make the drink. Rather, it relies on a small splash of caramel syrup to give it that nutty, toasty, sugary flavor […]

Bourbon Eggnog on a cookie and candy plate in gold rimmed glasses garnished with star anise and cinnamon

How to Make the Perfect Bourbon Eggnog

December 23, 2020 By Heather Wibbels Leave a Comment

In Kentucky, there’s no substitute for whiskey in your eggnog; we always make bourbon eggnog. The baking spices inherent in the spirit, the sweetness of it and it’s ability to cut through the cream to still shine through makes it a perfect match for this holiday drink.  I hated eggnog until I made it. My […]

Primary Sidebar

About Heather

Heather Wibbels is a whiskey mixologist creating whiskey drinkers one cocktail at a time. She's an Executive Bourbon Steward who loves researching and designing cocktails, drinking cocktails, and teaching cocktails. Mostly whiskey cocktails, given her Kentucky location, but any spirit will do when the inspiration strikes. Learn More about the Contessa

Join me on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Search the Cocktails!

Search by Category

Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2021 · All rights reserved. Other use permitted only with expressly written permission by the owner.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube