Low-ABV Cocktails

Cocktails big on flavor, low on buzz.

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PUNCH

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Dark N Stormy Cocktail

Session Dark 'n' Stormy

In this low-proof spin on the two-ingredient Dark ‘n’ Stormy, Amaro Montenegro plays the role of the base spirit while a hit of blackstrap rum delivers the familiar caramel notes of the original.

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Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

Session Manhattan

In this low-proof spin on the Manhattan, sweet vermouth and rye switch places; the former acting as the base spirit and the latter as the modifier. Small measures of amontillado sherry and dry vermouth add complexity and balance.

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Slow Down Shirley

Jim Kearns taps into quintessential East Coast fall flavors in his Slow Down Shirley: cranberry liqueur layered onto a base of apple brandy, with lemon and ginger adding brightness.

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Session Margarita

This low-proof rendition of the classic Margarita calls on the expected tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, but builds on a base of manzanilla sherry for a low-octane twist on the original.

a close up of a wine glass on a table with the words sharon above it

Negroni Cocktail Recipe

Sharon

Tristan Willey’s low-proof variation on the Negroni replaces the gin with manzanilla sherry and dials back the Campari for a salty, lightly bitter take on the Italian classic that does not want for complexity. “Dry sherry has such a strong backbone,” says Willey. “It lends so much to a drink while asking so little of the drinker.”

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Poor Richard

Low-proof kings Paul Calvert and Greg Best of Atlanta’s Ticonderoga Club double down on fall with their variation of a low-proof punch made for holiday entertaining. The Poor Richard features dry cider and cranberry cordial alongside Italian vermouth, lemon juice and freshly grated nutmeg, for added spice.

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Alcohol Drink Recipes

Singchelada

“It was definitely a conscious decision to swap out the ingredients with Thai and Southeast Asian ingredients,” notes bartender Bobby Leonardo of New York’s Wayla, who took inspiration for the Singchelada from both the Michelada and cha ma nao, a Thai-style tangy lime iced tea. The drink is “full of that savory umami flavor” and “sharp and aggressive spicy flavor” with the addition of green papaya sauce, chile paste and soy sauce.

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Punch Cocktails

Wine And Dine

See Way Punch

In this low-proof punch, Caitlin Laman hews closely to the traditional five-ingredient punch formula, but trades the spirit for a mix of manzanilla sherry and red vermouth for a slightly spiced recipe that’s festively topped with a splash of Cava.

a tall glass with cucumber in it and the words ma chere above it

Coconut Garnish Cocktail

Chartreuse Cocktail Recipe

Lime Crush Cocktail

Cucumber Garnish

Cocktail Shoot

Key Lime Crush Cocktail

Chartreuse Cocktail

Pineapple Syrup

Ma Cherie

It might not look it, but Leo Robitschek’s Ma Cherie, which appears in the “Apéritifs” section of the NoMad’s drink list, is yet another session cocktail inspired by the classic sherry cobbler. Savory elements, from the muddled celery down to the serpentine cucumber garnish, draw the drink away from its source material, while additions like velvet falernum and pineapple syrup thickened with gum arabic offer a swift turn toward the tropical.

a red cocktail with an orange garnish on the rim and text reading campari shakerato low abv

Campari Shakerato

You really have to like Campari to appreciate the austere and quite bitter Shakerato, but Naren Young at New York’s Dante makes it a bit more approachable with the addition of a saline solution and bright orange flower water.

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Manhattan cocktail recipe

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Gin And Tonic

Yummy Drinks

Beer Glasses

Suze and Tonic

An uncomplicated low-ABV alternative to the gin and tonic, this cocktail swaps out the juniper for bracing but refreshing gentian flavors at a fraction of the proof. This super-easy format reflects the way the yellow Swiss-made aperitif is most commonly consumed on its home continent: with a single mixer, or simply straight.

the lemony snickker cocktail is garnished with a sprig of rosemary

Lemony Snicker

In her take on the Sgroppino, a traditional Italian palate-cleanser, Karen Fu harnesses the refreshing qualities of citrus in multiple forms: yuzu-inflected Japanese gin, frosty lemon sorbet, bright meyer lemon juice and fizzy lemon-lime soda. Bianco vermouth rounds out the recipe, but Fu notes that fino sherry can easily stand in (she recommends Barbadillo).

Taking first place in our blind Bamboo tasting, Chip Tyndale‘s recipe hit all the marks with every judge. The formula was classical by modern standards: 1 ½ ounces of amontillado sherry, 1 ¼ ounces of Dolin dry vermouth, ¼ ounce of Dolin blanc vermouth, and a dash of orange and Angostura bitters, served with a lemon twist. Tim Miner called it a “complete cocktail,” citing the complex flavors, which pulled in saline, bitter and dry notes, while boasting a full body and a finish that didn’t fade. Lemon Twist, Island Bar, Angostura Bitters, Lemon Peel, First Place

Chip Tyndale's Bamboo

Taking first place in our blind Bamboo tasting, Chip Tyndale‘s recipe hit all the marks with every judge. The formula was classical by modern standards: 1 ½ ounces of amontillado sherry, 1 ¼ ounces of Dolin dry vermouth, ¼ ounce of Dolin blanc vermouth, and a dash of orange and Angostura bitters, served with a lemon twist. Tim Miner called it a “complete cocktail,” citing the complex flavors, which pulled in saline, bitter and dry notes, while boasting a full body and a finish that didn’t fade.

White Port

A Song

Creative Director

Kobra

If you think port doesn’t get its proper due here in the States, it’s doubly true of white port. “Some people are like, ‘I heard of that once in a song my grandma listened to,’” jokes Morgan Schick the creative director behind Trick Dog. In an attempt to assuage such ageism, Schick used the classic Bamboo as a launch point for the Kobra. He combines white port with manzanilla sherry, enhanced with spice from the falernum and bitterness from the quinquina wine.

“The Last Petal speaks to my love of low-ABV cocktails,” says Mony Bunni, who was inspired to make the drink when she first tasted Imbue Petal and Thorn vermouth, which she describes as being the color of rosé, with “notes of chamomile, cinnamon, roses and orange peel.” Here, she combines it with fino sherry, rhum agricole and cava for a drink that’s at once briny, floral and refreshing. Tikki Bar, Cocktails Food, Low Alcohol Drinks, Sparkling Cocktail, Prairie School, Punch Drinks, French 75

Last Petal

“The Last Petal speaks to my love of low-ABV cocktails,” says Mony Bunni, who was inspired to make the drink when she first tasted Imbue Petal and Thorn vermouth, which she describes as being the color of rosé, with “notes of chamomile, cinnamon, roses and orange peel.” Here, she combines it with fino sherry, rhum agricole and cava for a drink that’s at once briny, floral and refreshing.