Drink of the Week: The Graduate No. 2

Some of our favorite cocktails are also the easiest to make. So for our current issue we challenged four bartenders to create a cocktail complex in flavor but simple to mix (check out the full list of parameters here). And today’s Drink of the Week—The Graduate No. 2—from Daniel Shoemaker of Teardrop Lounge in Portland, Oregon, is one such cocktail, combining spiced rum and sweet vermouth with fresh citrus, bitters and a splash of cola. And for 101 additional simple cocktail recipes, click here.

1 1/2 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 barspoon fresh lemon juice
4 dashes Angostura bitters
½ oz. cola (optional)
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: cocktail
Garnish: orange peel

Combine the first four ingredients and stir with ice to chill. Add cola, strain into a chilled glass, and garnish.

Daniel Shoemaker, Teardrop Lounge, Portland, Oregon