Dylan Ettinger
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scotch whisky, bourbon, rum, tequila, mezcal, gin, spirits, cocktails, amaro, liqueurs, wine, beer, coffee, hospitality, bars, drinking culture, drinking destinations
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Freelance booze writer. Contributing editor with Food & Wine. Lifelong fan of the 2025 National Champion Indiana Hoosiers. Opinions are 100% my own.
Articles by Dylan Ettinger
Martini Lovers Should Know About This Nearly 90-Year-Old Vodka Cocktail
Long before vodka became a fixture of American cocktail culture, the Gypsy Queen showcased the spirit’s potential in sophisticated, spirit-forward drinks. Made with vodka, Bénédictine, and aromatic bitters, the Gypsy Queen dates to at least 1938 and is one of the earliest documented vodka cocktails in the United States.
Why Le Bernardin’s World-Renowned Sommelier Is Aging Mezcal in Austrian Wine Barrels
Aldo Sohm is best known for his work with wine. As wine director of New York City’s three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, the Austrian-born sommelier oversees one of the city’s most prestigious wine programs. Named Best Sommelier in the World in 2008, Sohm has also established himself as a winemaker in his native Austria. Now, he’s bringing that expertise to an entirely different craft: mezcal.
Why Le Bernardin’s World-Renowned Sommelier Is Aging Mezcal in Austrian Wine Barrels
Aldo Sohm is best known for his work with wine. As wine director of New York City's three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, the Austrian-born sommelier oversees one of the city's most prestigious wine programs. Named Best Sommelier in the World in 2008, Sohm has also established himself as a winemaker in his native Austria. Now, he's bringing that expertise to an entirely different craft: mezcal.
Making a Bourbon Cocktail? Here’s Why Your Whiskey Choice Matters
From the Paper Plane to the Gold Rush, here’s how a bourbon’s mashbill influences its role in four familiar drinks. Dylan Ettinger Fri, October 23, 2026 at 8:01 AM EDT 4 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add Yahoo on Google Credit: Cavan Images / Dorene Hookey / Getty Images Wheated bourbon replaces rye with wheat in the mash bill, contributing almond and bread-like notes and a creamy mouthfeel that can soften rye's characteristic pepperiness.
This Refreshing Margarita Variation Is a Favorite in Mexico — and It’s Easy to Make at Home
The Margarita Spritz is an especially refreshing combination of tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and sparkling mineral water with a salt rim. Locally known as the “Skinnyish Margarita,” the drink can be found throughout the beach bars of Sayulita, Mexico. The drink was originally created by Cachasol tequila founder, James “Monty” Montero, to be served at the brand’s raicilla distillery outside Sayulita. “We created the Cachasol Skinnyish Margarita at our farm distillery out of absolute need.
This Japanese Ingredient Takes This Dirty Martini to Another Level
The Dirty Dashi Martini combines vodka with dashi and olive brine and features a kombu salt rim, creating a boldly savory cocktail. In recent years, bartenders have pushed the Dirty Martini further into savory territory, incorporating everything from pickling liquids and fermented ingredients to seaweed and other umami-rich additions. This version from Uchi in West Hollywood, California, draws inspiration from Japanese cuisine.
What Is Chicory, and Why Is It Blended in Coffee?
New Orleans knows about the magic of this flowering plant and you should too. Dylan Ettinger Wed, September 16, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT 4 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add Yahoo on Google Credit: Food & Wine / Cafe du Monde / Tim Nusog / Getty Images Chicory is an edible flowering plant whose roasted, dried, and ground root has a coffee-like flavor and aroma. It is caffeine-free and can be brewed as a coffee substitute or blended with coffee.
What Is Chicory, and Why Is It Blended in Coffee?
Chicory is an edible flowering plant whose roasted, dried, and ground root has a coffee-like flavor and aroma. It is caffeine-free and can be brewed as a coffee substitute or blended with coffee. • Chicory became closely associated with New Orleans coffee during the Civil War, when it was used to stretch limited coffee supplies during the Union blockade. • Chicory enhances coffee’s bitter notes and can also bring richer flavors to cocktails, including Manhattans, Boulevardiers, and amari.
12 Modern Classic Cocktails Created by the World’s Best Bartenders Original
Every summer, the bartending world descends on New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, one of the biggest and most anticipated industry events. Aside from seminars, tastings, pop-ups, and parties, one of the biggest draws is the Spirited Awards. For the past 19 years, Tales of the Cocktail has honored the best and brightest figures in the industry, whether they’re drinks writers, mentors, brand ambassadors, or most importantly, bartenders.
12 Modern Classic Cocktails Created by the World’s Best Bartenders
How to Keep Ants From Nesting Between Pavers, According to Experts Don’t let them make a mess of your walk or patio. Whether you want to admit it or not, ants have a purpose in the natural world. Their tunneling …
Mexico Meets Italy in This Easy 2-Ingredient Cocktail
The Mezcaletti is an equal-parts cocktail that combines mezcal with Amaro Meletti and a dash of orange bitters. Credited to bartender Richard Boccato, the modern cocktail builds on the popular M&M, a two-ingredient shot made with mezcal and Amaro Montenegro that became a bartender favorite for its unexpectedly seamless balance of smoke and bittersweet herbs.
Why This Nearly Forgotten Rum Cocktail Deserves a Comeback
The Nui Nui is a classic tropical cocktail consisting of rum, lime juice, orange juice, cinnamon syrup, allspice dram, and Angostura bitters. Created during the formative years of Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s, the drink’s deceptively simple recipe delivers remarkable depth. Like many of Beach’s creations, however, the Nui Nui spent decades shrouded in mystery.
If You Like Piña Coladas, Try This Vodka-Based Version Next
The Chi Chi is a tropical cocktail made of pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and vodka. If the recipe sounds familiar, that’s because the Chi Chi is essentially a Piña Colada with vodka swapped for the rum typically used in Puerto Rico’s signature cocktail. Like many tropical drinks from the 20th Century, the Chi Chi was originally whipped up by Donn Beach of the Hollywood tropical hot spot Don The Beachcomber.
This Cocktail Is Designed to Taste Like the Best Part of Dinner
The Leche de Tigre is a cocktail that combines mezcal, tequila, and simple syrup with a complex base sauce of citrus juice, jalapeño, ginger, red onion, and cilantro. The drink comes from Lola’s in New York City, a restaurant known for its vibrant and fresh menu. Its name references leche de tigre, the citrusy, savory marinade traditionally associated with Peruvian ceviche, though here the concept is transformed into a cocktail. This drink directly reflects the restaurant’s culinary philosophy.
The Angostura Colada Reimagines One of Cocktails’ Most Familiar Ingredients
The Angostura Colada is a tropical cocktail that combines Angostura bitters, rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and lime juice. Created by New York bartender Zac Overman in 2013 and introduced during Sunken Harbor Club’s weekly tropical cocktail nights in early 2014, the drink applies a radical idea to a familiar template by replacing most of the rum with Angostura bitters.
What 45 Years at Wild Turkey Taught Eddie Russell About Bourbon
Tacoma’s tiki bar experts have opened a new destination on the Washington coast Devil’s Reef in Tacoma is regarded by many reputable drinkers and tiki loyalists as one of the best bars in the country to drink through this …
What 45 Years at Wild Turkey Taught Eddie Russell About Bourbon Original
When Eddie Russell started his first shift at Wild Turkey Distillery in 1981, bourbon was far from fashionable. Scotch dominated back bars, vodka was ascendant, and many Kentucky distilleries struggled to survive. “At the time, you didn’t go out to bars and see bourbon sitting on the shelves,” says Russell. “Scotch was the dominant brown spirit.” Forty-five years later, the industry that Russell entered barely resembles the one he helped to shape.
Russell’s Reserve’s New 13-Year Bourbon Includes Whiskey Well Beyond Its Age Statement Original
Credit: Courtesy of Wild Turkey Distilling Co. Russell’s Reserve is honoring master distiller Eddie Russell’s 45th anniversary at Wild Turkey with a commemorative release of Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old Bourbon and a feature-length documentary. The limited bourbon is bottled at 121.2 proof and features barrels selected by Russell, including whiskey pulled during filming with his son, associate master blender Bruce Russell.
Four Roses Is Releasing Its Oldest Bourbon Yet — a 21-Year-Old Single Barrel
Dorit Kemsley PK's Drinking Put Our Marriage on the Rocks!!! Dorit Kemsley is lifting the lid on her relationship with estranged husband PK Kemsley ... and she says alcohol changed him for the worse. In an …
Four Roses Is Releasing Its Oldest Bourbon Yet — a 21-Year-Old Single Barrel Original
Credit: Courtesy of Four Roses Distillery Four Roses is launching Anthology, a new annual ultra-premium bourbon series and the oldest whiskey the distillery has ever released. The bourbon was produced using the distillery’s OBSF recipe, known for its herbal spice and fruit-forward character, and was bottled at 124.9 proof. Only about 1,300 bottles will be released, with availability starting July 10 at the Four Roses Visitor Center.
How the 4 Main Types of Gin Differ in Flavor and Style, According to Experts Original
Credit: Sarah Maiden / Food & Wine Gin is generally defined by its botanical profile rather than a specific base ingredient, but all gin must contain juniper as part of its botanical blend. London Dry, Old Tom, Plymouth, and New Western are the four main styles commonly referenced in modern bartending.
Planter’s Punch Is the Tropical Cocktail Every Rum Fan Should Know
Planter’s Punch, a potent combination of rum, lime, simple syrup, grenadine, and bitters, predates frozen drink machines and the modern tropical cocktail canon by decades. Although the drink’s exact origin is still debated, most histories trace it to Jamaica in the late 19th century, where rum punch traditions were already closely tied to the island’s sugar economy and drinking culture.
This 4-Ingredient Mezcal Paloma Comes Together Right in the Glass
The Mezcal Paloma is a smoky riff on the classic Mexican highball, replacing tequila with mezcal while preserving the original drink’s refreshing combination of grapefruit soda, lime juice, and salt. Like the traditional Paloma, it’s built directly in the glass and designed for easy drinking, though mezcal lends the cocktail a deeper, more savory edge.
特別な道具はいらない！ 美味しい「水出しコーヒー」の作り方
※本記事は、2021年7月23日に公開した記事の再掲です。 Lauren King / EyeEm/Getty Images 水出しコーヒーは自宅で手軽に作ることができる。ガラス製のピッチャーさえあればいい。 自分の好みに合わせて、挽いたコーヒー豆を12～24時間水に浸そう。 完成した水出しコーヒーは水や牛乳で薄めたり、オルチャータやアルコール飲料などを混ぜてもいい。 水出しコーヒーは今や広く普及した人気の高いコーヒーの1つだ。夏の暑い時期のホットコーヒーに代わるキリっとした冷たい飲み物だ。 大量にまとめて作っておけばパーティーにもぴったりだし、冷蔵庫で保存しておけば好きな時に飲むことができる。 さまざまな手間のかかる道具や高価なパッケージ商品なども売られているが、いずれも自宅で水出しコーヒーを楽しむために"絶対に必要なもの"ではない。濃縮された水出しコーヒーは自宅で手軽に作ることができる。 特別な道具をほとんど必要としない、簡単でミスをしづらい水出しコーヒーの作り方を紹介しよう。 必要なもの コーヒー 抽出用の器（ピッチャー、瓶など） コーヒーフィルター グラインダー（任意）...
This Smooth, Frosty Painkiller Delivers Big Tropical Flavor in Every Sip
The Frozen Painkiller is a blended tropical cocktail that combines rum, coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut. The original Painkiller is a beloved cocktail invented in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. The Painkiller gets a double dose of coconut in this creamy blended riff.
Upgrade Your Daiquiri With Pineapple Rum and Coconut Liqueur
The Coconut Daiquiri is a refreshing tropical drink that combines pineapple rum, coconut liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup. This riff on the classic daiquiri is attributed to bartender Paul MacDonald of the award-winning Philadelphia bar Friday Saturday Sunday.
This Classic Gin Highball Gets Its Charm From Raspberry and Ginger
The Floradora is a tall, refreshing mixture of gin, raspberry syrup, fresh lime juice, and ginger ale. Long before it became a brunch drink, the Floradora emerged from turn-of-the-20th-century spectacle. It takes its name from Florodora, the hit 1899 musical that moved from London to Broadway, where its chorus line, the famed “Florodora Girls,” became a cultural phenomenon. Like the performers, the drink leans into visual appeal: light, sparkling, and delicately pink.
The Eastside Cocktail Is a Modern Classic That's Bright, Cool, and Surprisingly Easy to Make
The Eastside is a modern classic cocktail that pairs gin, lime juice, and sugar with fresh mint and cucumber. Bright, cooling, and distinctly modern, this drink bridges classic structure and early-2000s innovation. According to Difford’s Guide, the Eastside was created in 2004 by George Delgado at Libation in Manhattan as a Collins-style drink.
This Classic Scorpion Bowl Is the Ultimate Cocktail to Share With Friends
The Scorpion Bowl, a combination of rum, gin, brandy, lemon juice, orange juice, and orgeat, is the most famous and beloved large-format, shared cocktail in the tropical cocktail canon. Emerging from the mid-century boom of Polynesian-themed bars, the drink is widely attributed to the creator of the Mai Tai and Fog Cutter, Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, who helped turn rum-driven Caribbean inspiration into an American dining spectacle.
I've Tasted Hundreds of Whiskeys - Here's Why I Always Have a Bottle of This $17 Bourbon
How to Make the Paper Plane The Paper Plane is one of those rare modern cocktails that already feels like it has always been around. Created in the early 2000s by Sam Ross, it …
I've Tasted Hundreds of Whiskeys - Here's Why I Always Have a Bottle of This $17 Bourbon Original
Credit: Courtsey of Evan Williams In my years as a bartender and drinks writer, I’ve sampled hundreds of different whiskeys. I’ve learned that there are many criteria by which to judge a whiskey. Flavor, aroma, age, and proof are all important considerations. One of the most important, and most overlooked, factors is value — what does a consumer actually get for the money they spend?
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club is a classic cocktail that combines rum, lime juice, falernum, and curaçao. A name this grand invites myth, but this drink has a grounded origin. It traces back to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in Hamilton, the capital city of the British island territory. Founded in 1844 by British officers and local sailors and granted a royal charter soon after, the club was defined more by sailing tradition than by drinks.
San Francisco in a Shaker — Iconic Cocktails from the City by the Bay Original
A brief history of San Francisco's place in the world of mixology. By Dylan Ettinger Published on April 2, 2026 Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley San Francisco rarely gets top billing in America’s cocktail mythology. The Bay Area is often overshadowed by New York’s cutting-edge mixology or New Orleans’s romanticized past.
Meet the Bronx, the Citrus-Forward Cocktail Classic That Once Rivaled the Martini
The Bronx is a classic cocktail that combines gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, and orange juice. Emerging in the years just before Prohibition, it quickly became one of the most widely consumed cocktails in the United States. By 1934, it ranked just behind the Martini and Manhattan in global popularity. Its cultural footprint was broad, from bartender manuals to stage plays and films like The Thin Man, where its preparation was debated with the same seriousness as its more austere counterparts.
Meet the Pisco Punch, a Pineapple-Forward San Francisco Classic
This tropical, citrusy punch made of pisco, pineapple gum syrup, lime juice, and pineapple juice is steeped in cocktail history. The Pisco Punch is said to have been invented in the mid-1800s by Duncan Nicol, proprietor of San Francisco’s Bank Exchange. The Pisco Punch became a major attraction, but it also may have been served on Pacific steamships that stopped in Peru and Mexico before making their way to California.
Shake Up a Cable Car, San Francisco’s Spiced Rum Modern Classic
In 2026, the Cable Car, a combination of spiced rum, orange curaçao, lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white, will celebrate its 30th birthday. This spiced and tangy cocktail was created by Tony Abou-Ganim for the Starlight Room in San Francisco. It was inspired by the city’s iconic cable car system and remains one of San Francisco’s most well-known modern cocktails to this day.
Before the Martini, There Was the Martinez — Here’s How It's Made
The Martinez cocktail, a combination of gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters, is the historic predecessor to the now-ubiquitous Martini. Think of the Martinez as a sweeter, more mellow version of the classic Martini build. The herbal, slightly sweet cocktail is made with equal parts gin and sweet vermouth, with a small amount of maraschino liqueur, which lends a nutty backbone. Similar to other cocktails of this era, the exact origin of the Martinez is unknown.
Cà Phê Trứng (Vietnamese Egg Coffee)
Cà phê trứng, also known as Vietnamese egg coffee, was created in Hanoi in 1946 during a milk shortage, when egg yolks were whipped with sugar and condensed milk to replace fresh milk. The luxuriously creamy egg yolk mixture softens bold and robust dark-roast coffee. Cà phê trứng is typically made with Vietnamese robusta coffee, which is brewed through a phin, a traditional Vietnamese slow-drip coffee filter, to yield an intense brew more akin to espresso.
The Chef’s 50/50 Martini Breaks Every Rule — and Still Delivers
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek I’m not easily impressed when it comes to cocktails. I’ve traveled the world and visited some of the most highly decorated bars across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. From beach–bar Mai Tais to gold leaf–garnished Martinis in Venice, I’ve tasted a lot. When an unassuming Martini riff at a new restaurant in my hometown of Los Angeles blows me away, it’s a big deal.
If You Love Daiquiris, Try This Bold 1940s Upgrade
The Brooklynite is a classic Daiquiri variation that combines Jamaican rum, lime juice, honey syrup, and bitters to create a deeper, heavier version of the tropical sour. The cocktail’s recipe was invented in New York City’s popular Stork Club sometime in the 1940s. The recipe first appeared in The Stork Club Bar Book by Lucius Beebe. A variation later appeared in Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide.
The Baby Guinness Might Be the Cutest Shot You’ll Ever Pour
Despite its name and appearance, the Baby Guinness has nothing to do with beer — it’s a shot that cleverly combines coffee liqueur and Irish cream to look like a miniature glass of Ireland’s most famous stout. The coffee liqueur forms the body of the drink, while the Irish cream takes on the appearance of the foamy head on a properly poured pint.
The Cameron’s Kick Proves 2 Whiskeys Are Better Than 1
The Cameron’s Kick combines Scotch and Irish whiskey with lemon juice and orgeat for a bright, Prohibition-era cocktail that feels surprisingly modern. First appearing in Harry MacElhone’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails in 1922, it made the then-unusual move of splitting the base between Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey.
The 5 best drip coffee makers, tested by a professional barista
Whether your morning doesn't start until you've poured your third cup of coffee or you're good to go on a single serving, the best drip coffee maker should do one thing reliably: brew consistently good coffee day after day. The best models reach precise temperatures, evenly saturate grounds, and offer easy setup and maintenance for stress-free home brewing. Over the last nine years, we've tested dozens of the drip coffee makers, including budget coffee makers and single-serve brewers.
San Francisco in a Glass
SAN FRANCISCO RARELY GETS TOP BILLING in America’s cocktail mythology. It’s often overshadowed by New York’s cutting-edge mixology or New Orleans’ romanticized past. Yet for nearly two centuries, bartenders here have been blending classical technique with California’s restless creativity and ingredient-driven style to invent some of the nation’s most enduring cocktails.
An Artichoke Liqueur Is the Secret to This Manhattan Variation
The Little Italy combines rye, sweet vermouth, and Cynar — an artichoke-based amaro — in a modern take on a classic template. Created in 2005 by Audrey Saunders for the opening menu of New York City’s Pegu Club, the drink follows the structure of a Manhattan but feels unmistakably downtown. Rye whiskey gives it a steely backbone while sweet vermouth and Cynar add Italian complexity. The name nods to the neighborhood bordering the Pegu Club, a tribute to the cultural layering that shapes the city.
A Guide to Japanese Tea and How to Savor It Across Japan Original
Credit: Sven Gärtner / Getty Images Japanese tea reveals itself slowly as a companion to daily life. For travelers arriving in Japan, tea is often one of the first tastes offered and one of the most enduring memories taken home. But understanding it requires letting go of expectations shaped elsewhere. “Japanese tea isn’t meant to impress you in a dramatic way; it’s meant to settle into you, and in a way, settle you into Japan,” says Japanese tea and culinary curator Tomoko Imade Dyen.
A Guide to Japanese Tea and How to Savor It Across Japan
“It secretes a matcha-coloured substance from its anal gland that smells of rotting flesh.” This animal is insanely good at faking death Whether it’s to deter predators or to avoid mating, plenty of animals fake their own death The human stage has seen many a hammy staged death, but few …
Bartenders Pick Their Favorite Bourbons to Use in an Old Fashioned Original
Credit: Food & Wine / Wild Turkey Distilling Company / Few Distillery / Buffalo Trace Distillery / Tim Nusog Is there any cocktail more iconic than the Old Fashioned? The simple concoction of whiskey, sugar, bitters, and ice, garnished with a twist of orange has enchanted drinkers since the 19th Century.
This Midcentury Classic Might Be the Boldest Whiskey Cocktail You Can Make
Credit: Food & Wine / Tim Nusog Prep Time: 2 mins Total Time: 3 mins Yield: 1 The Diamondback is a midcentury classic that combines rye whiskey, applejack, and green Chartreuse. First printed in Ted Saucier’s 1951 Bottoms Up, the drink is credited to the Diamondback Lounge at Baltimore’s Lord Baltimore Hotel, a 22-story landmark that opened in 1928 and still anchors the city’s skyline.
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