Entertaining

9 Easy Cocktails to Serve in Coupes

The basic Martini isn’t exactly a high-lift cocktail, but if you have trouble remembering the ratio of spirit to vermouth, maybe you should pick up a taste for the 50/50. With equal parts vermouth and gin (or vodka), along with a few dashes of orange bitters, this Martini variation could easily star in our forthcoming book, Martini-Making for Dummies.

Elevated frozen Daiquiris require heavy machinery, but the original rum sour is anything but stressful. Rum, demerara syrup (simple syrup works too if you have it on hand) and lime juice are all that stands between you and a coupe-ful of rummy goodness.

The Boulevardier is hard to say but easy to make (and pretty easy to describe too). It’s basically a Negroni with rye in place of gin that’s served up in a coupe to highlight its elegant simplicity. Nothing more needs be said.

Unless you’re a fernet freak, you might not be experienced with mixing the intimidating spirit into cocktails. Most libations that involve this complex ingredient are pretty complicated themselves, but fernet’s intense, layered flavors are actually the key to a simple cocktail that elevates the spirit. Adding a few dashes to an easy mix of gin and sweet vermouth—kind of like a scaled down Martinez—results in a sophisticated cocktail with way more depth and je ne sais quois than the drink’s easy-peasy recipe implies.

If the Bee’s Knees could save rotgut bathtub gin back during Prohibition, it can certainly save your evening from another lazy G&T. Honey syrup requires a little manual labor, but you can whip it up quicker than the lawman can raid your gin joint.

Dessert cocktails tend to fall into one of two categories: the tiny sweet shot or the ornate garnished behemoth. For a normally proportioned after-dinner drink, look to the coupe-contained Grasshopper, which delivers just the right amount of sweet booze to satisfy your craving.

The hardest part of the Dubonnet Cocktail is Googling “Dubonnet.” We’ll save you that time—it’s a fortified wine laced with herbs, spices and, critically, quinine. Pick up a bottle and mix it in equal parts with gin and a dash of orange bitters. Voilà, you’ve got an easy, fancy drink that’ll give you something in common with the Queen (QEII is a big fan of Dubonnet).

We love a good equal parts drink because you don’t even need a jigger. You can parcel out equal amounts with any sized shot glass, a tablespoon measure, your fingers against the glass, an empty salt shaker or anything else your crazy measuring heart desires. Splurge on those bottles of Green Chartreuse and maraschino because you’ll be hooked on this easy classic in no time.

Apples typically end up in autumnal cocktails served in rocks glasses by the fire, but you shouldn’t limit the fall fruit to one season or glass. Applejack (or Calvados) makes a great base for the easy, fruity Jack Rose, which only needs a bit of grenadine and lime juice for support. It’s perfect for sipping anytime of year.