One of the most highly sought-after books is The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, a volume first printed in 1948, written not by a bartender but by a New York lawyer named David Embury who was determined to establish a system of proper rules for mixing drinks. Most of the drinks he covered were ones that were already in regular rotation in New York bars. Here's one of his originals, the Larchmont. More

Riffing on the classic Hotel Nacional cocktail, which uses apricot brandy for a touch of fruity sweetness, Morgenthaler introduced Fee Brothers Peach Bitters to the mix--and it raises the refreshment bar while tossing in another layer of flavor complexity. More

The Knickerbocker dates to at least the 1860s, when it made its print debut in the first known bartending manual, penned by Jerry Thomas. The recipe called for "Santa Cruz rum," or rum from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, along with lime juice and sweetener in the form of raspberry syrup and curacao, and garnished with berries in season. More

The Bay Area's best food & drink bloggers have recently lauded the Fog Cutter, and with good reason: it's a delicate, fruity blend of several spirits and juices, topped with an aromatic float of amontillado sherry. Be forewarned, though, it does pack a punch. More

This drink requires the simplest of preparations, yet it's almost wholly unexpected by the average imbiber. For assertiveness, it uses a good, amber rum—Appleton Extra is a good choice, as are Angostura 1919 and Bacardi 8— and for unparalleled refreshment impact, chilled coconut water. More

An old-school daiquiri is an exercise in purity, as beautiful in its unadorned simplicity as a well-made martini or Manhattan. Of course, "well made" is a big factor here, as well: to fully realize the daiquiri's inherent beauty, be sure to measure your ingredients; free-pouring, while easier and cooler-looking than eyeballing a measuring cup, frequently leaves you with an odd-tasting drink. And while you can mix the daiquiri with different rums or in one of its fruit-enhanced variations, the use of fresh lime juice is absolutely essential; those little green plastic limes and day-glo bottles of Rose's should stay as far from your daiquiri as possible. More

Sure, you could make mimosas on Mother's Day. But if you're looking for something a little more adventurous to make with your bubbly--or, perhaps the idea of spending an afternoon at your mother's place requires a little extra fortification--you can send your greetings via Air Mail. More

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Cocktail has a few of the tropical essentials: first, it's based on rum; second, its flavor is fleshed out with fresh lime juice and the little-known syrup called falernum; and third, the name has both Caribbean and nautical overtones. More