As we near the end of engagement season and this year’s calendar fills, our teams at Capers Catering and Olive & Twist Mobile Bar have been busily crafting custom menus—carefully recommending every sip and bite from cocktail hour through dessert.
In doing so, we’ve noticed a pattern…
In keeping with our recent Cocktail Trends piece, savory, bourbon-leading, and agave-based cocktails and mocktails are being chosen again and again, and a smattering of new client favorites are emerging—with flavor profiles so powerful, they may just transport you to a tropical island, varied regions in Italy, a warm summer’s day, and even, another era in time.
We invite you to join us as we walk you through seven of the most popular signature cocktails kicking off 2024…
Abstinence On the Beach Peach Puree, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice, Club Soda, Orange Wheel & Cherry Garnish This mocktail version of Sex on the Beach maintains the original’s iconic, fruity profile, thanks to peach puree (instead of the cocktail’s usual vodka and peach schnapps) layered with orange juice and cranberry juice, which simultaneously lend its signature tequila sunrise look.
Purple Rain Vodka, Blue Curaçao, Lime Juice, Grenadine, Lime Wedge Garnish
Named after Prince’s Oscar-and-Grammy-winning 1984 song, this low-alcohol, sweet-tart cocktail glows deep purple thanks to its combination of orange-flavored blue curaçao and cherry-red grenadine. Just one sip and you’ll be laughing in the purple rain.
Boulevardier Bourbon, Campari, Sweet Red Vermouth, Orange Bitters, Orange Twist Garnish Swap a Negroni’s gin for bourbon, and you have a Boulevardier—a cocktail that predates the Negroni by about 20 years. A classic old-school cocktail boasting a perfectly balanced sweet-meets-bitter profile, the Boulevardier is best served with one large ice cube.
Coraggio Tuaca, White Rum, Chilled Espresso, Espresso Bean Garnish
Espresso martini fans, this one’s for you. Italian for “courage,” the Coraggio leads with Tuaca’s vanilla-butterscotch-brandy profile, which is beautifully offset by the bite of chilled espresso and white rum. Similar to the Spanish Carajillo cocktail, the Coraggio is both energizing and delicious.
Hemingway Daiquiri
White Rum, Maraschino Cherry Liqueur, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Lime Wheel Garnish
In the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway traveled to Cuba and met…the classic daiquiri. He requested his personal twist on the cocktail—foregoing sugar, doubling the rum, and thus, the Hemingway Daiquiri was born. Also known as the Hemingway Special or Papa Doble, today’s version marries the classic daiquiri rum-lime blend with grapefruit juice’s tartness and cherry liqueur’s subtle sweetness. The result: delicately sweet-sour tropical perfection.
Sparkling Lemon Drop Spritz Limoncello, Club Soda, Prosecco, Lemon Wheel & Rosemary Sprig Garnish
For a cocktail that whispers “summer” with every sip, try a Sparkling Lemon Drop Spritz. This cousin of an Aperol Spritz swaps the Aperol with Limoncello—perhaps Italy’s most famous liqueur, made from lemons grown on its Amalfi Coast. The Mediterranean climate of this region is the perfect environment to produce incomparably fragrant, thick-skinned, and thereby essential-oil-rich lemons—the key to an exquisite limoncello.
Vida Paloma Mezcal, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice, Agave, Club Soda, Grapefruit Wheel, Cilantro Sprig, Spicy Salt Rim Spicy, savory, citrusy, and slightly smoky, the Vida Paloma takes the classic Paloma to fiery new levels. The secret is swapping tequila for mezcal, adding pulverized hot pepper to its salted rim, and dropping in optional muddled jalapeño slices for even more kick. With its streak of vibrant red and irresistible, ever-cycling, fire-ice taste progression, the Vida Paloma keeps adventurous guests coming back for more.
We’d love the opportunity to create any of the above signature drinks for you—or to concoct other custom cocktails and mocktails that are uniquely you and pair flawlessly with your personalized event menu. Contact us today to secure your date!
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