Shaken or stirred, neat or on the rocks, there is something to be said about the art of crafting a great cocktail. Everything is taken into account – temperature, method, quality of ingredients and even the shape of the glass– before a good cocktail is ready to be served. Here are a few unique cocktails you can find around town where it's clear special attention to details were made.
The Scottsdale Jenny (pictured above)
This unique cocktail gets it's bright orange hue from carrot juice. It's a lightly sweet drink with spicy notes to tease the palate. It's made with Don Q gold rum, lime, carrot juice and mango jalapeno syrup. You can get the Scottsdale Jenny at Cobre Kitchen & Cocktails inside The Canopy Hotel in Old Town Scottsdale. Price: $13. Cobre Kitchen is located at 7142 East 1st Street, Scottsdale, AZ; www.cobrekitchen.com
Rosewater Cocktail
The addition of rosewater to any drink or dish must be made with a deft hand. A little bit of this floral ingredient goes a long way, too much will cause ruin. The folks at Salt and Smoke in Chandler are using this tricky ingredient right. The Rosewater Cocktail is made with Botanist gin and fresh lemon juice allowing the herbal and citrus notes to balance out the rosewater perfectly. It's smooth and light with just a hint of sweet perfumed essence. Price: $10. Salt and Smoke is located at 2475 West Queen Creek Road, Chandler AZ;www.saltandsmokechandler.com.
Dole Whipped
You really can't go wrong with any of the signature cocktails found at Lylo Swim Club, but our favorite is the Dole Whipped, because – Dole Whip! If you are as obsessed with the pineapple frozen treat found at the Magic Kingdom as we are, you'll know why. This drink is Dole Whip in adult form made with lots of rum so it'll knock you off your feet with tastiness and nostalgia. Our tip for you is get a room at Arrive and order a few of these bad boys! Price: $14. Lylo Swim Club is located inside the Arrive hotel at 400 West Camelback, Phoenix, AZ; www.lylophx.com.
The Peaceful Warrior
This unique cocktail has an interesting flavor profile that is sure to tickle the tastebuds. It's made with Nuestra soledad mezcal, Giffard passion fruit liqueur, lemon juice and plum wine reduction. You get smokiness from the mezcal, sweetness from the passionfruit, sour from the lemon and an extra layer of tart sweetness from the plum wine reduction. There is a lot going on with this beverage but it is a whole lot of good! Price: $10. You can get the Peaceful Warrior at Wok 'N Roll in Scottsdale. 4412 North Miller Road, Scottsdale, AZ; www.woknrollaz.com.
Bear Witness
You can find this fun cocktail at Bitter & Twisted, an award-winning establishment reknowned for shaking up some pretty sensational adult beverages. We like the Bear Witness best because it's as cute as it is tasty! Made with Kikori whiskey, grapefruit, lemon, yuzu marmalade and pink peppercorn-honey syrup. It's served over crushed ice with a bushel of dill in a cute little honey bear! Price: $13. Bitter & Twisted is located at 1 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ; www.bitterandtwistedaz.com.
Vanilla Sunset
This beautiful libation is bright and cheery. Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits is mixing it up using vanilla vodka, sweet and sour mix, raspberries, white peach syrup, basil and a Prosecco float. It's fruity, herby, sweet and a little bubbly, an effervescent cocktail that packs a punch. Price: $11. Wicked Brews, Bites & Spirits is located at 4921 East Ray Road Ahwatukee. AZ; wicked-bbs.com.
Prices and availability of the cocktails listed above are subject to change without notice at the discretion of the establishment where they are served. Arizona Foodie would like to remind you to please drink responsibly. Cheers!