Classic cocktails, with variations, for summer entertaining

[admin]

Mid-shelf bottles of the basics — vodka, bourbon, rye, gin, white and aged rums, and blanco tequila — will get you on your way. Add some inexpensive dry and sweet vermouths, maybe an orange liqueur and a bottle of Angostura bitters, and you’ll be set. This means learning a few classic cocktails as they traditionally are made, but also mastering an easy twist on each, a simple way to show some creative chops without having to learn a new recipe.