2025
RECIPE BOOK
RAISE YOUR SPIRITS ON THE COVER Sean McKinney of Sous Terre’s riff on an Old-Fashioned Photo by Sean Junqueira
H
osting you for our thirdannual Cocktail Classic is hands-down one of my favorite nights of the year—and this round is our most electric yet. Raleigh’s hottest night out is back at The Exchange Raleigh, where the vibes are high, the pours are bold, and the talent behind the bar is second to none. As Raleigh Magazine raises a glass to a decade of storytelling, connection and community this year, I can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come—10 years championing the people, places and passions that make this city buzz. And tonight, we toast the creativity, craft and heart that define Raleigh’s vibrant bar and hospitality scene. By spotlighting our 10 Best Bartender nominees—each shaking things up at some of the city’s top haunts—the Cocktail Classic is both a celebration and a cause. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the RDU Chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild— because when Raleigh raises a glass, we do it for good.
This bash takes a village—a spirited one. Endless gratitude to our incredible partners who make the magic happen: The Exchange Raleigh, Killjoy, Whitley Law Firm, Elm Partners, Vitis House Wine School, Rolls-Royce Motors of Raleigh, ILŪMRA Skin and our generous spirit sponsors. As the night winds down, keep the buzz alive and flip through these pages to remix your favorite cocktails at home. And don’t forget to cast your vote by December 15 for Best Bars and Bartender of the Year at raleighmag.com. Until next year’s classic— mark your calendars for November 14, 2026—cheers to creativity, community and one unforgettable night in Raleigh.
Publisher Gina Pearce Stephens gina@raleighmag.com Editor-in-Chief Melissa Howsam melissa@raleighmag.com Senior Designer Shirley Polk Associate Editor Lauren Kruchten lauren@raleighmag.com Assistant Editor Heidi Reid heidi@raleighmag.com Account Executive Karen White karen@raleighmag.com Photographer Sean Junqueira
Cheers,
Gina Stephens Publisher gina@raleighmag.com
100 S. Harrington St. Raleigh, NC, 27603 919.307.3047 raleighmag.com
THE MARY SUE Kirby Batterson Dram & Draught Riff on a Whiskey Smash Cook’s Mill American Straight Bourbon Whiskey • 2 oz. blackberry Cook’s Mill Bourbon Whiskey* • 3/4 oz. kumquat & calamansi lemon oleo** • 1/2 oz. rosemary simple syrup*** • 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice • Kumquats, fresh blackberries and rosemary for garnish Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into rocks glass and top with pebble ice. Garnish with a skewer of dehydrated kumquat, fresh blackberry and flamed rosemary.
*BLACKBERRY COOK’S MILL BOURBON WHISKEY (YIELDS 1 1/4 CUPS) • 2.5 cups frozen blackberries • 1 cup Cook’s Mill Bourbon Whiskey
Combine ingredients in sealed jar and sous vide at 140°F for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer. Store in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 weeks.
**KUMQUAT & CALAMANSI LEMON OLEO (YIELDS 3 OZ.)) • 1/3 cup white granulated sugar • 1/3 cup water • 1/4 cup dehydrated kumquats • 1 Tbsp. calamansi lemon juice
Combine ingredients in sealed jar and sous vide at 140°F for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer. Store in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 weeks.
***ROSEMARY SIMPLE SYRUP (YIELDS 3 OZ.) • 1/3 cup sugar • 1/3 cup water • 1 sprig flamed rosemary
Combine ingredients in sealed jar and sous vide at 140°F for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer. Store in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 weeks.
IL MATRIMONIO Sean McKinney Sous Terre Riff on an Old-Fashioned Buffalo Trace • 2 oz. buttered Buffalo Trace Bourbon* • 1/4 oz. Faretti Biscotti Liqueur • 1/4 oz. 2017 Felsina Vin Santo • 3 dashes Angostura bitters • 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters • 3 drops saline solution • Sambuca mist • Pizzelle for garnish Combine ingredients over a cube of ice and stir for 6–8 seconds. Mist with Sambuca and garnish with pizzelle.
*BUTTERED BUFFALO TRACE BOURBON
• 1 lb. unsalted butter • 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped • 3 toasted star anise pods • 2 L Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Add butter, vanilla bean and toasted star anise pods to a saucepan. Brown butter over medium heat, slowly cooking in vanilla and star anise. Once browned, remove immediately from heat and pour into dry container. Let cool for 15 minutes, then add Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Let mixture stand at room temp for 1 hour, then transfer to freezer overnight. The next day, remove the fat layer and strain through oil filter.
LOVE HACK JJ Porter Urban Oak Riff on a Gin Martini 1000 Piers Coastal Carolina Gin • 2 oz. 1000 Piers Coastal Carolina Gin • 1/2 oz. St. Germain • 1/2 oz. Lillet Rosé • 1/4 oz. Gorae lemon soju • 1 dash Crude “Rizzo” bitters • Fresh grapefruit peel cut into 3 long, thin ribbons Combine ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Carefully drop grapefruit ribbons along the inside of the glass.
GAMZE Rance Slabaugh Foundation Riff on a Tom Collins Weldon Mills House Vodka • 2 oz. pistachio-washed Weldon Mills House Vodka* • 3 drops of rosewater • 3/4 oz. grenadine • 3/4 oz. lime juice • Club soda • Pistachios for garnish Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 8 seconds. Fine-strain over ice into a 10 oz. Collins glass and top with club soda. Slide a bar spoon into the cocktail and move it up and down to combine with the soda. Garnish with crushed pistachios.
*PISTACHIO-WASHED WELDON MILLS HOUSE VODKA
• 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios • 1 (750 mL) bottle vodka Lightly toast pistachios in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Let cool slightly, then add pistachios to a nonreactive container or jar with the vodka. Seal and infuse at room temperature for 24 hours, agitating occasionally. After infusion, place the mixture in the freezer for 12–24 hours to solidify the fats. Once frozen, strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to remove pistachio solids and remaining fat. Store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
APPLE BOTTOM DRINKS Nolan Ruhmke William & Company Riff on a Cosmopolitan Durham Distillery Damn Fine Vodka • 2 oz. apple- and spice-infused Damn Fine Vodka* • 1 oz. acid-adjusted white cranberry juice** • 1/2 oz. oleo saccharum*** Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into coupe glass.
*APPLE- AND SPICE-INFUSED DAMN FINE VODKA (YIELDS 1 1/4 CUPS)
• 1 bottle Damn Fine Vodka • 1 apple, chopped • 3 cinnamon sticks • 2 anise stars • Handful of cloves Combine apple, cinnamon sticks, anise stars and cloves in the bottle of Damn Fine Vodka. Let sit for 1–2 days.
**ACID-ADJUSTED WHITE CRANBERRY JUICE • White cranberry juice • Citric acid
Mix 6mg of citric acid for every 8 oz. of white cranberry juice.
***OLEO SACCHARUM • 5 oranges • 3/4 cup white sugar
Peel oranges and cover peels in sugar. Let sit for 1–2 days.
LET IT LINGER JT Langford Gussie’s Riff on a Margarita Corralejo Tequila • 1.5 oz. Corralejo Reposado Tequila • 1 oz. cinnamon-apple-honey syrup* • 3/4 oz. lemon juice • 1/2 oz. cinnamon-apple liqueur • Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal for rim • 3 candied cranberries on a skewer
*CINNAMON-APPLE-HONEY SYRUP
Combine tequila, cinnamon-apple-honey syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon-apple liqueur in a shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into a coupe glass rimmed with freshly blended Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Garnish with three candied cranberries on a skewer.
Dice and core apples, and toast cinnamon sticks for 3 minutes. Flash apples and toasted cinnamon sticks in 1 cup of boiling water. Combine water, apples and cinnamon sticks in a separate pot with honey. Simmer on low to medium heat for 15 minutes. Strain and let cool.
• 1 cup water • 2 cups honey • 2 cinnamon sticks • 4 Honeycrisp apples
OLD IRMA’S BONES Skyler Spaulding Mr. Henry Riff on a Daiquiri Outer Banks Distilling • 1.5 oz. Kill Devil Silver Rum • 1/2 oz. strawberry puree* • 1/2 oz. white balsamic vinegar • 1/2 oz. lime juice • 1/2 oz. agave • 2 bar spoons Campari • Strawberry-Campari caviar** Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with strawberryCampari caviar.
CLARIFIED VERSION
Scale all ingredients up to desired batch amount, then add 25% of the volume in whole milk. Allow to curdle, then strain through cheesecloth. Repeat as needed until clear in color.
*STRAWBERRY PUREE
• 5 oz. bag frozen strawberries • 5 oz. water Thaw strawberries, then blend with water until smooth.
**STRAWBERRYCAMPARI CAVIAR
• 6 oz. strawberry puree, strained • 3 oz. Campari • 3/4 tsp. agar agar powder • Neutral oil In a saucepan set over mediumhigh heat, combine strawberry puree and Campari (2:1 ratio). Add agar agar—1% of total mixture’s weight (roughly 1/2 tsp.)—and whisk constantly until
boiling. Continue whisking for 1–2 minutes to fully combine, then remove from heat and let cool 2–3 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a tall, narrow vessel with cold neutral oil. Using a squeeze bottle, drop strawberry mixture into the oil—making drops large enough to sink to the bottom. Once you have desired caviar amount, strain from oil and rinse under cold water until no oil remains. Store in fridge for up to 5 days.
GINGERBIRD Wright Dixon Moon Room Riff on a Gimlet Moonbird Gin • 2 oz. Moonbird Gin • 1 oz. pear ginger cordial* Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Strain and serve in a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with pear slice.
*PEAR GINGER CORDIAL (YIELDS 2–3 CUPS)
• 4 ripe pears (Barlett or Bosc), peeled, cored and chopped • 1.5 cups water • 1.5 cups sugar • 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced • 1 cinnamon stick • Juice and zest of 1 lime • Cloves, optional In saucepan, combine chopped pears, water, sugar, sliced ginger, lime juice, zest and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, until pears are soft and liquid is syrup-like. Gently mash pears with potato masher or fork to release flavor. Remove from heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, let cool and pour into bottles or jars. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer.
CHERRY BERRY TRIBUTE Jarod Johnson Killjoy Riff on a Gold Rush Bulleit Bourbon • 1.5 oz. Bulleit Bourbon • 3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1/2 oz. diluted honey* • 3/4 oz. spiced cherry syrup** • Brandied cherries Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into rocks glass with ice and garnish with brandied cherry.
*DILUTED HONEY • Honey • Water
Combine honey and warm water in a 1:1 ratio.
**SPICED CHERRY SYRUP • Cherry jam • 3 cups water
Add 3 cups water to your favorite cherry jam and bring to a boil until it thickens into a syrup.
CUMIN TO AMERICA Sandra Abuor Watts & Ward Riff on a Sidecar Hennessy V.S • 1.5 oz. Hennessy • 3/4 oz. whole milk • 3/4 oz. orange liqueur (Cointreau or Dry Curaçao) • 3/4 oz. fresh orange juice • 3/4 oz. vanilla syrup (1:1) • 0.375 oz. fresh lemon juice (just under 1/2 oz.) • Cumin syrup* • Cumin foam** Add 3/4 oz. whole milk to a separate glass. Combine remaining ingredients and slowly pour into the milk (never the other way around). Let sit for 30–45 minutes to fully curdle. Strain through a mesh strainer, then through a coffee filter or paper towel for clarity. Serve in glass topped with cumin foam. You’ll yield about 3.25 oz. clarified liquid. To batch for four cocktails, multiply quantities by four.
*CUMIN SYRUP
• 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds • 10 oz. 1:1 simple syrup Toast whole cumin seeds until fragrant, then simmer in 1:1 simple syrup for 10–15 minutes, strain and chill.
**CUMIN FOAM
• 10 oz. cumin syrup • 2 large egg whites • 2 N₂O cartridges • 1 pint whipped cream dispenser Combine syrup and egg whites in a bowl, and whisk gently until slightly foamy. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a whipped cream dispenser. Charge with 2 N₂O cartridges, shaking 10–12 times after each charge. Chill for at least 1 hour.
COLORFUL & COMFORTABLE COCKTAIL BAR WHERE ALL DRINKS ARE TREATED WITH THE SAME EXQUISITE RESPECT.
WEEKLY COCKTAIL CLASSES & PRIVATE EVENT SPACE AVAILABLE @KILLJOYCOCKTAIL
OPEN TUESDAY–SUNDAY 116 N WEST STREET • KILLJOYCOCKTAIL.COM
! s r e e h
C
At our core, putting the right people in the right places for Raleigh is what we are all about.
Raleigh’s Boutique Commercial Real Estate Firm
ELM.PARTNERS
Where to Eat Now? RALEIGHMAG.COM • @RALEIGHMAGAZINE
ST. ROCH, 2025 RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR PHOTO BY ANNA ROUTH BARZIN
From legislation to libations, we take you inside the issues, events and flavors that matter most to our city. If it happens in Raleigh, you hear it here first. Honest and passionate, we are the voice of Raleigh.