- Rum
My Only Hope
A Star Wars cocktail inspired by Princess Leia Organa that pays homage to her spunky personality by pairing bright star fruit syrup with spiced rum and brandy, citrus, and fiery ginger
Get geeky with these cocktail recipes inspired by your favorite fandoms.
Hello there! I’m Kendall, the craft cocktail connoisseur and geeky drinks enthusiast behind Novel Nightcaps.
After several years of taste-testing my way through my library of cocktail books—exploring everything from timeless classics to modern riffs and seasonal creations—I found my niche in geeky drinks: the ones inspired by fandoms, literature, pop culture, and fantasy that invite a bit of magic into the glass. Now, whether I’m dreaming up a new concoction based on an author’s fictional world or unearthing a past bartender’s oddball experiment, my favorite part of bartending is diving into ingredient pairings with unique origin stories that make them fun to revisit again and again.
Here within my recipe archive, you’ll find hundreds of cocktails I’ve tried (and some originals I’ve developed myself), complete with histories, techniques, and tasting notes—all written for fellow imbibers who appreciate well-crafted drinks and the story behind them too.
Cheers,
If geeky drinks aren’t your thing, check out a few of the highest-rated vintage, modern, and seasonal cocktail recipes I’ve tried.
A St. Patrick’s Day cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao, orange bitters, and cherry
A modern cocktail made with mezcal, pear liqueur, lemon juice, spiced demerara syrup, and aromatic bitters
A tiki cocktail made with pineapple rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, coconut liqueur, and coconut soda
A modern cocktail made with bourbon, apricot brandy, blackberry syrup, cinnamon syrup, crème de cassis, mint, and cinnamon
A spring cocktail made with gin, lemongrass syrup, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, egg white, lavender bitters, and micro greens
A modern classic cocktail made with mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, Aperol, and lime juice
Cool off with these refreshing cocktail recipes perfect for summertime.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
