- Gin
The Chosen One
A Star Wars cocktail inspired by Darth Vader that evokes the shadows and fire of the Sith Lord using a prickly pear syrup layered with gin, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, smoky bitters, and Campari
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 tiki cocktail made with dark rum, orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, allspice liqueur, aromatic bitters, orange, and cinnamon
A Valentine’s Day cocktail made with brandy, sweet & sour mix, dessert wine, and red wine syrup
A modern cocktail made with manzanilla sherry, Aperitivo Cappelletti Americano Rosso, rye, lemon juice, orgeat syrup, orange bitters, orange flower water, almond, and orange
A modern cocktail made with tequila reposado, lime juice, agave syrup, Amaro Montenegro, salt, and lime
A modern cocktail made with butterfly pea blossom gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice, simple syrup, absinthe, and rosemary
A modern cocktail made with bourbon, Cynar, cherry liqueur, lemon, and orange
Cool off with these refreshing cocktail recipes perfect for summertime.
Learn how to make homemade simple syrups, shrubs, and spreads to use in cocktails.
