Lemonade

This sweetened lemon flavoured beverage is an eternal popular throughout the world and there are varieties of homemade lemonades found everywhere. In North Africa and South Asia, cloudy lemonade dominates, be sure if your cocktail requires a clear lemonade or a cloudy one, which is indication of fruit pulp presence in the mix.

Bundaberg Dark Rum

Dark Rums have molasses as their main ingredient, the dark liquor has a full bodied flavour of spices and caramel and is a favourite drink with Cola and is part of so many cocktails.

The term Dark Rum is not a legal definition but it generally refers to any rum that is dark brown in appearance due to ageing or from additional molasses or caramel.

The colour of Dark Rum varies from Gold to Black, depending on the years of ageing in the vat.

Bacardi White Rum

In the making of Rum, the produce of the fermentation and distillation process of molasses is a transparent spirit, which is then aged in vats or barrels and the end result of the ageing is Rum.

White Rum differs from Dark Rum in this process of ageing, while to produce a Dark Rum, the distillate is aged in a large charred oak barrel, White Rum is aged in big stainless still barrels.

There are no legal categorisatoin of Rums and it's just a matter of practice that dark rum is used in cooking or is drunk straight or with a Cola , white rums are mostly used in cocktails.

Brandy

Brandy, simply put, is a distilled wine. It is categorised under Distilled Alcoholic Beverages along with Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka and Tequila, but it's in a way a cross connection between Fermented liquor and distilled liquor. A Brandy typically containts 35% to 60% Alcohol by Volume ( 70-120 US proof ) and is usually consumed as an after dinner digestif.

Although Brandy is generally classified as a liquor produced by distilling wine, in a broader sense, this encompasses liquors obtained from the distillation of either pomace ( the soild remains of grapes after mashing and extraction of juice for wine making ) or fruit mash or wine.

It may be noted that Brandy like Gin is also one of the original Water of Life or eau de vie, carried over from the medieval tradition of an aquaous solution of ethanol used as a medicine.

The history of Brandy is closely tied to the development of commercial distillation in and around the 15th Century. In early 15th Century French Brandy made way for a new cross-Atlantic trade or Triangle Trade and replaced Portuguese Fortified Wine or Port from the central role it played in trade, mostly due to the higher alcohol content of the Brandy and ease of transport. However by the late 17th Century, Rum replaced Brandy as the exchange alcohol of choice in the Triangle Trade. More info on Wikipedia for the interested Brandy aficionados. Note that an Apricot Brandy can refer to the liquor (or Eau de Vie, Water of Life) distilled from fermented apricot juice or a liqueur made from apricot flesh and kernels.

Vodka

Vodka is an European clear distilled alcoholic drink that has been one of the most popular drinks across the world .

You'll find it to be the most popular spirit in drink making because of it's neutral taste and absence of flavour and colour.

Vodka often replaces Gin in many traditional cocktails

Vodka is known to be good for the heart, and if consumed in moderation, can prove to be good for cardiovascular health

Note that these days there are flavoured Vodka available in the market too, and some cocktails do make use of them.

1800 Tequila

1800 Tequila is a Mexican tequila brand owned by the Beckmann Family, the family owns the Jose Cuervo tequila brand too. 1800 is a 100% blue agave tequila bottled in Jalisco, Mexico. 1800 is named after the year tequila was first aged in oak casks.

Gin

Gin is a distilled alcoholic beverage that has it's origin in medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. The historical Gin producing regions are Southern France, Flanders and Netherlands. Gin was originally created to provide aqua vitae from grape and grain distillates.

During the Middle ages, the newly found substance Ethanol was considered by Alchemists to be the water of life, and an aqueous solution of ethanol was in use all over Europe and had different names and is literally the origin of many spirits like Whisky ( from the Gaelic uisce beatha for water of life ). Today Gin is produces from a wide range of ingredients, which gave rise to numerous distinct styles and brands. The predominant flavour of Gin is from the Juniper berries and then each different distillery flavours it further with an assortment of botanicas or herbs, spices, floral and fruit flavours, in different combinations. Gin is commonly drank mixed with Tonic water but it is also often used as a base spirit for many gin based flavoured liqueurs like Sloe Gin.

Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey Bourbon Whiskey

American's don't need to be lectured on Bourbon, but still, let's put it in record like all other spirits. A Bourbon in American spirit is a barrel-aged distilled liquor made primarily from corn. The name might have been derived from the French Bourbon dynasty, or from Bourbon County in Kentucky, or Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both named after the French Dynasty.

Technically, most whiskey made in America are legally classified as Bourbon, although Bourbon is in spirit a Southern Whiskey with special connection to Kentucky. Note than although Tennessee Whiskey is classified as Bourbon, Tennessee distilleries do not prefer their whiskey to be unique and referred to as Tennessee Whiskey only.

Distilling came to Kentucky in the late 18rth Century with the Scots, Scot-Irish and other settlers including English, Welsh, German and French, and they brought with them their distilling techniques and ageing processes in charred oak barrels. The charring is what gives the Bourbon the brownish colour and distinctive taste.

To be a legal Bourbon, a whiskey has to meet the following criteria

Produced in the United States and Territories (Puerto Rico) and the District of Columbia
Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn
Aged in new, charred oak containers
Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume)
Entered into the container for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume)
Bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more (40% alcohol by volume)

Cherry Advocaat Liqueur

Advocaat is a traditional Dutch alcoholic beverage made from eggs, sugar and brandy, with a rich custard like consistency, with about 14% to 20% ABV. Advocaat or Advocatenborrel is usually made from a blend of egg yolks, aromatic spirits, honey, brandy, vanilla and cream.

The origin can be traced back to an indigenous Brazilian drink name abacate, made from Avocado, introduced in Europe by the Dutch colonialists in Brazil. Since Avocado didn't grow in Northern Europe the drink doesn't have any Avocado any more but the name remained.

Chocolate Creme de Menthe

Creme de Menthe is the French for mint cream. It is a sweet mint flavoured alcoholic beverage. Made with Corsican mint leaves, steeped in grain alcohol for several weeks and then filtered and sweetened to create the liqueur.

There are two variations of creme de menthe, white and green, green Creme de Menthe is coloured green by adding mint leaves to the mint extract, otherwise both are similar in taste and flavour.

Note: If a bottle of Creme de Menthe is hard to come by, or not in a mood to buy a liqueur, substitute the Creme de Menthe Liqueur with a Creme de Menthe Syrup and Vodka.

Beer

Ginger Beer like Ginger Ale is a carbonated non-alcoholic beverage that is produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Ginger Beer has a stronger flavour and often uses real ginger while Ginger Ale uses ginger syrup.

Ginger beer started with spice trade with the orient and probably was an Oriental import since ginger fermented beer has been in use as medicine in China and India since 500 BC.

Ginger Beer is regulated to 2% alcohol if any alcohol is present at all.

Mexico has a long history of beer going back to the Mesoamerican cultures who knew of fermented alcoholic beverages. Including corn beer, long before the Spaniards brought distillation with them.
European beer brewed with barley was introduced by the Spaniards after Hernan Cortes’s arrival. But beer production was strictly regulated with prohibitions and taxes by Spanish rulers and it was only after the Mexican War of Independence that breweries flourished again, and this was boosted by the arrival of German immigrants provided the impetus to the opening of many breweries across the country.
Mexican beer is distinctive for its lager like properties, light bodies and has a mild taste, Mexican beers are usually sold in 325 ml bottles. Corona is the most renowned Mexican beer sold all over the world.

Orange Juice

Orange Juice is an excellent source of Vitamin C, one cup contains twice the daily recommended value. Vitamin C supports the immune system and helps fighting the common cold. The folate in Orange juice supports healthy fetal development. It is low calory and thus is already a qualified alternative to cola fizz in your cocktail if you want to keep your drinks acceptably healthy.

Orange Juice being citrus and naturally sweet and sour, it literally goes with almost any liquor, and of course Vodka being neutral, the best known pairing is with Vodka. But goes well with Dark Rum too, and you get the Planter's Punch, mix it with Champagne and you have made a mimosa, or with tequila to make a tequila sunrise.