Cocktail Builder
Tips, tricks, and advice for mastering mixology.
7 Sherry Cocktails for Your Sherry Fest

Since 2012, New York City has been celebrating sherry — one of the world’s most historically important wines and one that’s been having a major renaissance in recent years. For three sherry-filled days, the annual Sherry Fest brings the world of sherry to a broader audience, highlighting the intricately complex and multifaceted fortified wine through dinners, classes, and tastings designed for both sherry aficionados and those just beginning to discover the age-old tradition. Held during the last weekend of October, this year’s Sherry Fest will feature more than 150 sherries from the Spanish region’s finest bodegas. Whether your taste is for fresh finos, intense olorosos, or the lusciously rich style known as Pedro Ximenez, there’s sure to be a sherry to please every palate. However, even if you can’t make it to NYC in order to attend the event, you can still celebrate in the comfort of your own home with one of our favorite sherry-based cocktails.

Adonis Dating back to the mid-1880s and named in honor of the first musical to run for more than 500 performances, the Adonis is an easy-sippin’ drink that’s simple to make and low in alcohol. With dry sherry, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters, it’s the perfect weeknight drink that still packs a punch. See recipe

The Tuxedo As one of the classic gin martini’s many relatives, the Tuxedo swaps out dry vermouth for fino sherry. The result is the much the same as the standard, but with a slight nuttiness and a quick hit of citrus. See recipe

The Up-to-Date A concoction made of whiskey, amontillado sherry, Grand Marnier, and angostura bitters, this recipe reminds us of a Manhattan but with an extra warm and spicy feel. See recipe

La Perla Thanks to both reposado tequila and a splash of pear liqueur, La Perla boasts a rich and fruity depth. The bounty of flavors are rounded out by the delicateness of manzanilla sherry, which gets its subtleness from the cool ocean breeze of where its grapes are grown. See recipe

Smooth Operator Made with typically dry oloroso sherry  — a fortified wine that pairs exceptionally well with molasses-forward spirits, the Smooth Operator is (as the name suggests) remarkably easy to drink. Dark rum, sugar, and lemon make for a complex yet refreshing sip. See recipe

Lust for Life At first glance, mezcal and sherry may seem like an odd combination, but the mix only plays to sherry’s true versatility. Completed with orgeat, lemon juice, and pineapple, it’s an exotic blend that’s slightly sweet, slightly smoky, and perfectly bright. See recipe

Lankershim Fizz No, gin isn’t just for the warm weather months, and this cocktail proves it. Thanks to cozy and sweet PX sherry and a big, frothy egg white, the Lankershim Fizz gets imbued with a hearty vibe — a warming quality to a standard gin fizz, but one that’s also enjoyable at any time of year. See recipe