The darkness of winter is slipping away and bright, warm spring has arrived – and here is the perfect cocktail to toast it’s return!

It always seems winter is the longest season, but now warm weather, longer days, and the blooming of plants have arrived. Here are the best cocktails to welcome spring. Migrating birds return to their base and plants began to reemerge. And while the weather can be a bit wacky, the promise of a fun summer is right around the corner. Fun fact, more babies are born during spring. Many families gain an additional member during this period, making spring officially the season of babies. All this give multiple reasons to toast with something refreshing.

RELATED: Beer Sales Flatten Thanks To Marijuana

Lemon Lavender Gin Rickey

Why not give a refreshing classic cocktail a spring twist by making it even more light and refreshing? The refreshing cocktail of gin, lime juice, and soda water, originated in Washington, D.C. in the late 1880s and was named after Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey who frequented Shoemaker’s bar.  The addition of lavender provides a little flair for the taste buds.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces gin
• 4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 ounces seltzer water
• 2 sprigs lavender
• 2 wedges of lemon

Create

1. Pour gin, lemon juice, and honey over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well
2. Strain into two glasses filled with ice
3. Top with seltzer
4. Garnish each glass with a sprig of lavender and a slice of lemon

The Desert Bird

You can hear the birds chirping as they emerge or return from winter. This sweet-yet-bitter drink celebrates the return with a treat for the mouth.  You can use either mezcal or tequila for equal results. Or do a taste test.

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces bacanora, mezcal, or tequila
• .75 ounces pineapple gum (or simple syrup mixed with equal parts pineapple juice)
• .50 ounces Campari
• .50 ounces fresh lime juice
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 sprig mint, for garnish

Create

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a shaker
2. Strain over ice into glass
3. Serve with mint leaf

The Spring Bloom

With this cocktail, reflect the spring like atmosphere outside with a beverage in a glass. Combing the flavors of spring over ice with vodka will be a floral bouquet for your mouth!

RELATED: Rainy Weather Cocktails

Kentucky Spire

While the Kentucky Derby is still a couple of months away, you can still celebrate with a good bourbon. This drinks adds a layering of flavors to allow you to kick back and take in the moment.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Bourbon
• 2 oz Lemonade
• 1 oz Cranberry Juice
• Lemon zest for garnish

Create

• Add ice to a lowball glass
• Add lemonade and cranberry juice and stir with spoon
• Add bourbon and stir until thoroughly mixed
• Garnish with a lemon zest

January is the darkest month and there has been some crazy weather. Escape it all with these sunny, refreshing drinks!

January tends to second darkest month of the year. December makes up for being the darkness with the holiday season. But no, it is back to work, crazy snow in the Deep South, bone chilling temperature and short days. If you are looking for a mental escape, here are the best cocktails to feel warm and sunny. Hey, it is happy hour somewhere.

RELATED: Fitting Marijuana Into Your Winter Arc Routine

Iced Tea Lemon Vodka Cocktail

Nothing says hot weather like cool ice tea, a squeeze of lemony sun and an extra kick and you have a sip on summer in a glass. This easy cocktail can be made at home or made at a bar. Perfect for a wet, cold, dark day!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces sweet iced tea
• 2 ounces Citrus Vodka
• 1 Teaspoon of lemon juice
• Lemon slice

Create

1. Put ice in a tall glass
2. Pour tea, vodka and juice into glass and stir well
3. Garnish with lemon slice

Skinny Margarita

What better way to feel like summer than imbibing in some tequila while watching your weight for bathing suit season.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces silver tequila
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon light agave nectar (2 if you prefer it sweeter)
• Kosher salt & lime wedge, to rim the glass

Create

• Pour a thin layer of salt onto a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the top edge of your glass to moisten it, then dip the glass into the salt so that it sticks, tapping all the way around.
• Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
• Fill a small cocktail shaker with additional ice.
• Add tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave
• Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds
• Strain into the rimmed glass over the ice

Gold Rush Cocktail

The Gold Rush is like a whiskey sour but without the fuss of the egg. This bourbon cocktail is a great way to escape the chill.  Delicious, light and refreshing – it makes you feel like you are sitting on the deck of a boat enjoying a sunset.

Ingredients

RELATED: Rainy Weather Cocktails

Painkiller

Back to work and in the office? Enduring some long meaningless meetings? Why not enjoy a painkiller and think of a tropical location?  While in the meeting, think about being a tiki hut with a creamy drink and hearing the sound of the beach. This refreshing mixture originated in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces pineapple juice
• 2 ounces dark rum 
• 1 ounce cream of coconut
• 1 ounce orange juice
• ice
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Create

1. Combine pineapple juice, rum, cream of coconut, and orange juice in shaker
2. Add ice, shake for 20 seconds
3. Pour over ice in a tall glass
4. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and serve

The first 3-day weekend of the year is a reason to kick back or have an adventure – and here are cocktails to accompany the ride!

The  year has started with a bang and now we are rolling into the first 3 Day weekend – ending in the presidential inauguration.  Skiing, hiking, travel, chilling or politics…what better way to compliment the activity than with something tasty. Here are the best cocktails for this winter 3 day weekend.

RELATED: Fitting Marijuana Into Your Winter Arc Routine

Original Sin

What better way to start a 3 Day weekend and Inauguration weekend then with a little indulgence in with the original sin. The drink has multiple recipes – including one iwth absinthe, but this one should be easy, tasty and a perfect way to kick off the weekend.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces chilled champagne
• 1 ounce brandy
• Splash of triple sec
• Splash of grenadine
• Orange twist for garnish

Create

1. Combine ingredients in a brand snifter
2. Stir and add ice cube to chill to taste
3. Garnish with orange twist

The Americana Cocktail

Wha better way to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with an all American drink and a vision of a better tomorrow.  This drink is tasty and potent.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar cube (we prefer a demerara sugar cube)
• 4 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 ounce bourbon
• 2 ounces Brut Champagne
• Orange slice for garnish

Create

1. Coat the sugar cube well with the Angostura bitters – approximately 4 dashes
2. Drop the sugar cube into a chilled flute
3. Pour the bourbon over the sugar
4. Top up with the Champagne.
5. Garnish with an orange slice

Whiskey Smash

Why not try something different. You might not want to get smashed this weekend, but this cocktail can trace its origin back to the late 1800s. Tasty, refreshing and easy to make.  Great way to delight your taste buds.

RELATED: Rainy Weather Cocktails

Frostbite

Weather skiing, hiking, road tripping or hanging out in DC – chances are the weather is going to be nippy. Why not lean into it and have this spicy frostbite to feel cozy and warm on the inside?

Ingredients

• 1 ounce tequila
• 1 ounce heavy cream
• 1 ounce white crème de cacao
• 1/2 ounce white crème de menthe
• Cocoa powder for garnish

Create