Fourth Degree, NoMad

A distilled, highly alcoholic (45-75% ABV), anise-flavored beverage derived from botanicals like wormwood, green anise, fennel, hyssop, melissa and other herbs. Technically a spirit, as it is not bottled with sugar. The green fairy.

Also refered to as French vermouth, these are (usually) colorless vermouths that have not been sweetened, containing less than 4% sugar.

A fruity, rich and sweet vermouth that dates back to 1786. Thought of as a sweet vermouth with added vanilla; great with whiskey. We treat this like sweet vermouth.

A vapor column distilled gin that contains no sweetening agents. A common ingredient in many cocktails.

In cocktails, cherries are sweetened in a brine, like maraschino cherries (marr-ə-SKEE-noh) or in brandy, like brandied cherries. They are usually used as a garnish, muddled into the cocktail, or used simple for their sweetened brine.