I’m currently trying to find a good mixed drink that works well batched. I like drinking outside on summer evenings and getting up several times to make a new cocktail from scratch doesn’t really fit with the “sit outside and relax” thing for me. The difficulty for me is that I often just don’t like drinking more than one of a particular cocktail, either because it’s too intense in some way or because I get bored of it. And some cocktails just don’t batch well or are a little too involved for what I’m going for (e.g. hard-require shaking or elaborate garnishes).
I’m going to try a batch of Jungle Bird today - it’s better shaken, but it’s still good just poured on ice with a little sparkling water for dilution. Remains to be seen whether I’ll want a second and third one.
Sometimes I also enjoy a mix of whisky, Lillet blanc and a little still water (1 part whisky to 3 parts Lillet), it’s easy-drinking but doesn’t get too boring. The spirit + fortified wine thing seems like a great option, but I haven’t found a mix that I’m really into right now.
Pitcher drinks, I make these all the time for parties.
Anything with tequila is a crowdpleaser in my crowd, so margarita, paloma, pineapple tepache and tequila. Mojitos work in a pitcher, or really any kind of highball, or lemonade-forward mix. ETA Oh and how could I forget the Pimms Cup.
That Texas Ranch Water is so good on a hot day, fill the glass with ice and a shot of tequila and squeeze a lime slice over it, grab a bottle of Topo Chico, just keep topping it off, it gets more dilute and you get hydrated. When the bottle of sparkling water is gone start over with more ice and another shot of tequila and lime.
Paper plane double bourbon is the one I don’t get tired of, but too boozy to keep going. Often what I do with stronger drinks like that is shake a double and pour one half into my glass, the other half into a jar in the freezer, for later. Then stop.