What makes a good cocktail?

There are many elements to a good cocktail, and these can often be modified to fit individual tastes. In general, a cocktail contains a base spirit, flavors from bitters or amaros, and something to sweeten. There are optional ingredients to add as well, like fruit, juice, or herbs. 

The amount of each ingredient can vary the flavor significantly, so it is important to understand the impact of each ingredient. For example, very strong flavors like bitters or absinthe should be used in very small quantities. Sometimes even a rinse in the cocktail glass or spritz on the top of the prepared cocktail is enough to add the desired amount of flavor.

A good cocktail comes about from a balance in flavors that build and develop off one another. The deep wooden flavor in whiskey is brightened by the citrus twist of an old fashioned. The sweetness from pineapple juice is deepened by the bitterness of campari in a jungle bird. The bitterness of ginger syrup is balanced with the tartness of lemon juice in a penicillin. 

Many newer cocktails are spins off a classic. Each builds off a flavor profile and modifies some of the more subtle flavors therein. If one wants to experiment with creating a new cocktail, starting with a classic favorite could be a good place to start. 

It is also possible to create the same balanced flavors without the use of spirits (or with the use of alcohol free spirits).