Spirits

Eaux de vie, such as kirsch or framboise, should be French, German, or Swiss. Bourbon should be “straight,” not “blended.” Rum should be dark rum, preferably pot-stilled, I from Martinique. Cognac should say “Cognac” on the bottle and not just “brandy” (However, you don’t need to buy an old rare Cognac; a young fruity one will do.) When you add spirits to mixtures such as simple syrup, make sure that the mixture is cool, or the flavor and aroma of the spirits will volatilize and evaporate.