Enchantress

Your success with home mixology will be defined as much by what you stock as how you use it. Most home bars contain a decent selection of base spirits and very few modifiers. A bucket of ice, a few limes and a minibar may look like a world of opportunities, but it’s not.

So instead of planning a party around what you have around the house, buy a modifier like orange Curaçao, Bénédictine, maraschino or Campari. You can make several different classic cocktails by pairing one of those with bitters, vermouth or a few items from the fruit stand. You’ll also build up your back bar, one bottle at a time.