Lemon Drop

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz (45ml) Citrus Vodka
• ¾ oz (20ml) Lemon juice
• 1 or 2 teaspoons caster sugar depending on how sweet you like it
• Optional - 1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
• Garnish - Lemon twist or wheel

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake very hard over ice. The extra effort is needed to dissolve the sugar which struggles to mix with the ice water. IMO sugar makes a better tasting drink over simple syrup in this particular case, but do whatever you prefer.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
3. Garnish with lemon twist or wheel

Source: Adapted from various and The cocktail spirit with Robert Hess
Photo credit: sippitysup.com

Cuba Libre (Venezuelan style)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz (45ml) White Rum.
• 1/2 oz (15ml) Gin
• 3/4 oz (20ml) Lime Juice
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• 3 oz (90ml) or to taste of Coke. I like a little more.
• Garnish - Lime Wedge

Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients except the coke over ice
2. Strain into an ice filled collins glass
3. Top up with 3oz/90ml of Coke (I like slightly more) and give a slight stir.

Source: Home Bar Basics with Dave Stolte
Photo credit: Something Wicked Cocktails

Dark ‘N’ Stormy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (60ml) dark or aged rum.
• ½ oz (15ml) lime juice*
• 4-6oz (120-180ml) Ginger Beer
• Garnish - Lime wedge or wheel

 *There's no lime juice in the original recipe but i never make the drink without it.

Instructions:

1. Fill a Collins glass with ice
2. Add rum and lime juice to the glass
3. Add ginger beer and give a slight stir
4. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge

Photo credit: Liquor.com

Moscow Mule

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (60ml) Vodka.
• ½ oz (15ml) lime
• 4-6oz (120-180ml) Ginger Beer
• Garnish - Lime wheel

Instructions:

1. Fill a Collins glass with ice
2. Add vodka and lime juice directly to the glass
3. Add ginger beer and give a slight stir
4. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge

A note about the copper mug
Using a copper mug for this drink dates back to when it was created in 1946, where friends with failing businesses combined their products to create the first popular vodka cocktail. You're not missing out if you don't have a mug, though. Like the Mint Julep, it's traditional to use one but won't effect the drink if you don't. 

Photo credit: liquor.com

Japanese Slipper

Ingredients:

• 1 oz (30ml) Midori
• 1 oz (30ml) Lemon Juice
• 1 oz (30ml) Cointreau
• Garnish - a cherry or slice of rock melon.

Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients over ice
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
3. Garnish with a cherry in the bottom of the glass or a piece of rock melon on the side.

Source: The Cocktail Room #2

Cosmopolitan

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz (45ml) Citrus Vodka.
• 1 oz (30ml) Cranberry Juice
• 1/2 oz (15ml) Triple Sec
• 1/4 oz (7.5ml) Fresh Lime Juice
• Garnish - Lime/Lemon wheel or twist.

Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients over ice
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
3. Garnish with a Lime/Lemon wheel or twist.

Source: The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess
Photo credit: liquor.com

Breakfast Collins

Ingredients:

• 1 heaped bar spoon (teaspoon) of Boysenberry or Blackberry jam
• 2 oz (60ml) of Golden Rum.
• 1/2 oz (15ml) lemon Juice
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• 3 oz (90mls) or to taste of Soda Water 
• Garnish - Lemon wheel

Instructions:

1. Shake all the ingredients except the Soda over ice.
2. Fill a collins glass with ice
3. Fine strain into glass to keep any loose bits of jam out of the drink
4. Top up with soda water and give a slight stir
5. Garnish with a lemon wheel

Source and photo credit: Raising the Bar with Jamie Boudreau