In old-school terms, a “Fancy Cocktail” is gum syrup, bitters, spirits, and curacao, stirred with ice, strained into another glass, and garnished with a twist of lemon… and sometimes a sugared rim.

Drinkhacker reviews a quartet of tequilas, including the $120 Don Julio 1942 that sports an agave-leaf shaped bottle.

Liquid Muse says Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale is her kind of beer: flavorful and pumpkin-y.

Van Hoo, new vodka from Belgium in a cobalt blue Art Deco bottle.

The Baileys Shiver is my new go-to after dinner cocktail on a hot night.

Sparkling ginger cocktail: Prosecco with ginger syrup and a ginger-sugar rim

Justin Guthrie demos the Baltimore Bengali, a favorite recipe from now-shuttered DC speakeasy Hummingbird to Mars. He uses sous vide methods to create a curry-infused Bourbon.

Two at the Most experiments with Genevieve genever-style gin and creates the Barleyflower Cocktail.

The Singleton, a $36 12-year single malt that Drinkhacker feels most Scotch enthusiasts will likely find perfectly pleasant, if a bit entry-level.

Cocktail Buzz helps us hold on to the tail end of summer fruit season ("sometimes it takes a while to perfect recipes") with The Smash Daddy.

Beyond Drinks finds Volute Wine. packaged in a lightweight, eco-friendly aluminum bottle that protects the contents from light.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Restaurants Unlimited donates $1 to the Komen Foundation for each “Cause-Mo for the Cure".

Rookie Libations turns the seasonal spotlight on pears as a cocktail ingredient with three drink recipes, including the P&G Cocktail.

St. Louis' Schlafly rolls out four beers in homage to the candidates. The small print on each label is funny, no matter your political persuasion.

The Cherry Blossom: Champagne, cherry puree, Cherry Heering liqueur, and rosewater. Part of Heering's "Accessorize 2009" contest, paring couture with cocktails.

Teastar -- 10 organic loose leaf teabags, packed in a clever star-shaped box. Once opened, the box is like an old-fashioned paper fortune-teller toy: Peer inside and choose your favourite brew.

If you've got the $2,000 to spare, you may find that Highland Park 40-year-old single malt features a light sherry-nougat flavor. (via Alcademics)

Mrs. Howell's Spicy Side, by Jennifer Essex. The fourth and final drink in a series of runner-ups from the Forbidden Island Cocktail Contest!

Veuve Clicquot's Champagne Labels, one of every variation since the 1800's lives in a little book in the VCP Maison de Patrimoine (incredible historical archives)

Eben Freeman, of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, shares his recipe for the Bazooka Bubblegum Cocktail with Epicurious.

Yes, it's a beer-filled USB drive. And it's raising some disturbing questions over at Gizmodo.

Martini Groove tracks down a vodka from Hawaii: Pau Maui, made from pineapples.

Papermag looks for insights into Mad Men characters based on their signature drinks.

The Clubland forces Jay from Oh Gosh to reconsider his anti-vodka views.

Two at the Most experiments with two genever cocktails - the Amsterdam and the Rembrandt.

Louis XIII Cognac and Christophe Pilet ~ the latest luxury design collaboration: a crystal glass, a silver illuminated serving platter, a crystal candleholder and a display case.

Some sources say that the Michelada is named after General Augusto Michel, who supposedly drank his beer with hot sauce and lemon juice.

Underhill Lounge digs into why the Fairbanks Cocktail #2 – “a subtle and tasty update of the standard Martini” -- might (or might not) have been named for the famously teetotaling actor.

#72 on the Tipsy Texan’s David/Dale (DeGroff) Project: the Dirty Martini, using Dirty Sue brine.

I'm not sure that 'A Lulu' is a tiki drink, but its sweet and exotic taste is well balanced.

Manoir de Verzy ~ the Country House of Madame Veuve Clicquot that i didn't get a chance to show you the details of earlier! (bathtubs, family trees, & vineyard caterpillar hormones)

The Liquid Muse dubs Cherry Heering “the stylish girl’s perfect fashion accessory” and shares a recipe for the venerable Blood & Sand.

Jamie Boudreau samples DH Krahn gin and puts it to good use in the gorgeous Chatelaine.

Golden Monkey Grog, by Patrick Callahan. The third in a series of runner ups from the Forbidden Island Cocktail Contest!

Art of Drink looks at Montana Cordial Bitters, a lost cocktail ingredient “prepared with plants, flowers and roots from the mountains of America.”

Martini Groove’s Autumn Cocktail: orange liqueur, rum, cranberry syrup, red grapefruit, and orange bitters. Yum.

At $30 for a half-bottle, Old Forester Repeal may be a little pricey for some Bourbon budgets, but it’s a conversation piece, says Drinkhacker.

The Wall Street Journal's Eric Felten understands: Tiki doesn't have to be tacky. He visits legendary California tiki bars and shares signature recipes.

A toast to autumn and personal well-being with the Martini 1812!

Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka ~ see the milano glass skull bottle up close, as well as the box... after that insane video, it's fun to actually hold/taste the product!

The Chronicle visits San Francisco's new Pisco Latin Lounge and discovers 15 different bottlings of Peru's native spirit.

The final of 6 posts on the drinks of Le Mixeur Cinq, featuring the creation of our hosts, Anu Apte and Zane Harris, who dare to mix Tequila with Laphroig.

Imbibe Unfiltered's Wine of the Week: Paul Dolan's certified organic 2005 Zinfandel, "a vivacious and juicy wine, with flavors of dark berry jam and a distinctive cracked pepper spice."

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Miami's Ortanique on the Mile features a special pink cocktail, the Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler.