In recent years the Master's Collection of Woodford Reserve has included some innovative bourbons. While the Sonoma-Cutrer Finish of two years ago may have been too much like wine for some people, you have to admit that it is fun to explore the distilleries experimentation with barrels. Just this month the fourth edition of the series was released and, while it again uses a special barrel, it is the exact opposite of that chardonnay-aged predecessor.

Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Seasoned Oak Finish Bourbon
Photo Courtesy of: © Woodford Reserve Bourbon

This 'Seasoned Oak Finish' is the boldest oak that I have yet to taste from Woodford Reserve and I like it. This is not the average "oakiness," but instead brings in spices and, most surprisingly anise, to a rich, extra-aged bourbon that is something new and it is fascinating. The key is that the barrels are "seasoned" by the changing seasons of 3-5 years in Kentucky. For $90 a bottle it's not in everyone's budget. However, if you are up for a very unique bourbon to enjoy on ice this is one you may want to look into.

Full review of Woodford Reserve Seasoned Oak Finish Bourbon...

If you take a look at many classic cocktail you will notice that there are many drinks that fit into a style, or a family. From the fizzes to the crustas and the sangarees to the smashes, many of these groups of drinks are made with a base spirit of choice and the rest of the drink follows a somewhat specific formula. This is the case for this week's timeless tipple of study, the beautifully named Daisy.

Daisies are a mix of spirit, syrup, lemon, either curacao or maraschino, and soda. Possibly the most popular of the lot is the Brandy Daisy, which also happens to be my favorite. This one has a nice balance of spirit, sweet and sour and the soda topping adds a little glimmer to the mix. This is also a classic cocktail in which you can employ those large cocktail glasses because the extra room can be used to increase the soda to your liking.

Other Daisies include the Gin Daisy, Rum Daisy (or according to Jerry Thomas, a Santa Cruz Rum Daisy, which uses "Santa Cruz rum"), and the Whiskey Daisy. Find these recipes and the Brandy Daisy here...

Fans of old-fashioned mixology know the name Jerry Thomas. He was the 19th century bartender who penned the first bartending guides and left us a written history of the age when cocktails were in their first glory. David Wondrich's book Imbibe! goes into great detail about Thomas and the theory of cocktails at the time and I highly recommend it for any enthusiast who has not yet read it.

If you can find an original copy of one of Thomas' bartending guides, which include How to Mix Drinks (1862) and the 1876 and 1877 editions of Bar-Tenders Guide, you are lucky but will have to spend a few hundred dollars or more. For those who want to experience the books without the high cost there are reprints available that often have introductions by modern mixologists. This is the route I went to obtain the 1877 Bar-Tenders Guide and I've begun to pull and adapt cocktails from this fascinating bar book.

To begin with here are four cocktails that have recently been added to my cocktail database...

• Absinthe Cocktail - a double dose of anise flavor and a cocktail that is not for the weak of heart.
• Morning Glory Cocktail - a complex mix of rye, brandy, curacao and absinthe with a sparkling top.
• Saratoga Cocktail - a Manhattan-esque drink that brings brandy into the neat mix.
• Soda Cocktail - a non-alcoholic drink that is essentially a homemade soda.

I have been infatuated with herbs since I married into a family whose matriarch was a master herb gardener and she taught me everything I wanted to know about growing and using all sorts of herbs. Since diving into the wonderful world of mixology I have been experimenting with a wide variety of herbal concoctions and a handful have worked out really well. However, most of the time those drinks require some homemade mixers to work and while I love ingredients straight out of the garden, they are not always attainable. That is why I created an herbal cocktail, Herbal Pleasures, that incorporates these tastes straight out of commercially-available bottles.

The cocktail is a celebration of countless herbs because its taste depends on the gin brand's recipe which you choose to pour (I do suggest a London Dry but have found that the cucumber of Hendrick's makes things equally interesting) and the secret recipe of Yellow Chartreuse (arguably the best herbal liqueur ever, IMHO), but the one sure fire flavor is lavender. This is because I have found that Loft Lavender Cello is an awesome source for year-round lavender and upon my first taste I knew this had many special places in cocktails. In Herbal Pleasures it not only adds that relaxing taste of lavender, but balances out the dryness of the other spirits with it's sweetness that is not overbearing but not transparent. I also prefer to go with a lemon twist garnish here, although a sprig of lavender may seem the natural choice. This is because the lemon brings in a tart citrus touch that none of the ingredients have, again, all bringing a balance to the drink.

Herbal Pleasures cocktail recipe...