The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks dinner or mid-afternoon drinks accompanying cake or chocolate cookies, but they are anathema as a "cocktail" before a large meal. In terms of IBA Official Cocktails, Embury describes classic Before-Dinner Cocktails, which whet the appetite, not other categories. Embury breaks all cocktail ingredients down into three categories: The base is the principal ingredient of the cocktail. It is typically a single spirit such as rum, gin, or whiskey, and typically makes up 75 percent or more of the total volume of the cocktail before icing. The modifying agent is the ingredient that gives the cocktail its character. Its function is
Tales of the Cocktail of the Year, Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication, World’s Best Cocktail Menu, and numerous others. It is regarded by many as the most prestigious awards ceremony in the cocktail and spirits industry. In 2011, Tales of the Cocktail launched their international event Tales of the Cocktail on Tour (sometimes shortened to Tales on Tour) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The event has since taken place annually in various cities, including Buenos Aires, Argentina and Mexico City, Mexico. In 2017, Tales of the Cocktail on Tour is slated to take place in Edinburgh, Scotland. Tales of the Cocktail Tales of the