You and your girls have planned your night out, maybe it’s after-work drinks or a weekend night on the town. Doesn’t matter, you’ve got your designated driver sorted out and you have nothing to do but worry about where you’ll be going and what you’ll be drinking. So let Flair take the guessing game out of Girls Night Out, you’ll know what you’ll be getting and how it’ll be served. In fact, you could take these recipes and make it a Girls Night In! 

THE MANHATTAN

‘The Manhattan’ is one of the classic cocktails sitting at around 100 years old so really what could be more classic than that? This cocktail is made from bourbon or whisky, which gives it a more masculine edge, but we know you ladies can handle your liquor as well as any man and we know the richer the spirit, the better. Even the bartenders know you ladies can handle your alcohol, as bartender Shane Young expressed. ‘The Manhattan’ is served chilled in a martini glass, coupe if you’re feeling fancy, or the more classic tumbler. It’s slightly sweetened with vermouth and rounded out with a couple dashes of the ever-reliable Angostura bitters.

Recipe:

• 2 oz rye whisky or bourbon
• ½ oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 (or 2) dashes of Angostura Bitters
• Ice
• Garnish with a cherry or orange peel.

THE COSMOPOLITAN

A long-contested drink, much like the others on this list, the ‘Cosmo’ is a drink people believe to have been dreamed up in the 1930s. Others, most people actually, think of it as a modern invention probably in part due to its very frequent appearance in the television series Sex and The City from the 1990s’. The protagonist Carrie Bradshaw and her gal pals could be found every other week enjoying glasses upon glasses of their favourite drink over some much-needed girl talk. That’s why we are pleased to present this drink to you for your own rap sessions. The Cosmo is a drink you can rely on to be delicious with a kick.

Recipe:

• 1 1⁄2 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1⁄2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 dash cranberry juice

THE LONG ISLAND

The ‘Long Island Iced Tea’ is not what you think it is. This alcoholic amalgamation, known as a ‘long drink’, is a sure-fire way to ensure you never need more than the one drink so we encourage you to close the night out with this one. The ‘Long Island’ is a drink that should not make sense but somehow does. It’s made with four different – quite strong – spirits and rounded out with triple sec, lemon juice and a splash, literally a splash for that iced tea colour, of cola. This drink is sometimes a hit or miss depending on the bartender, you do not want to have an over sour ‘Long Island’ or one that just tastes like all the alcohol you’re drinking sitting one on top of the other. Mingles is a place you can trust to make sure you get the drink done right every time so you could probably do two or three of them if you’ve had a particularly long week and know you’re not getting stiffed on a good drink.

Recipe:

• 3⁄4 oz Vodka
• 3⁄4 oz White rum
• 3⁄4 oz Silver Tequila
• 3⁄4 oz Gin
• 3⁄4 oz Triple sec
• 3⁄4 oz simple syrup
• 3⁄4 oz fresh lemon juice
• Last, a splash of cola

THE MUDSLIDE

If you love milkshakes, look no further than this big-girl drink. Leave the calorie counting at home and get your hands on this sweet and creamy drink. The Mudslide is made with vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream, or rum cream if you ask nicely, and typically completed with a healthy serving of ice cream. The best part of the Mudslide is while it’s chock-full of booze, it’s definitely not a very boozy drink since the cream gives it great balance where it’s needed. Not a fan? Get converted at Mingles Bar and Lounge where they’re serving up this sweet cream with whipped cream, cinnamon and a fresh strawberry garnish.

Recipe:

• 1 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Coffee liqueur
• 1 oz Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 1⁄2 oz Vanilla Ice Cream or
• Heavy Cream

THE COURTLEIGH RUM TUTTI FRUTTI

Finally, when planning your bar hop, one bar you should definitely keep high on your list is the Mingles Bar and Lounge. The warm woods and exposed brick give the feeling like you’ve stepped into a speakeasy where the alcohol is free-flowing and the sipping’s easy. Once you’re there and sunken into their lounge chairs or perched on their traditional bar stools, you can order one of The Courtleigh’s speciality drinks. The Rum Tutti Frutti is exactly as sweet as it sounds but even more refreshing. It’s a blend of fruity flavours, including the ever-delicious peach schnapps and their rum of choice to spice up the drink, the flavourful Appleton special which is shaken and served over ice. We advise you to go and ask Shane for the ingredients so you can make it at home for a girls night in!