Sips & Synopsis - This Weeks Makings

• The Masters Are Coming...

• Trivia Question

• Drink of the Week - The Azalea Cocktail

• More 19th Hole Classic Cocktails

• Mocktail Moment - Arnold Palmer Twist

The Masters Are Coming… and So Are the Cocktails

Hey there, cocktail lovers! 🍹 The 2025 Masters Tournament tees off in just a few days, and while we can’t all be at Augusta National, we can bring a little of its legendary charm to our home bars.

This week, we’re celebrating all things golf, spring, and Southern sipping with:
✔ Three Masters-inspired cocktails that would make even Jack Nicklaus smile 🏆
✔ A classic southern mocktail that brings the charm, not the buzz 🍑
✔ A story about the unofficial cocktail of the Masters—the Azalea 💐
✔ A real golf-themed mixology trivia question ⛳️
✔ And a quote that’s perfect for raising your glass after a long day (or a long round) 🍻

Trivia Question❓

What cocktail, made with bourbon and mint, is famously served at the Kentucky Derby but also popular at golf tournaments across the South?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Drink of the Week

The Cocktail That Blooms Every April

Every spring, as the azaleas burst into full bloom at Augusta National, something else blossoms too: a collective craving for a cocktail that's as colorful and classic as the tournament itself.

Enter the Azalea Cocktail—a Southern staple with roots as charming as its hue.

Some say it was dreamed up by a bartender hoping to match the vibrant pink of Augusta’s famous flowers. Others say it was a happy accident, the result of lemonade, pineapple juice, and vodka coming together in perfect harmony on a warm afternoon.

Whatever its origin, the Azalea has become unofficially official—the drink of The Masters. It’s bright, pink, citrusy, and dangerously smooth. The kind of cocktail that looks like it was made to be held in a linen suit on a breezy veranda in Georgia.

It’s easy to make, easy to sip, and just fancy enough to feel like you’ve made the cut—even if you're watching from your living room instead of the clubhouse.

So as the golf world turns its eyes to Augusta this week, raise your glass and let the Azalea bring a little Southern sunshine to your bar cart. After all, some cocktails bloom just once a year—and this one’s in season right now.

Two More 19th Hole Classics to Try

🥃 Mint Julep (with a Spring Twist)

We know it's a Derby Day staple, but the Mint Julep is right at home on the golf course too—especially when you swap the sugar cube for a honey simple syrup.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon

• 0.5 oz honey syrup

• 8–10 mint leaves

• Crushed ice

Muddle mint with syrup, add bourbon, pack with crushed ice, stir, and garnish with more mint than you think is necessary.

🍋 Sweet Tea Bourbon Smash

Southern charm in a glass—sweet tea meets a zesty citrus kick.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon

• 2 oz brewed sweet tea (chilled)

• 0.5 oz lemon juice

• 0.5 oz peach syrup or simple syrup

• Lemon wedge & mint garnish

Shake, strain over ice, and garnish. Bonus points if served in a mason jar mug glass.

🍑 Mocktail Moment: Arnold Palmer with a Peachy Twist

Not drinking? You can still channel that golf course energy with this southern-inspired classic.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz fresh lemonade

• 3 oz sweet tea

• 0.5 oz peach purée or juice

• Mint sprig & lemon slice to garnish

Stir together over ice, garnish, and enjoy a zero-proof winner.