Essential for anyone who loves those spirit forward cocktails! (Think Martini, Manhattan, Negroni. . .) I recommend an 18-20 oz mixing glass for mixing up to 2 cocktails at one time. Side note: a mason jar or pint glass will do in a pinch!

A good 2 piece Boston shaker is the way to go! Easy to use and easy to clean! A three piece cobbler shaker is also an option and usually they come with a built in jigger and strainer but I find them impossible to open after using so the Boston style shaker is my preference.

Measurements matter! To avoid a not so delicious and unbalanced cocktail get yourself a good jigger with several clear measurement lines. Personally, I love the bell jiggers because they have a little wider opening for pouring ingredients in. Look for jiggers with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4. 1, 1-1/2 & 2 oz measuring lines.

Stirred, not shaken! Well, sometimes, but not without a proper barspoon! For stirring up all your spirit only cocktails in your fancy mixing glass.

Whether shaking or stirring you still need to strain! Hawthorne style shakers are my go to and work great on both shakers and mixing glasses. Doing a lot of stirred cocktails in that mixing glass? Consider adding a julep strainer to your collection!

No one wants to chew on their beverages! A fine strainer is a must have for straining out those muddled herbs, fruits, veggies, pulp and ice chips!

The number one way to improve your cocktail game. . .FRESH JUICE ONLY! Do yourself a favor and get a good quality citrus juicer (and throw away all of those artificially flavored mixers!)

For those perfect citrus twists! Trust me. Don't skip the garnish. Especially the citrus garnish!

Muddling fresh fruits, veggies and herbs is an instant way to upgrade your cocktails! Have a muddler on hand to extract all those yummy juices and flavors from your FRESH ingredients!

An essential item for those must have garnishes! From olives to cherries and fruit to citrus peels. . .you'll use them all the time!