Absolut-ly fresh off the bar

By Ed Biado

Cocktails are an evolutionary minefield. You never know what?s gonna be exploding next. Favorite vodka brand, Absolut, always has a detonator on hand, unleashing flavor after flavor of vodka even before we could get used to the last one. Their newest variants, New Orleans, Pears, Los Angeles and 100, have spawned more cocktail recipes inspired by their names. Grab your shakers, people, because here they come:

Absolut Big Breezy

Muddle five chunks of watermelon, a squirt of lemon juice, a dash of black pepper and one-half part simple syrup. Add two parts Absolut New Orleans. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

Absolut 100 Pumpkin Martini

Combine three parts Absolut 100, a splash of simple syrup and half a part of Pumpkin Spice Schnapps over ice and shake. Strain into martini glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Absolut Prickly Pear

Shake one and a half parts Absolut Pears, a splash of Blue Curacao, one part pineapple juice, a splash of sour mix and half a part of triple sec over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Bourbon Street Lemonade

Combine four parts lemondade, three parts Absolut New Orleans and one part mango puree and shake vigorously. Pour into a cocktail glass over ice and serve with fresh diced mango.

Absolut La La Land

Build 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Los Angeles, 1 oz. cranberry juice, 1 oz. lemon lime soda and 1 oz. pomegranate juice over ice into a hi-ball glass and garnish with a squeeze of lime.

The Voodoo Priestess

Muddle one part mango puree, six mint leaves and half a part simple syrup in an old-fashioned glass. Fill glass with ice and add one part Absolut New Orleans and one-fourth part DeKuyper Anisette Liqueur. Stir gently to blend and garnish with fresh mint sprig.

The Lucky Pears Faux-jito

Pour 2 oz. white grape juice, 1 3/4 oz. Absolut Pears, a teaspoon of brown sugar, 1/2 oz. lime juice and 1/4 oz. Midori into a tall glass and garnish with mint leaves.

The Sunset Strip

Shake 2 oz. cranberry juice, two chunks watermelon, 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Los Angeles, 1/2 oz. simple syrup and 1/4 oz. lime juice with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with watermelon on a pick.

A Lovely Pear

Combine four parts Absolut Pears, a part and a half peach puree, one part each of white grape juice and lime juice and a half part apple juice, shake and strain into two martini glasses. Garnish with a pear slice.

The Formula 150

Build two parts Formula Fifty grape vitamin water, one part Absolut 100 and a few splashes of club soda over fresh ice into a tall glass, and garnish with a lime wedge.