Cocktail & Sons is the brainchild of Max Messier – an award-winning bartender and spirits consultant based currently in New Orleans, LA – along with his wife and co-founder Lauren Myerscough – a service industry veteran with focus on bar management and consulting services. Over the course of six years, Max produced a range of original and inventive syrups, cordials and tea concentrates for a variety of bars and restaurants in New York City, NY and New Orleans, LA.

With a successful track record of producing notable cocktail programs in high-profile bars and restaurants, Max decided to focus his culinary efforts towards revitalizing the forgotten relic of the concept called a “Home Bar” taught to him by his paternal grandparents during his halcyon days of youth behind their custom-built “wet” bar in their house. During his days “behind the stick” working in bars and restaurants, Max would always advise his bar patrons on how to build a proper Daiquiri or prepare a whiz-bang Old Fashioned in their home.

Max decided to pull out all of the recipes he had concocted over the years to produce a line of all-natural and handcrafted syrups designed for classic cocktails including Old Fashioned, Daiquiri, Mojito, Tom Collins, Margarita, Gimlet and new-fangled modern cocktails. In addition, the syrups could be used as base components for refreshing sodas. With the assistance of his wife and co-founder Lauren, the syrups were tweaked and jiggered and brought to life as excellent components for classic cocktails.

All of the syrups are produced with natural ingredients and real sugars – no additives, coloring agents or artificial additives – combined with original recipes plus each product was tested and approved by our bartender brethren across the United States of America.

Cocktail & Sons Watermelon & Thai Basil Syrup – This is a perfect summertime refresher. If your thing is sours, this adds an interesting twist with a fresh watermelon flavor. The color is pretty and with either a basil leaf or as suggested a mint leaf as a garnish, the presentation is elegant. We particularly enjoyed the watermelon flavor when balanced with the citrus. The Thai basil was minimal, but added just enough herbality to work in place of a bittering agent. Note: We made a few of the recommended gin based cocktails as indicated on the label. The first one came out a bit too sweet, so we added an extra quarter ounce of lemon juice and it seemed more balanced.

GSN Rating: A-

For more information go to: Cocktail & Sons