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"Any fortified/aromatized wine." —Alex Homans, owner and beverage manager of The Frogmore
Image credit: Courtesy of Caitlin Cunningham/The Frogmore
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"I don’t think it’s underrated, but sherry. I mean, I think people really have embraced it, so I want to think of something more underrated. Yeah, no, I’m going to stick with sherry." —Naomi Levy, bar manager at Eastern Standard
Image credit: Lisa Richov for Eastern Standard
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"I would say vermouth. Paying attention to what vermouth you’re using in cocktails cannot be overrated. It changes the whole profile of drinks in any drink that has vermouth — negronis, Manhattans, any kind of variants on those. It’s really important to pay attention to what kind of vermouth you’re using." —Nicholas Mansur, bar manager at Shepard
Image credit: Emily Phares for Eater
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"The most underrated cocktail ingredient for me is vegetables. I love using fresh anything. Carrots, avocados — sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it always comes out interesting!" —Angela Lamb, bar manager at Coda Bar & Kitchen
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"Fortified wines other than sherry and vermouths — both of which are great but they have gotten a lot of attention in the last few years. Madeira, Pineau de Charentes, Marsala, Floc de Gascogne, and other fortified wines are rather deserving of the spotlight whether serving to balance ardent spirits or acting as the base of a low-proof offering." —Fred Yarm, bar manager at Loyal Nine
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"Anything herbal/vegetal. Adding a green element to a cocktail can provide an interesting flavor and add another layer to your spirit, bitters, citrus, or sugars." —Kayla Quigley, bartender at Sweet Cheeks
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"Underrated is easy for me. Underrated is sugar. I don’t think enough people think about sugar in a really helpful way. Sugar can do a number of things. Sugar’s not scary, sugar’s there just to provide balance, to provide a little bit of depth. I use sugar to some degree in all of my cocktails, oftentimes a quarter ounce here or there just to provide a little body." —Tyler Wang, bar manager at Audubon
Image credit: Emily Phares for Eater
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"There are a lot of fortified wines that get overlooked or forgotten. Personally, I'd like to see more Bonal out there." —Thea Engst, bar manager at River Bar
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"Salt." —Todd Lipman, head sommelier at Bistro du Midi
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"Vermouth." —Shawn Westhoven, beverage director of Papa Razzi Trattoria and Papa Razzi Metro
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"Aperol." —Kaylee Platt, manager of City Bar Westin
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"Vermouth and amaro. I love how they can deepen a cocktail without mucking it up." —Dagan Migirditch, general manager of Franklin Oyster House in Portsmouth, NH
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"Dry vermouth." —Kevin Khem, restaurant manager at ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta
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"Wondermint." —Rob Hoover, bar manager at La Brasa
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"Cachaça." —Chris O’Neill, bartender at Deuxave
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"Ice." —Rob Ficks, lead bartender at Craigie on Main
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"Not necessarily underrated but often neglected, fresh stuff! Fresh squeezed juices, house-made syrups and purees, fresh fruit, etc. can make a world of difference in a cocktail over stuff that’s bad or out of a can or a concentrate." —Mike Thomas, bar manager at Gather in District Hall
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"Good spices. Chefs use spices in all their recipes, but often bartenders don't think of using spices in cocktails." —Lindolfo Silva, lead bartender at The Painted Burro
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"Salt. Amazing what the addition of a small amount of salt does for a cocktail, both shaken and stirred drinks." —Daren Swisher, co-bar manager at Hojoko
Image credit: Averil Lowry for Hojoko
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"Sherry." —Jarek Mountain, bartender at Back Bay Harry's
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"Most underrated, and it will always be, is bitters. Specifically Angostura, but good bitters are like the salt of the cocktail world. Also, green chartreuse." —Dave Spielberg, bartender at The Salty Pig
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"Port." —Timothy Kotkowski, Pastoral
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"An actual lemon twist." —Chuck Guterl, beverage manager at Scampo
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"I think the most underrated one has to be orgeat. It's such an amazing syrup that can transform almost any drink." —Justin Lipata, bar manager at Bukowski Tavern (Cambridge)
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"Odd syrups can add some really nice layers to cocktails. Recently our chef had candy cap mushrooms, which essentially taste like an earthy maple syrup when reduced. It made for an awesome ingredient to work with." —Nick Giannotti, bar manager at The Tip Tap Room
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"Vodka. It's versatile and puts focus on the flavors of the other ingredients." —Patrick Foley, bar manager at The Independent
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"Angostura Aromatic Bitters." —Patrick Sullivan, executive director of bar operations for the Legal Sea Foods brands
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"Sweetening syrups. You can use anything from refined sugar, to demerara sugar, honey, maple, grenadine, and so on. What's your ratio in making each one? Do you make it in-house or buy mass-produced items? They have such an impact in how a cocktail tastes, yet it's often overlooked to an extent." —Paulo Pereira, beverage director at Brass Union
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"Port. Fortified wines make an amazing cocktail-modifying spirit, and port especially can stand up as a base spirit in cocktails." —Schuyler Hunton, beverage director at Foundry on Elm & Saloon
Image credit: Natasha Moustache
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"Amaro, in general." —Casey Furtaw, head bartender at Osteria Nino in Burlington
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"Pisco. The body, the heady perfume, the mouthfeel...it’s such a nuanced ingredient, which makes it difficult to use, but when used properly it absolutely sings." —Vikram Hegde, general manager at Island Creek Oyster Bar
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"Conversation with your guest." —Todd Maul, bar director and partner at Cafe Artscience
Image credit: Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater
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"Falernum." —Tainah Soares, bartender at Trina’s Starlite Lounge
Image credit: Provided
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"Bitters. Just a few dashes can completely change the flavor of a cocktail. It's an essential ingredient in some of the best classics." —Adam Avelar, bar manager at The Sinclair
Image credit: Provided
"Celery." —Erin Mahoney, bar director at Row 34 (Portsmouth)
"Vermouth." —Adam Lantheaume, owner of The Boston Shaker