I’m not a huge drinker. I never have been. I prefer quality over quantity. Give me a good hard cider or a uniquely crafted cocktail once a month over numerous Happy Hours with subpar wine or another pink frozen margarita made with cheap tequila. Like the development of a memorable recipe, the craft of creating a stand-out cocktail is a true art. Could I do it? Hell no. Can I appreciate what others do? Absolutely.

A few weeks ago, the Instagram fiend in me came across a contest on Cocktail Courier’s photo feed: Like the photo they just posted, tag a friend, and be entered to win two boxes of Daisy de Elqui, a pisco-based drink by mixologist Roberto Rosa of The Plaza Hotel. What is Cocktail Courier, exactly? Think Blue Apron, but for drinks. Top bartenders have crafted amazing cocktail recipes. You, the future home bartender and imbiber, scan through their website for drink options choose which one(s) you want to make. Cocktail Courier will deliver all of the pre-portioned ingredients to your door. How wonderful! Well, a few days after I liked that photo, I got an Instagram notification alerting me that I had won, as well as the friend I had tagged. (Hey, Adam!) NICE! We didn’t order our boxes right away, but after an exceedingly long work month, topped off by an excruciatingly painful work week, I decided, “Yeeeah. We’re ordering both boxes to be delivered for Friday.” Cheers to that decision!

On said Friday night, Adam, his brother James, my roommate Vedika, and my college friend Lauren gathered in my cozy living room, surrounded by charcuterie, brie, liquor, and the ethereal sounds of Erykah Badu Radio on iTunes. We cracked open the boxes to find a very neat and tidy set-up. All portions of liquor were sealed in separate padded cardboard sections. The jalapeño-honey mix and fresh-squeezed lemon juice came in a sealed bag with a cold pack to keep them at a perfect temperature. Even the grapes that came for the cocktails were green and plump. One has the option to buy mixing tools and glasses from the web site. Luckily for me, Vedika bartends on the side and provided me with all of my tools. (Roommate perks.)

This was my first time crafting an  honest – to – goodness cocktail since, and correct me if I’m wrong, mixing Brugal with some ginger ale in a red Solo cup at a house party doesn’t really count. I’m so delightfully Type A in so many aspects of my life, so I followed the directions to a T and made the first four glasses individually. Adam made the second four glasses, and he just put it all of the ingredients into the cocktail shaker at once. (So, we differ in our techniques a little…) Regardless, each glass turned out delicious! Those that know me well know my aversion to anything spicy; case in point, when Vedika was making dinner the other night with onions and Indian spices, my entire face started to burn as I was idly sitting in our living room watching Hulu. Yeah. It’s that bad. I knew there was jalapeño in this cocktail, but the bite of it was offset by the tang of the lemon, the slightly citric taste of the muddled green grapes, and the sweetness of the orange liqueur and honey. This cocktail was absolutely perfect for a summery Friday night!

To check out the cocktail recipe that we crafted, the Daisy de Elqui, click on this pretty little link.

I’m definitely digging Cocktail Courier. As a sporadic drinker, I doubt I’d sign up for a subscription anytime soon, but with the option of à la carte ordering, I could definitely see myself ordering another box of cocktail fixins in the future. It certainly makes for a unique, fun, and interactive evening with a few good friends.

Just a few photos of the evening…

NOTE: The post is not an ad for Cocktail Courier, nor have I been asked to speak about it. I merely wanted to share my wonderful experience!