Sauron, the Dark LordSauron, the Dark Lord | Art by Kieran Yanner | Graphic created by Nick Wolf

Cheers! And welcome to an article that's a bit out of the ordinary for EDHREC. No decks will be teched, no top 10s listed, and definitely no stats challenged.

Nope. Today we're talking about cocktails. But not just any cocktails. We're building a cocktail for each of the top 10 commanders.

I'm Andy, the editor-in-chief of the blog content here on EDHREC, and joining me in this alcoholic adventure is Hailey, aka mtgdemonictutor. Hailey's well known across social media sites for making Magic-themed cocktails, as well as Food tokens.

I'll be concocting half of the drinks, and Hailey will be mixing up the other five. Along the way I'll be peppering in some info about Hailey and some interview questions so you can get to know her better. Also note that Hailey and I are not, and haven't been, professional bartenders. We're both mixology hobbyists who enjoy crafting cocktails for fun.

After all, people need multiple expensive hobbies, right? Right...?

Let's stir it up.

Progenitor of Fire - by Hailey

Progenitor of Fire by Hailey

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz mezcal
• 3/4 oz orgeat
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz agave nectar
• 3 dashes of your favorite hot sauce

Glass:

A smoked rocks glass

Garnish:

None

Directions:

We'll start by smoking the glass. Place hickory (or your wood of choice) wood chips on a wooden plank or fire-safe board. Torch the wood until it creates a thick smoke and then cover it your cocktail glass flipped over.

Let this sit for one or two minutes, then remove the glass from the fire and flip it back over. Add a large ice cube and the rest of the ingredients. Stir until chilled.

Andy: What made you get into cocktail making?

Hailey: My college friends have dubbed me "Water Witch" and I love cooking/mixing brews for them. I love cooking, I love eating, and at my core I am an epicurious hedonist. But chasing flavors and culinary highs comes at a steep price on my daily diet, so if I am going to indulge every once in a while, it better be worth it.

The same principle translated to enjoying drinks. I’d rather have one great drink versus multiple duds. Everything started to click once I discovered how versatile mixology can be.

Edgar's Eminence - by Andy

Edgar's Eminence by Andy

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz Cognac
• 3/4 oz Aperol
• 3/4 oz blood orange syrup
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• A pinch of salt or several drops of saline solution
• 1 egg white

Glass:

Coupe

Garnish:

Angostura bitters splashed across the foam on top to look like blood spatter

Directions:

Put all ingredients aside from the garnish into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes. Shake until the tin is frosty and very cold. Remove the ice from the shaker and shake for another 30 seconds to build up a nice foam. Then double strain into a chilled coupe. Splatter a dash or two of bitters across the top.

Andy: What’s your favorite cocktail, and why?

Hailey: This is going to sound so boring given what I do with cocktails online, but I love a well made Gin & Tonic. It’s crisp, refreshing, and sharp. You can play around with the flavor profile depending on what type of gin you pick up and if you want to be really nerdy you can explore the nuance of different tonics and infusions too.

If I’m out and nothing else catches my eye on the cocktail menu, I’ll default to a G&T.

The Guildless Goblin - by Hailey

The Guildless Goblin by Hailey

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz cognac
• 1/2 oz Benedictine
• 1/2 oz apple juice
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz spiced simple syrup (instructions below)

Glass:

Coupe

Garnish:

Star anise pod

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake until the outside is frosty. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a star anise pod.

To make the spiced simple syrup:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise pod
• 3-4 cardamom pods

Heat the sugar, water, and spices in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, reducing heat if it starts to boil.

Remove from heat, and let cool. Then pour through a mesh strainer into a sterile container.

Andy: What’s your favorite base spirit? Favorite liqueur?

Hailey: Gin for the win! You can really stretch the flavor spectrum with botanicals. I already waxed poetic about Gin & Tonics, so I’ll keep it brief.

Picking just one liqueur, however, is a tougher task. I was gifted a delicious honey apricot liqueur from Japan and my biggest regret is not documenting the brand or bottle. Hunting down this bottle is currently my White Whale.

I’ve been experimenting with a lot of coffee based drinks so a cold brew liqueur and a nice Irish cream are current staples.

The Eyes of the Mothman - by Andy

The Eyes of the Mothman by Andy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz high proof apple brandy (I used Laird's bottled in bond)
• 1 oz Midori
• 2 barspoons simple syrup
• Absinthe spray/rinse
• 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
• 2 dashes New England spiced cranberry bitters

Glass:

Coupe

Garnish:

Two brandied cherries on a pick

Directions

Spray the inside of a coupe with a couple sprays of absinthe using an atomizer. If you don't have an atomizer, you can pour a little absinthe into the glass and swirl it around, then dump out the excess liquid. Put the coupe in the freezer to chill while you prepare the drink.

Put all ingredients aside from the garnish and absinthe into a mixing glass half filled with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds, until drink is well chilled. Then strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe. Garnish with the two cherries on a pick laid across the top.

Andy: What’s your favorite commander, and why?

Hailey: If I had to pick a deck people associate me with the most, it would be Lae'zel, Vlaakith's ChampionLae'zel, Vlaakith's Champion with Master ChefMaster Chef as the chosen background. Fortunately I love the build so I never tire of playing it. I was also lucky enough to get my Lae’zel card signed by the incredibly talented voice actor from Baldur’s Gate 3, Devora Wilde.

I go all in on +1/+1 counters and attempt to overwhelm my opponents with pure martial prowess, just as Lae'zel would want. My record for commander damage in a single swing is 376.

She is a menace and I love her.

Nefarox's Vanquisher - by Hailey

Nefarox's Vanquisher by Hailey

Ingredients:

1.5 oz vanilla vodka

1 oz coffee liqueur

1 oz cold brew coffee

3 dashes chocolate bitters

Glass:

Rocks glass

Garnish:

Cherry infused cold foam (instructions below)

Directions:

Add all ingredients aside from the garnish to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake until cold and frosty on the outside. Strain into a chilled rocks glass and add fresh ice. Then top with the cherry cold foam.

To make the cold foam:

• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 2 tsp cherry simple syrup

Mix the heavy cream, milk, cherry simple syrup, and sugar in a jar and mix to combine. Then use a small blender or hand frother to blend the mixture until it starts to foam, enough to slowly start to hold its own shape.

Andy: Which Magic character do you think would make the best cocktails?

Hailey: There are a lot of great contenders in-universe, but I think I’ll stick to cocktails made by Dina (Soul Steeper/Essence Brewer). I can trust she’ll make me something tasty without running the risk of encountering any poison counters.

She definitely would know how to poison me, but she’s too chill to do that. From what we know about her I think Dina wouldn’t be afraid to experiment and some of her creations might be a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Honorable mention would be Hazel's BrewmasterHazel's Brewmaster.

One Peach Ring to Rule Them All - by Andy

One Peach Ring to Rule Them All by Andy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz blended scotch
• 1/2 oz peated scotch
• 1 oz creme de peche (peach liqueur)
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 1/4 oz Jeppson's Malört

Glass:

Rocks glass

Garnish:

A candy peach ring skewered on a pick

Directions:

Add all ingredients aside from the garnish to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake until cold and frosty on the outside. Strain into a chilled rocks glass with one large cube of ice. Rest the cocktail pick with the skewered peach ring across the top of the glass.

Andy: What do you wish more people knew about cocktails?

Hailey: That you can get enjoyment from the process well before consuming the final result. The more you deep dive, the more you discover that mixology is equal parts creative and scientific. I’m constantly learning something new about the craft as an amateur, but that’s half the fun.

Learn the rules, break the rules, and just have fun (responsibly!)

Cultured Conjurer - by Hailey

Cultured Conjurer by Hailey

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Empress gin
• 2 oz lemonade
• 1 oz blackberry syrup

Glass:

Rocks

Garnish:

Fresh blackberries or a mint sprig

Directions:

In a rocks glass with crushed ice, layer the lemonade, gin, and blackberry syrup (in this order). Add the garnish and enjoy.

Andy: What’s your process for creating a cocktail for a commander?

Hailey: What comes first, the chicken or the egg? There are a lot of different factors I lean into when I craft a drink for a specific legendary creature or planeswalker. I might consider their lore, the planes they originate from to see if it will inspire a flavor profile, how strong the card is if I want the drink to be an intense spirit focus drink, etc.

Complex card mechanics sometimes require complex brewing methods. And then there are times when I simply think: Liliana’s magic is purple, the drink needs to be purple.

I look for the fun concept first and then backwards engineer my way to an end result.

Occasionally I get inspired by a recipe idea first and I have to track down a character that I think matches the vibe. This happens a lot when I fixate on making drinks inspired by food, which I’ve secretly been trying to incorporate more of this year as a personal challenge.

Some of my favorites in this category are recipes I linked to Kitt Kanto, Mayhem DivaKitt Kanto, Mayhem Diva, Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One, and Fblthp, the LostFblthp, the Lost.

Ixalan Sunrise - by Andy

Ixalan Sunrise by Andy

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz light rum
• 1/2 oz dry curacao
• 1/2 oz passionfruit syrup
• 1/2 oz mango syrup
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 3 dashes Bittercube Grapefruit Hibiscus bitters
• 1 oz dark overproof rum

Glass:

A tall glass, like a footed pilsner or a highball

Garnish:

Lime wheel

Directions:

Add all ingredients except the dark overproof rum to a cocktail shaker with two scoops of pebble ice. Shake until cold and frosty on the outside. (Alternatively, if you have a drink mixer you can use that). Free pour the drink with ice into the glass.

Fill the rest of the glass almost completely to the top with more pebble ice, patting the ice down as you add scoops to make sure it's filling the glass fully. Then pour the dark overproof rum all over the top of the drink. Add the lime wheel garnish.

Andy: You do more than just cocktails. Tell us about the other stuff you do in the Magic community.

Hailey: On my Instagram I have a weekly series called Food Tokens, where I share food recipes of meals I think I’d experience on different Magic planes. I would be a terrible planeswalker - missed the call to arms during the Phyrexian Invasion because I was too busy enjoying Schweineschnitzel in Innistrad.

There is an open share drive of my current food adventures and I update it every Friday. I’m also working on a rotating merch line called Tutor for a Better Solution, where all profits are donated to charity. Graphic Design is not my passion, so it’s certainly a work in progress.

Last but not least, I am also a professional passenger princess for online Commander streams. Need a chill 4th player for your stream? Hit me up.

Lathril's Chant - by Hailey

Lathril's Chant by Hailey

Ingredients:

• 2 oz pear brandy
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• Absinthe rinse

Glass:

Coupe

Garnish:

Grated nutmeg

Directions:

Pour a bit of absinthe into a coupe. Swirl it around to coat the inside, then dump out the excess. Put it in the freezer to chill while you prepare the rest of the drink.

Add all ingredients aside from the absinthe and garnish to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake vigorously for at least a minute. Then add ice and shake until chilled.

Then double strain the drink into the chilled coupe, and grate some nutmeg on top.

Andy: What made you want to start making Magic-themed cocktails?

Hailey: At the start of 2024 I was part of a YouTube podcast called Cocktails and Counterspells. As a new Magic player I was the wide-eyed ingenue eager to learn from two veterans in the game.

My major contribution was to make cocktails for us to sip on as we talked shop - a.k.a. The Dans of the group talked shop and I quipped. Eventually I had more recipes than episodes so I started to post regularly on Instagram.

Glistening Oil - by Andy

Glistening Oil by Andy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz aged rhum agricole
• 1 oz Ramazzotti amaro
• 1/2 oz rich demerara syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters

Glass:

Coupe

Garnish:

Orange peel

Directions:

Add all ingredients aside from the garnish to a mixing glass half filled with ice. Stir until the drink is well chilled - 30 seconds or so. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the orange peel.

Andy: The last question is the most important. Where do you stand on Malört?

It has a time and a place. For me, the time is never and the place is as far away from me as possible. Hats off to those who find enjoyment in Malört, you are a stronger person than I.

The Garnish

What do you think, Commander connoisseurs? Do these drinks sound tasty? Any you're gonna try to make? Let us know in the comments.

And make sure to find Hailey on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky at @mtgdemonictutor. Catch her next at MagicCon Vegas where she'll be a featured creator and running a Strixhaven D&D one-shot.

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