Duos and trios are a family of mixed drinks. A duo contains a spirit and a

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyon ...

; a trio additionally contains a creamy ingredient, commonly

cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

or Irish cream. This family of drinks is named in

Gary Regan Gary "Gaz" Regan (September 18, 1951 – November 15, 2019) was a British-born bartender and a bar-writer in the U.S. He was known for his book ''The Joy of Mixology''. Early life Regan began tending bar in his parents' British pubs when he wa ...

's ''The Joy of Mixology''. There is much variation in their ingredients, but their defining feature is that they are somewhat sweet due to their liqueur content.

Duos

; B and B:

Cognac Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cognac production falls under French appella ...

and Bénédictine ;Black nail:

Irish whisky Irish whiskey ( ga, Fuisce or ''uisce beatha'') is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish , meaning ''water of life''. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a lo ...

and Irish Mist ;

Black Russian The black Russian is a cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur. It contains 50 ml vodka and 20 ml coffee liqueur, per IBA specified ingredients. The drink is made by pouring the vodka and coffee liqueur over ice cubes or cracked ice ...

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

and

Kahlúa Kahlúa () is a brand of coffee liqueur owned by the Pernod Ricard company and produced in Veracruz, Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, and arabica coffee. History Pedro Domecq began producing Kahlúa in 1936. It was named Kahlúa, me ...

( coffee liqueur) ; Brave bull: Tequila and Kahlúa ; Dirty mother:

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

and Kahlúa ;Dubonnet cocktail: Gin and red Dubonnet ; French Connection: Amaretto and cognac ; Godfather: Amaretto and Scotch ; Godmother: Amaretto and vodka ;

Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of medi ...

and green crème de menthe ;Royal widow: Crown Royal (

Canadian whisky Canadian whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.

) and amaretto ; Rusty nail: Scotch and Drambuie ;

Stinger A stinger (or sting) is a sharp organ found in various animals (typically insects and other arthropods) capable of injecting venom, usually by piercing the epidermis of another animal. An insect sting is complicated by its introduction of ve ...

and white crème de menthe ; Vodka stinger: vodka and white crème de menthe ;Widow's cork: Jameson Whiskey and amaretto

B and B

A "B and B" is made from equal parts of

cognac Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cognac production falls under French appella ...

(

brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

) and Bénédictine. It is typically served on the rocks, but may also be served straight. The producers of Bénédictine market this cocktail ready-mixed under the label "B & B." Chris Robinson of the

Black Crowes Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have of ...

mentions "B & B and a little weed" in the song "Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye".

Brave bull

A brave bull is made by mixing tequila and Kahlúa.

Rusty nail

A Rusty nail is made by mixing Drambuie and Scotch. Many prefer less Drambuie to decrease the sweetness of the drink. Scotch has a fairly biting and hot taste that is counterbalanced by the honeyed, herbal overtones of the Drambuie. A rusty nail can be served on the rocks in an old fashioned glass, neat, or "up" in a stemmed glass. It is most commonly served over ice. The Canadian whisky version of this drink is called a " Donald Sutherland" and substitutes rye whiskey for Scotch.

Trios

;ABC: Amaretto, Bailey's, and

. ; Alexander: Equal parts gin, crème de cacao, and half and half, mixed in a cocktail shaker with ice, and poured into a cocktail glass and sometimes topped with grated

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus '' Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakf ...

. The Alexander is the

ancestor An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or ( recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from w ...

of the Brandy Alexander. ;Bloody Aztec: Tequila, crème de cacao, cream and red

food coloring Food coloring, or color additive, is any dye, pigment, or substance that imparts color when it is added to food or drink. They come in many forms consisting of liquids, powders, gels, and pastes. Food coloring is used in both commercial food ...

; Brandy Alexander: Cognac, dark crème de cacao and cream or half and half. ;Chocolate martini:

Vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

, crème de cacao, and cream or half and half ;Colorado bulldog / .357 / Bev dog: Vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and a splash of

cola Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imi ...

, optionally garnished with hazelnuts ;Dirty white mother:

, coffee liqueur, and cream. ;Duck fart:

Whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden ...

, coffee liqueur and Irish cream ;Godchild / Goddaughter: Vodka, amaretto and cream or half and half ;Muddy water / Mudslide / Blind Russian: Vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream. Some recipes add cream to the mudslide. ;Panama: Cognac, white crème de cacao and cream; garnish with nutmeg if desired. The drink was popular during the early 20th century. It is sometimes confused with the Brandy Alexander, which is made with dark instead of white crème de cacao. ; White Russian: Vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream

References