Thursday, October 30, 2025 |
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There's an old Sinatra bit where he talks about an evening at the home of his pal Dean Martin. It's a boozy affair, Sinatra claims. But, he adds, "There's no drinking after dinner." Then: "Of course, you don't eat until 3:30 a.m. How the hell can you drink when you're laying flat on our back?" The joke gets a laugh, but Sinatra, of all people, knows the beauty of the perfect after-dinner drink, also known as a digestif. It sends you into the night just the right amount of buzzed. Esquire's Sirena He did the research on these drinks. Below, she explains both the magic of these liquors and the best ones to try and stock at home. – Michael Sebastian, editor-in-chief Plus: |
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There's no better way to complete the perfect meal—and impress your guests—than by serving a sophisticated after-dinner cocktail. Here's how to get started. |
Have you ever made the mistake of downing a potent cocktail before dinner—for me it would be a bone-dry martini—and almost finding yourself on the floor before you sit down for appetizers? Experience has taught me there's a better way. These days, I do my adventurous drinking after supper, and the benefits are many. To begin with, I enjoy my food more when not sloshed. Plus, easing into the flow leaves me time to look forward to ordering the perfect digestif. Historically, the after-dinner drink was meant to help with, you guessed it, digestion. (Just as its pre-dinner cousin, the aperitif, is intended to open you up for consumption.) Given its French origin, the word digestif may conjure images of Dr. Frasier Crane opening a bottle of sherry. But the options run far beyond fortified wine and today include an ever-broadening range of concoctions, from the espresso martini to the Paper Plane cocktail (which mixes bourbon with bitters and Aperol). When hosting, there's no better way to dazzle your guests and kick off the post-dinner portion of the evening than by serving a subtly complex digestif. Getting started is easy. All you really need in your bar cart is a few key bottles, including a brandy-type liquor, some high-quality cocktail bitters, and—most critical of all—an amaro or two. |
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Whenever you try a new look, it will feel like a big step, but a dressed down jacket and jeans is as classic as it gets. Sure, if it's outside your normal thing, a friend or loved one is going to say something, but that shouldn't dissuade you. If my wife (my harshest critic) can get behind me wearing sunglasses inside (the most up-my-own-ass wannabe rockstar of all looks), you can try something new and throw a blazer over your T-shirt and jeans (the most agreeable, classic of looks). So, if you came here for some reassurance I will say: Yes, you will look cool in a blazer and jeans. Also, they're only clothes; you wear them or you don't. |
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In a world that is constantly trying to sell you new things, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that some products have already been perfected. To me, there's no better example of this than the razor. It's been 15 years since my dad taught me to shave, and he did it with a Gillette ProGlide five-blade cartridge razor. To this day, I'm still using the same brand and model and it's never let me down. |
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