Jordan Hughes.
Cocktail maker +
Visual Storyteller.

Jordan Hughes is a full-time creative in the food & beverage industry, based out of Portland, OR. He works as a photographer, recipe developer and social media consultant for various brands, bars and restaurant groups.

In 2017, he started the Instagram and blog titled High-Proof Preacher, which has since been featured in Forbes, AskMen, Liquor.com, VinePair, & was awarded both the editor’s & reader’s choice for Best Drinks Instagram 2019 by Saveur Magazine.

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High-Proof Preacher

The latest cocktail recipes:

High-Proof Preacher Blog

Basil Gimlet

When adding fresh herbs to cocktails, like basil or mint, many reach for the muddler and proceed to crush the herbs into pieces in the base of the cocktail shaker. There’s really no reason to do this and you probably shouldn’t because overly crushing the herbs may introduce unwanted bitterness in the cocktail.

Pineapple Demerara Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned meets… well… Pineapple! The star ingredient in this cocktail is Pineapple Demerara syrup- and it’s definitely worth making! The syrup itself can be a bit inconsistent, so you may need to adjust the amount you add to the cocktail to properly balance it.

Hibiscus Sidecar

Here’s a colorful twist on a Sidecar using Cointreau that I cold-infused with Hibiscus tea for 24 hours. The color turned out AMAZING and the added flavors of black current and lemon verbena from the tea paired exceptionally well with the cognac.

Husband Material

This cocktail is made with high-proof bourbon (I used Old Granddad 114 but Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve was really nice too), a touch of quality vanilla liqueur and Rosato amaro; a bittersweet liqueur with fresh and fruity aromas of hibiscus and orange blossom. I also added some tropical spice bitters, but you can just as easily sub in aromatic bitters.

Cranberry Spiced Toddy

There, I said it! I still love whiskey too, but an agave-based Hot Toddy just hits different. Here’s an especially delicious Hot Toddy variation, made with one of my favorites: Punta Diamante Reposado from Casa Don Ramon.

Single-serve Egg Nog

I typically refer to this cocktail as a “Flip”– which was originally made back in the 1600’s with spirit, sugar, eggs and spices, and was served hot by thrusting a burning hot rod of metal into it, causing it to froth or “flip.”

Attache

Inspired by the notion of this cocktail serving as an ambassador for the Cognac category and to raise awareness of the contributions African American bartenders through one of the earliest American cocktails to gain traction on the scene…

Blended Piña Colada

It’s cold and rainy today, so it’s hardly the right time for blended Piña Coladas. Or maybe it’s the perfect time?

The Last Word

I feel like the Last Word was a super hip cocktail a few years ago (like 2017-2018?) but I’ve hardly made one since. A friend recently asked me for a refreshing gin cocktail and I decided to shake one up for her– then I promptly made one for myself too. It actually made me kinda nostalgic for simpler times.

Islay Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is the perfect island drink, so I love the idea of making a version that uses Islay Scotch: whisky that is made on the Scottish island of Islay.

Minke Martini

I was really fascinated by the “creaminess” of this gin, so I thought it would make a refreshing martini riff. I added just a few drops of sarsaparilla bitters to the finished cocktail, so when you take the first sip you’re instantly reminded of cream soda or even an old-timey cola.

Smoked Rum Negroni

Smoked Old Fashioneds are way overdone– so I guess it’s time to start smoking Negronis. Also, if you haven’t made a Negroni using funky Jamaican rum, what are you even doing with your life? It’s hard to truly improve on a classic, but if I’m being honest, I’ll take this combo over the classic Gin-Campari-Vermouth spec any day.