RawRubies
About
Raw Rubies is a mixlist built around brightness, bitterness, and restraint. These cocktails lean into the ruby-red world of Campari and Aperol, balanced carefully with crisp apple juice, fresh lemon, and clean vodka. The result is a set of drinks that feel structured and refreshing without ever tipping into heaviness.
Nothing here is overly sweet or aggressively bitter. Each recipe is designed to let the bitterness shine while softening it with fruit and dilution - whether through stirring, citrus, or a splash of soda. Raw Rubies works best as an aperitivo lineup: pre-dinner pours, golden-hour drinks, or relaxed evenings when you want something grown-up, refreshing, and easy to return to. Sharp, polished, and quietly confident, this mixlist is all about balance done right.
Explore Recipes
TheOrchardAperitivo
The Orchard Aperitivo cocktail is made for that quiet moment before dinner, when you want something flavorful but not heavy. Built entirely on bitters and fruit, it skips high-proof spirits and instead leans into balance. Aperol brings gentle sweetness and citrus bitterness, Campari adds depth and edge, and fresh apple juice softens everything with a clean, orchard-like freshness.
TheScarletSazerac
The Scarlet Sazerac cocktail is a softer, more approachable take on a bitter-forward build. Instead of leaning dark or intense, this version keeps things light, silky, and gently warming. Ketel One vodka provides a clean backbone, Aperol brings orange and rhubarb bitterness, and a small touch of apple juice smooths the edges with a subtle, nectar-like sweetness.
TheAppleBitter
The Apple Bitter cocktail is all about restraint. It takes familiar ingredients and lets them breathe, creating a drink that feels modern, composed, and quietly confident. Ketel One vodka provides a neutral, polished base, allowing Campari to show a softer, more floral side than usual. Apple juice steps in not as sweetness, but as texture - adding weight and roundness that smooths Campari’s bitterness without dulling it.
TheBitterLemonade
The Bitter Lemonade (Sparkling) cocktail is what happens when a classic bitter-sweet profile gets lightened up and stretched into an easy-drinking highball. Clean vodka sets the base, Campari brings its familiar orange-and-herb bitterness, and fresh lemon juice gives the drink its sharp, refreshing edge. A small splash of apple juice adds body and softness, rounding out the bitterness without making the drink sweet.