The Amelia cocktail served at our Nordstrom bars has a lot of great things going for it. It has handcrafted appeal and derives maximum flavor from just a small handful of ingredients. It's well balanced. It's also dangerously delicious and refined while being easy enough to prepare at home. This variation on the classic Aviation cocktail-said to be named after Amelia Earhart-is going to the top of my shortlist of adult beverages for entertaining (see our Smoke and Heat Cocktail recipe with Mezcal for another topping that list).

In the Amelia, ripe, muddled blackberries lend a seductive color and texture, while St. Germain elderflower liqueur heightens the flavors of summer. Freshly squeezed lemon juice cuts through any overt sweetness with just the right amount of tang. Served up, I chose the vintage look of a coupe cocktail glass, but-as presented at our bars-a classic martini glass equally shows off the beauty of this beverage. Pro tip: as called for in the recipe, try to use superfine (caster) sugar for the glass-rim garnish. Unlike more coarse, granulated sugar, the finely processed crystals feel velvety and melt instantly on contact with your lips.

Ingredients (Per Cocktail)
5 fresh blackberries
1 teaspoon sugar
1 3/4 ounce Grey Goose Vodka
1 ounce St. Germain
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
ice to fill

Garnish
mint sprig
superfine sugar

1. Chill martini glass by filling it with ice and topping off with water.

2. In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries and sugar until broken down and juicy.

3. Add vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice and one scoop of ice.

4. Cap and shake vigorously 20 times.

5. Discard ice and water in now-chilled martini glass. Swipe lemon around half the rim of glass. Roll moistened area in superfine sugar to garnish.

6. Double strain shaker into martini glass using fine mesh sieve.

7. Smack mint sprig (hold in one hand and gently hit it against your other hand) to release its aroma and float sprig on top to garnish.