If you want to invest in some old fashioned cocktail kit, start with a decent cocktail muddler, like this JXS dishwasher-safe stainless steel one for $6.99. And if being a bartender suits you ...

Her Knockout Tiger cocktail exemplifies the approach; it's an old fashioned with a Southeast Asian twist. It relies on Mekhong Thai Rum as its base, modified with a pandan-infused ya dong ...