With over 47 years in the business you know you are getting the best when you are served by award-winning bartender, Eli McLean. - Contributed

Cuddyz

Before the Cuddytini, I never understood why people liked June plum juice. Come on, the thick taste, the smell? Ugh. But the moment I tasted Cuddyz's 'twist on the traditional martini', I finally got it. Butterfly yellow with a smooth, tangy-sweet taste to match, it felt like walking on air at first sip. Bet you can't have just one sip!

Cuddytini is made from June Plum juice, Smirnoff Citrus Vodka, lime juice and syrup. We'll keep the rest a secret.

Cuddyz sports bar is one of 14 bars participating in the inaugural Bar Week sponsored by the Gleaner Company which begins July 27. According to manager Janelle Waddell, Cuddyz opened in 2004, the fulfilment of the dream of celebrated Jamaican cricketer Courtney Walsh, after years of visiting sports bars around the world. The cricket memorabilia and cosy Caribbean feel of the softly lit bar is self-explanatory.

Of Bar Week, Wadell noted, "Generally, people tend to stick to the basics. It's a chance to showcase our signature cocktails." Their fruit mojitos, and their exotic vodka martinis are preferred by women in their mid-20s-30s. The restaurant is for everyone, but the watering-hole is frequented by sport personalities, entertainers, and international guests.

Like night to day, another Cuddyz popular request is the darkly seductive chocolate martini. The drink manages to turn something as risky as liqueur into something as addictive as chocolate. It has an immediate kick, and will leave you warm and tingling.

With the Cuddytini you can't have just one sip. - photos by Rudolph rown/Chief Photographer

Christopher's (Jazz) Café

You would never guess until you wander through the front doors of the Quad, but Christopher's isn't simply a place to push drinks. It should be dubbed; Professional's Paradise.

Christopher's is the spot for "doctors, politicians, businessmen, tycoons, who come to 'fraternise" and unwind' notes supervising chef Lascelle Macintosh. Why is it so great? Live music, clever weekly surprises, and daily clues to be found on Quad's Facebook page, could garner you all-access passes or free drinks, all summer long.

The vibe at Christopher's is cosy yet elegant, attributed not to the sultry music or the earthy colour scheme and paintings, but to the overall attitude of staff and patrons.

There's a jazzy twist to all their $350 drinks, as expected from bartenders like award-winning Eli McLean, a legendary mixologist in the business for 47 years, and Ike Francis, as your attentive personal servers. Christopher's named two of its many signature martinis after the owners, Brian 'Ribby' Chung and Chris Cargill - the Ribitini and the Christini.

Sweet like swizzle, but the Ribitini is no child's drink. - photo by Grace Ann Black

Ribitini

Ingredients

Watermelon pucker

Apple pucker

Absolut Vodka

Method

You can experiment with the amount of pucker if you like. It's a safe bet to always have a 2:1 ratio of vodka to pucker. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

The Ribitini is a straightforward, classic martini with a translucent bronze hue. Sweet as a swizzle, but this is no child's drink. Like Christopher's, it says class without pretensions

Chocolate Charger

Smirnoff Vanilla

Amaretto

Bailey's

Créme de Cacao Brown

Bartender Kayon Gayle pouring a chocolate charger.