Mixers and modifiers

Pok Pok Som drinking vinegars
James Beard Award--winning chef Andy Ricker---best known for his celebrated Thai food at Portland, Oregon's Pok Pok---is behind these offbeat, Asian-inspired mixers. Like an old-fashioned shrub, the drinking vinegars are infused with natural sweeteners (like tamarind and pomegranate) to temper their tart, fermented backbone. While you can combine Ricker's concoctions with seltzer for a bright and funky soft drink, they provide rich rewards for amateur mixologists willing to experiment. The apple variety has a slightly sour, overripe tang that's ideal for fall, and a fine playmate for gin and whiskey. Meanwhile, fireside tipplers can deploy the honey rendition---more floral than sweet---in an inspired toddy riff. Available at gilttaste.com. 16oz bottle $16.95--$18.95.

Miracle Mile Bitters
Brooklyn has spawned plenty of homegrown cocktail modifiers in recent years, but it's worth looking to the Left Coast as well. These small-batch bitters from L.A. are the brainchild of Louis Anderman, a Miramax exec turned cocktail obsessive. His experimental creations---including chocolate-chili, sour-cherry and yuzu varieties---have already gained cult status among barkeeps in his own city, and now NYC's at-home drink-slingers can finally get their hands on them. We like the aromatic Forbidden Bitters, which uses exotic roots like galangal, angelica and fresh zedoary to approximate the vanilla and allspice notes of tonka beans (South American legumes beloved by culinarians but restricted by the FDA). Trade them for Angostura in a Manhattan. Available at The Meadow, 523 Hudson St between Charles and W 10th Sts (212-645-4633). 100ml bottle $27.

Tomr's Tonic
Before Schweppes and Canada Dry cornered the market, nonfizzy tonics were the norm---indeed, the classic gin and tonic originated in the early 1800s, when Brits abroad used the spirit to make their anti-malarial, quinine-based tonics more palatable. This amber-hued syrup takes cues from its colonial-era predecessors, drawing quinine from cinchona bark, and using other natural ingredients to create an old-school elixir that's complex, with a throat-catching bitterness. Mixed with gin and club soda, it yields a remarkably balanced quaff that enhances the herbaceousness of the spirit, while adding a touch of citrus. And as a bonus, it won't go flat sitting in your fridge. Available at Kalustyan's, 123 Lexington Ave between 28th and 29th Sts (212-685-3451). 200ml bottle $12.99.

Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Tonic
For another small-batch tonic that will help you elevate your G&Ts, look to this vivid creation from Brooks Reitz and Matt Burt, two committed booze tinkerers out of Charleston, South Carolina. They mellow raw quinine with intricate spicing like lemongrass and orange peel. The result is a fine entry-level tonic: It's nuanced yet quaffable, soft-peddling the bracing bitterness in order to bring forward the sweet, fruity notes of gin or tequila. Available at jackrudycocktailco.com. Two 12oz bottles $32.

Q Ginger
Pimp out your dark and stormy with this zippy new mixer from Jordan Silbert, whose Q Tonic is already a staple of some of the city's finest barrooms. To create his improved ginger ale, Silbert balances a base of real ginger extract with hints of cayenne, rose oil and orange peel, then uses organic agave syrup to provide a muted sweetness. The subtle tinkering pays off, delivering a sharp, spicy bite without being overwhelming. Dispense a few splashes to brighten a Bourbon Highball or Gin Buck. Available at Whole Foods; various locations. Four 8oz bottles $7.99, 750ml bottle $6.99.

Aftelier Chef's Essential Oils
These tiny vials of oil, created by master perfumer Mandy Aftel, are so delightfully vivid that you'll think you've wandered into Wonka's factory when you crack them open. A minuscule drop of the Fresh Ginger is as intense as a freshly sliced ginger root, while the Grand Fir (sold out) instantly reminded us of tromping over the forest floor. Fair warning: Deploying these curiosities requires a steady hand, since it's very easy to go overboard. But the can't-miss scent memories that they evoke make them fun for any amateur to play around with---try using the Bitter Orange to add intensity to a Manhattan, or transform a gin and tonic with a bold whiff of Bergamot. Available at aftelier.com. 7ml bottle $12--$23.