Get some history with your hooch at this swanky bar’s hyperniche mixo classes, which pair technical knowhow with cocktail lore. Casual drinkers should opt for the one-session master class—which runs five times a year and tracks the evolution of the cocktail (costs vary; the most recent was $150)—but enthusiasts can arrange private crash courses. What’s more, classes are customizable: Some of the best bartenders in town can essentially become personal instructors for you and your pals ($50 to $150 a head per session, including booze).

How to: Make the perfect Mojito

“Drop some mint leaves into a Collins glass, and use a muddler to barely bruise them.Add a little sugar. Measure two ounces of a good five-year-old rum, and pour just a little of it into the glass. Toss in three-quarters of an ounce of lime juice, three-quarters of an ounce of simple syrup, and the rest of the rum. Pop a little soda in there, add ice, give it a good stir, and put a bunch more mint on top so you can smell it when you’re drinking.” —Eden Laurin, managing partner of the Violet Hour