As an expert (self-proclaimed, I might add) of in excess of nine years in the world of spirits, it is somewhat of a goal of mine to try cocktails wherever I go. Through my job in brand management of spirits and wines, I am often guided by a local team interested in impressing their visitors who’ve travelled in for a marketing seminar or brand summit. After years of this, hitting the road for both work and personal trips has become a scavenger hunt to find just the right place to imbibe, striking a balance between atmosphere and bartenders with mixology skills. Nowadays, my friends who travel with me allow me the freedom of dragging them to obscure locations in my quest for these fantastic cocktails. For those who know Harry Potter, in the vein of JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts, use this as a guide as to where to find these epic drinks.

Tip 1: Finding a spot

Ask for recommendations when you’re going to a city for the first time. Use social media to your advantage. Post on Facebook, Instagram for suggestions as to the best cocktail locations to which you’re travelling. I’m at a slight advantage with a network of colleagues who are mixologists, but you never know which friend will have a great spot. Don’t forget to check in with the hotel concierge or staff for cool, niche spots. Scour the Internet using keywords like Best Mixology, Classic Cocktails to get different results than just Nightlife in London. Just wandering around where you’re staying will also yield results. Just be sure you’re (a) in good company and (b) leave a trail of breadcrumbs to get back to where you’re staying. Black Market in the Monti neighbourhood of Rome was a little gem that saw a few visits during a past trip.

Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to try new things

This goes for locations and ingredients. The reason you’re travelling is to experience new things. Get out of your comfort zone of the 876! Don’t stick to red rum and Pepsi because that’s what you drink! And definitely don’t expect to find a ‘Q.’

‘Speakeasies,’ modelled on America’s prohibition era bars that illicitly sold alcohol, often have cool drink lists and an eclectic, vintage atmosphere. In my travels to Amsterdam, Door 74 popped up on a few blogs as somewhere to visit. A few phone calls later (most speakeasies are reservation-only, and they’ll only give the location out over the phone), my friend and I were sipping on a Project Moon Base Cocktail, which featured gin, blackberry and elderflower liqueur, basil, whiskey liqueur and bitters. Ladies and gentlemen, don’t try this at home — leave the mixing to the mixologists! Also, let the mixologist be your guide. Tell them what flavours you like and have them whip up a cocktail.

Tip 3: Go Local

Wouldn’t you be upset if someone told you they came to Jamaica and didn’t try our local rum or beer? Local wines, beers and spirits are a great way to experience the culture and get to know people. I once lugged a bottle of grappa back from Italy because the owner of the vineyard was thrilled to have a visitor all the way from Jamaica (via Miami, which is where I was living at the time). Just as a Planter’s Punch is synonymous with Jamaica, there are local cocktails that are the standard, and, of course, a good mixologist will be able to do a twist on it. Think a mojito in Cuba, Mama Juana in Dominican Republic and any kind of aperitivo in Italy. As long as the neighbourhood is safe, try a dive bar and drink some local beers. While not a cocktail bar, Delirium Cafe in Brussels, Belgium, is known for its long beer list, standing at 2,004 different brands as recorded in The Guinness Book of Records. And trust me, it ain’t fancy, but the atmosphere is completely local, which makes it fun. There’s currency from all over the world, pinned to the walls; look for the Jamaican money we put up!

Tip 4: Really go local

Most of this is about travelling. But let’s not forget about our own backyard of Jamaica. There are some forward-thinking bartenders and mixologists in Jamaica only too willing to create wicked, Jamaican-style cocktails. Fresh, local ingredients are really key to making great drinks, so Scotch-bonnet infusions and ginger extracts all have their place for modern, local drinks. For one that’s pretty easy to try at home, the Stoli Mule by the Bell was created by the winner of the local round of the Stoli Masters Bartender Competition, Kedeisha Mannings of Secrets Resort in Montego Bay.

Some people explore the world via art, some via food; start finding fantastic cocktail and bar experiences wherever you go.