Sophisticated Spirits

• Liquors that normally go into martinis like vodka and gin will work with sour mix, which complements vodka's whisper of flavor and gin's juniper hints. The simplest cocktails with these two liquors are a vodka sour and a gin sour, which are just equal parts liquor and sour mix on the rocks. A more daring vodka and sour mix cocktail is the French martini, which is three parts vodka, two parts each raspberry and orange liqueurs and one part sour mix chilled and served up. For a colorful gin cocktail, try a pink lady martini -- three parts gin, six parts sour mix, two parts light cream and a dash of grenadine shaken and served in a martini glass.

Southern Favorites

• Sour mix also blends well with liquors that have south-of-the-border origins like tequila and rum. The sour mix tamps down tequila's bite and rum's sweetness balances the mix's tartness. A couple of tasty rum and sour mix cocktails include a banana daiquiri, which is six parts each rum and sour mix and three parts banana liqueur, and the midnight express cocktail, which is six parts dark rum, three parts lime juice, two parts orange liqueur and a few splashes of sour mix. For tequila and sour mixed drinks, try one of many different types of margaritas, such as a Catalina margarita, made up of four parts tequila, two parts each peach schnapps and blue Curacao and eight parts sour mix. Substitute the liqueurs with elderflower liqueur for an elder margarita.

Across the Pond

• Whiskey, both Kentucky whiskey and Scotch whisky, also make good bases for sour mix cocktails. The peppery sweetness of the liquors meshes well with sour mix's citrus flavors. One wintery Scotch whisky and sour mix cocktail is the whisky the pooh, which is four parts Scotch whisky, two parts sour mix and a couple of dashes of honey served either hot or cold. Tasty American whiskey and sour mix drinks include the Bessemer-- two parts whiskey, four parts sour mix and one part whiskey liqueur served on the rocks -- and the down-home punch, which is two parts whiskey, one part each peach schnapps and triple sec on the rocks topped with equal parts orange juice and sour mix.

Fancy Flavors

• Sour mix also blends well with the sweetness of both regular and flavored brandies as well as the regionally specific Cognac brandy. A tropical-themed regular brandy cocktail is the Maui breeze, which one part each brandy, amaretto liqueur and triple sec, two parts each sour mix and guava juice and four parts orange juice served blended or on the rocks. A tasty flavored brandy mixed drink is the 104 percent, which is two parts apricot brandy and on part each raspberry liqueur and butterscotch schnapps on the rocks and topped with sour mix. If you feel like mixing your Cognac instead of sipping it from a snifter, try a Cognac martini, which is equal parts Cognac, sour mix and triple sec shaken then strained into a martini glass.