It’s an astonishing and wondrous time to be a drinker in Boston. In a town where it was once hard to find a properly made Negroni, never mind a nip of Fernet-Branca, tipplers can now patronize establishments large and small that sling serious drinks, where bartenders channel the spirit of the pre-Prohibition halcyon era of cocktails and the 1930s advent of high-craft Tiki drinks. Better yet, there’s a culture of innovation at work, a community of artisans feeding off each other to exploit our century’s unprecedented global array of intriguing spirits, fortified and aromatized wines, bitters, syrups and shrubs, plus a botanical garden’s worth of fresh fruits, herbs and spices. Every new indie restaurant seems to open with a serious bar program; bartenders increasingly rely on their kitchens for novel culinary elements to dazzle jaded palates. Stifle that Fireball or dirty vodka martini order for a moment, and consider the offerings of this array of bartending talents both grizzled and fresh-faced. And thank your lucky stars you arrived on time for Boston’s new Golden Age of Cocktails.

Click Below to see all twelve bartenders.