A while back I wrote about blood orange juice, my favorite winter beverage. If you like it a little stronger, Sepia in the West Loop offers a couple of seasonal drinks that really showcase the flavor of this delicious purple-red citrus fruit.

The Blood and Stone, pictured above, is the blood and sand’s deeper, darker cousin — a beautiful concoction of Vida reposado tequila, Heering cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and blood orange juice. It’s a sweet drink, but by no means girly, as it packs a well-balanced punch with the slightly oaky tequila and the tartness of the citrus.

On the lighter side is the Blood Orange Pisco Sour made of blood orange-infused pisco, lemon sour, and egg white, finished with house-made blood orange bitters. This one’s a good chaser for the Blood and Stone because of its refreshing tanginess, and I love the smooth frothiness of any drink shaken up with egg whites.