Out of all the many cocktails I've had in Madison, the ones at Merchant are the best. I enjoy making cocktails myself, so I like a place that can at least do better than I can at home. And Merchant definitely does. The drinks are imaginative and the flavors are always well-balanced. There are a lot of places in Madison that try really hard with complex syrups, liqueurs and unique flavors, but then end up failing on the execution somehow. Merchant consistently does it right. My all time favorite drink here is actually just a nice, classic whiskey sour. The cheesecurds are also amazing (if a bit salty, even for cheesecurds), and they're served with a really delicious sauce.