Recipes
Making a great drink is easier than you think with delicious premium spirits.
- Purple Cocktails
- Classic cocktails
- Easy Cocktails
- Punch Cocktails
- Frozen Cocktails
- Mojito Cocktails
Classic Cocktails
What defines a classic cocktail? Staying power. Frank Sinatra drank the same martinis that barflies drink today. Plantation kings downed fine Mojitos in vibrant old Havana. Southern belles sipped frozen Juleps long before the railroads. Cocktail recipes may move with the times – but the classics endure.
Classic Cocktails
From a perfectly balanced daiquiri to a refreshing mint julep, here are classic cocktail recipes.
This drink was a favorite of American expats during Prohibition. Prior to then it was known as the Milano-Torino, for the cities where its two main ingredients were first made: Milan (Campari) and Turin (sweet vermouth).
The origin of this classic rum cocktail is one of the great debates in tikidom. Both Ernest Beaumont-Gantt (a.k.a. "Donn Beach," the father of tiki culture) and Trader Vic founder Victor Bergeron lay claim to its invention. This version borrows from Beaumont-Gantt's recipe, which adds dashes of Pernod and Angostura bitters for complexity.
Hidetsugo Ueno currently uses the exquisite French Dolin rouge vermouth in his Negronis, but you may want to experiment with different sweet vermouths—Martini & Rossi, Cinzano, Carpano Antica Formula—or try a bittersweet one like Punt e Mes.
Daiquiris often mean frozen drinks flavored with commercial sour mix and cheap rum. Leo Robitschek loves introducing people to the real deal: "They're shocked that three simple ingredients can create such a complex drink."
Classic Daiquiri
The daiquiri originated in Cuba, and is one of the great cocktails of the world.
The original martini, allegedly invented in the U.S. in the 1860s, was made with sweet vermouth. One of the first recipes for a dry martini, made with dry vermouth, appeared in Frank P. Newman's 1904 American Bar.
Old-Fashioned
Mixologists around the world make this fizzy, lemony drink with gin, but New Orleans bartenders opt for cognac.
The earliest known printed recipe for the Manhattan was published in O. H. Byron's 1884 Modern Bartenders' Guide, which cites two versions: one made with French vermouth, the other with Italian.
Robert Vermeire's 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them attributes the sidecar to the celebrated bartender MacGarry, who worked at London's Buck's Club.
Dark 'n Stormy
According to a Gosling's Rum tale, this drink was invented more than 100 years ago when members of Bermuda's Royal Naval Officer's Club added a splash of the local rum to their spicy homemade ginger beer. They described its ominous hue as "the color of a cloud only a fool or dead man would sail under."
As the story goes, Ernest Beaumont-Gantt created this potent drink in the 1930s and named it for its mind-altering effect after a friend consumed three of them. This lower-proof version is made with Velvet Falernum, an almond-and-lime-flavored liqueur that's a key ingredient in many tiki drinks.
Cuba Libre
The best kind of cola to use in this drink is Mexican Coca-Cola or another brand made with cane sugar. Sugar-based colas have a crisper, cleaner flavor than the more readily available ones made with high-fructose corn syrup.
Limoncello Collins
The Collins was most likely named after 19th-century bartender John Collins of London's Limmer's Hotel. The Tom Collins was originally made with Old Tom, a sweet style of gin that's extremely hard to find today.
Zee Spotted Pig Bloody Mary
Bartender Anna Vanderzee suggests making the mix for this recipe one day in advance to allow the spices and horseradish to marry with the tomato juice.
According to master mixologist Dale DeGroff, a drink called the Tequila Daisy was served at Tijuana’s Agua Caliente racetrack in the 1920s. It was made with lemon juice, tequila and a sweet ingredient—the template for a Margarita.
Mint Julep
When New Orleans bartender Chris McMillian mixes mint juleps, he recites an ode, written in the 1890s by a Kentucky newspaperman, that calls the cocktail "the zenith of man's pleasure. the very dream of drinks."
Daniel Boulud's Caipirinha
Sweet, tart and strong, the caipirinha is mixed with the Brazilian spirit cachaça. Cachaça is similar to rum but made from sugarcane rather than molasses. "It's more sophisticated than rum because it's more pure," says Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, patriotically.
Hemingway Daiquiri
In his 2001 book Straight Up or On the Rocks, William Grimes claims that Ernest Hemingway "often worked his way through about a dozen of these lime slurpees, sometimes ordering doubles, which became known as Papa Dobles."
Pisco Sour
The national cocktail of Chile and Peru, this drink may have evolved from the Pisco Punch, which was all the rage in San Francisco during the 1849 gold rush.
The oldest-known recipe for the mojito appeared as the Mojo de Ron in a 1929 Cuban guide called Libro de Cocktail (The Cocktail Book).
Pimm's Iced Tea
Pimm's No. 1, a gin-based aperitif invented by London bar owner James Pimm in 1823, is the quintessential English summer-afternoon drink (and the traditional drink of Wimbledon). Here, Jamie Boudreau combines it with tea, another beloved British beverage.
Champagne Cocktail
At the revamped Merchants restaurant in a 118-year-old Nashville building, suspender-clad mixologists serve old-school drinks like this one from the mid-19th century.
The Classic Cocktails
Classic Cocktail Recipes
But did you know the first appearance of the cocktail in written word was well before the prohibition? In 1803, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, this phrase was penned on April 28 in the Farmer’s Cabinent:
Drank a glass of cocktail—excellent for the head‥. Call’d at the Doct’s.‥drank another glass of cocktail.
While the doctor may not have prescribed a gin sling for you, why not mix yourself up a Negroni, or an old fashioned cocktail, perfect for a cold winter day?
These Classic Cocktail recipes are here for your mixing pleasure. So mix up a few at home, and learn a bit about cocktail history along the way.
Classic Cocktails
These 32 cocktails range from simple, pared-down masterpieces to frothy dessert-like concoctions, but what they all have in common is their staying power; they're just as good now as when they were invented. From negronis to martinis to Sazeracs, here are the essential drinks to add to your repertoire.
Credited to Harry McElhone, the famed proprietor of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris where the Bloody Mary originated, the Monkey Gland is a classic 1920s cocktail that balances gin and fresh orange juice with a splash of Absinthe and a little pomegranate grenadine.
Scotch, Cherry Heering, vermouth, and orange juice create a smoky-sweet effect, equally good topped with extra juice and served for brunch.
The Sazerac—a combination of rye, absinthe, sugar, and Peychaud's bitters—is the official cocktail of New Orleans.
A combination of vodka, tomato juice, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire, and fresh ground spices is simple, classic, and always delicious.
Crisp, clean, and balanced, the daiquiri was a favorite of Hemingway.
Kentucky Club Margarita
Made without simple syrup, this elegant shaken margarita is more tart than sweet.
Bourbon is an unabashedly Southern spirit, but this classic cocktail was invented in the heart of Yankeedom: New York City.
This smooth and sweet vintage cocktail is a cream-based variation on the vodka and coffee liqueur libation that became known as the Black Russian in the late '40s. Some credit the White Russian's resurgence in popularity to 1998 cult classic The Big Lebowski, in which the lead character "The Dude" consumes little else.
Equal parts gin, chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, this is an old-fashioned cocktail that feels awfully modern.
"Trader Vic" Bergeron came up with this floral drink to showcase a 17-year-old gold Jamaican rum. Once all his bottles were gone, he re-created the drink's complex flavor by layering two very different rums in the same drink.
Popularized by the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, this classic cocktail is part of a succession of "Corpse Revivers" originally devised as a hangover cure. An ice-cold nip of this elixir is refreshing, astringent, and strong enough to perk up the senses.
Donn Beach, the founding father of tiki bars and restaurants, set a limit of two per customer for this potent drink made with three kinds of rum, citrus, and spice.
Just a few ingredients add up to a complex whole in this Gilded Age cocktail, an ideal vehicle for a rich VSOP cognac.
This tart, warming cocktail is perfect all year.
Vodka is the traditional spirit for this bright, briny cooler, but gin adds a wonderful, aromatic dimension.
Experiencing the Tom and Jerry is like sipping a hot toddy through a brandy-laced, nutmeg-dusted froth. Serve this thick, batter-like concoction at your next holiday gathering.
Joe Gilmore, legendary Head Barman at the Savoy Hotel's American Bar, invented this cocktail in 1969 to commemorate the first moon landing. The drink—a combination of grapefruit, orange liqueur, and a hint of rosewater, topped with Champagne—was the first thing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin sipped upon returning to earth.
This version of the classic three-ingredient cocktail—which combines three parts bourbon to one part of a simple syrup bracingly infused with fresh spearmint—is sanctioned by the Kentucky Derby itself as their official mint julep recipe.
Named for the famous hat-shaped restaurant, this simple cocktail of bourbon and grapefruit was the signature drink at LA's 1930s Vendome Club.
The recipe for this potent drink, named for the French Quarter, or Vieux Carré ("old square" in French), comes from the Hotel Monteleone's rotating Carousel Bar. This recipe first appeared in our April 2013 special feature on New Orleans.
This classic cocktail was likely invented at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, circa 1931.
In the 1880s, Old Tom gin, a style with quite a bit more sweetness than London dry, was just beginning to gain popularity in America. This is the drink that put it over the top.
A bartender at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, invented this cocktail, ostensibly to mask the flavor of bourbon for a Civil War veteran and club member who didn't cotton to its flavor.
Gin was invented in Holland, where it was called jenever (for the juniper berries with which it is flavored), and made its way to England in the 1600s. The gin and tonic was almost certainly developed in the tropics by the English, where quinine-dosed tonic water would have been valued for its medicinal properties as well as its flavor. The nicely bitter flavor of tonic offsets gin's faintly herbal flavor admirably.
When Ernest Hemingway "liberated" the bar at L'Hotel Ritz in Paris in 1944, he bought martinis for everybody. Even in peacetime, gin lovers consider this a perfectly acceptable gesture.
The simple method of mixing champagne and orange juice, popularized in Paris and London in the 1920s, has an enduring appeal.
Penny De Los Santos
There's zero room for variation in the Negroni, which calls for equal parts gin, Campari, and vermouth with an orange garnish. It's clean, potent, and flawless.
Fruit-and-wine cobblers were popular in the United States in the mid-1800s. Author David Wondrich considers this one to be "as simple and tasty a drink as has ever been concocted by the hands of mankind." In it, a touch of citrus offsets the sherry's nutty character.
Named for an innovative piece of French artillery and comprising just four ingredients--gin, lemon, simple syrup, Champagne--the French 75, when made properly, features nose-tickling bubbly as the gateway to a perfectly integrated combination of floral gin and citrus.
Named after Ernest Hemingway's 1932 novel about the rituals of bullfighting, this champagne cocktail takes its greenish hue from a splash of absinthe.
Penny De Los Santos
One of Mexico's most popular cocktails, the Paloma is a perfectly refreshing combination of sweet and tart with grapefruit, lime, and a pinch of salt.
The recipe for this classic, layered cocktail originally appeared in Bottoms Up! Y Como!, a brochure published in 1934 by the Agua Caliente resort in Tijuana, Mexico.
Penny De Los Santos
Recipes
At Saveur, we recommend all kinds of products we think you'll love. In some cases, we receive a commission for purchases made through this site, but if a product link shows up in an editorial article, it's there for one reason: We love it. End of story.
Copyright © 2017 SAVEUR. A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
23 Classic Cocktails You Need to Know How to Make
23 classic cocktails you should know how to make, from Manhattans to Margaritas
Knowing how to make classic cocktails is important . There's only one problem: There are a lot of them. Unless you're a bartender, there's no way you'll remember what goes into a Sazerac or the proportions of a Moscow Mule. Lucky for you, we've rounded up the 23 most important stalwart drinks to know how to make, from a Manhattan to a Daiquiri to a simple whiskey on the rocks. Check them out in the slideshow and get shaking (and stirring).
It’s the original 1:1:1 cocktail (equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari), but Chiltern Firehouse in London tweaked the ratio on this bittersweet Italian classic. This is part of BA's Best , a collection of our essential recipes.
BA's Best Old-Fashioned
If you want a more intense orange flavor for this Old-Fashioned recipe, use orange bitters, or muddle 2 thin orange wedges with the sugar, then strain into a rocks glass and proceed as written. This is part of BA's Best , a collection of our essential recipes.
New-New Bloody Mary
Our favorite Bloody Mary is an instant classic. Great-quality tomato juice, bright lemon juice, savory Worcestershire, and a tangy hot sauce deliver on all fronts.
You’ll notice there’s no triple sec. Trust us, it’s better this way. This is part of BA's Best , a collection of our essential recipes.
There’s a simple structure behind all sours, a family of citrus-based cocktails.
Classic Whiskey Smash
This drink is just as refreshing when made with gin, vodka, or rum. To watch a video of Andrew Knowlton making this classic cocktail, click here .
Sloe gin, used in this drink from Josephine House, Austin, is a liqueur made by steeping sloe berries (sour wild plums) in gin with some sugar.
Boulevardier
Named for The Boulevardier magazine, this Prohibition-era cocktail was a favorite among American expatriates living in Paris.
Gin and Tonic
The Gin and Tonic is swinging again, thanks to new distillers who have made gin cool. And it doesn't get more classic than this recipe.
Spiced Dark and Stormy
The longer the spices infuse in the rum, the more flavorful this dark and stormy will be.
Mix this New Orleans classic hours ahead of time, says Andrew Volk, of Maine's Portland Hunt & Alpine Club, and serving it is as simple as pouring a pitcher of lemonade.
Joly’s Pisco Sour
"More great expressions of pisco are making their way into the States, with a huge array of flavor profiles, from rustic and edgy, to delicate and floral. La Diablada is cool stuff." —Charles Joly, bartender, The Aviary , Chicago
The Pimm's Cup
Make this quintessentially-British garden drink to kick off the summer.
Moscow Mule
This vodka cocktail is having a moment, copper mug and all.
Martini drinker? Try this Italian take on the Vesper, which uses the slightly sweet aperitif Cocchi Americano.
The elegant Cuban combo of lime and rum has nothing to do with the syrupy slush you’ll find at swim-up bars.
Mint Julep
This bourbon cocktail is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
Be sure to thoroughly muddle the 2 mint sprigs with the simple syrup before shaking. This is part of BA's Best , a collection of our essential recipes.
Cosmopolitan
We will avoid all Sex and the City references here, but the fact remains: This cocktail is classic for a reason.
Pour Over Irish Coffee
They use a pour over coffee method, pouring the whiskey and water over the coffee right at the bar.
Tom Collins Bar
Aside from banana, we can’t think of a fruit that wouldn’t be good in this drink.
It just may be the perfect cocktail. There, we said it. This is part of BA's Best , a collection of our essential recipes.
Gin and Champagne make a bubbly wonderful duo, which is why this classic cocktail is always a good idea. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table .
GET THE MAGAZINE
Sign up for the Bon Appétit
Newsletter
Will be used in accordance with our user agreement and privacy policy
Explore Bon Appétit
© 2017 Condé Nast. All rights reserved
Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 1/2/2014) and Privacy Policy (effective 1/2/2014).
Bon Appétit may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our affiliate partnerships with retailers.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.
10 Classic Cocktails
Meet the timeless standards of the cocktail playbook. Mix up these classic adult beverages for your next party or home happy hour.
1) Martini (Gin, vermouth)
Sometimes made with vodka, this is a classic, clear, and very strong cocktail. Serve chilled in (you guessed it) a martini glass.
Classic Martini with Olive | Photo by Meredith
2) Manhattan (Rye whiskey, vermouth)
Similar to the martini, but with a touch of sweetness. This 100-year-old cocktail can also be made with bourbon. Serve in a martini glass or a short tumbler--always chilled.
Photo by Meredith
3) Bloody Mary (Vodka)
Usually served at breakfast or brunch, the Bloody Mary is easy to customize depending on how strong you like your drinks--and how much spice you can handle. Serve over ice in a tall glass with the vegetable garnish of your choice.
Photo by Meredith
4) Margarita (Tequila, triple sec)
A sweet party drink that's easy to make in batches. Blend in some fruit for extra flavor. You can serve in special rounded margarita glasses or whatever's handy (serving in a mason jar is increasingly popular).
Photo by Meredith
5) Old Fashioned (Whiskey)
A sweet, sophisticated cocktail that's simple to make and goes down smooth. Serve over ice in a short tumbler (also known as an Old Fashioned glass).
Photo by Meredith
6) Mojito (White rum)
A refreshing Cuban classic made with fresh mint. Sweet and fruity on hot summer days. Serve over ice in a tall glass.
Photo by Meredith
7) Daiquiri (Rum)
An easy, sweet, and slushy blender drink. Serve in a chilled martini or margarita glass.
Photo by Meredith
8) Gin and Tonic
The good 'ol G&T is a dead-simple summer drink, and a good reason to stay stocked up on fresh limes. Serve over ice in a short tumbler.
Photo by Meredith
9) Screwdriver (Vodka)
Also called vodka and orange juice, because that's all it is! Easy to make as weak or as strong as you like. Typically served at breakfast or brunch in a tall glass over ice.
Photo by Meredith
10) Gimlet (Gin)
A classy Gin and sweetened lime juice (Rose's is the most common brand). Also sometimes made with vodka. Serve in a martini glass or short tumbler.
Photo by Meredith
Follow Me to More Articles & Tips
About Carl Hanson
Carl will eat that. Share with him @CarlNo9 on Twitter.
21 Must Try Classic Cocktail Recipes
You have heard about, seen it and possibly gone out and tried it yourself. What am I talking about? The 21 Drink Salute. You know the one. Turn twenty-one and it is the rite of passage to go out and drink twenty-one alcoholic drinks within the day. This rite of passage is a bad idea for reasons too numerous to count.
However, thinking on the whole idea of people going out to drink when they turn twenty-one sets the thinking cap in motion. They are dipping into the waters of drinking, assuming they have never imbibed before coming of age. These newbie drinkers will try anything their buddies place before them and dare them to throw down the hatch. Not a quality drinking experience to be sure. But it gives one pause to think. There certainly are a fair amount of partakers out there who drink whatever is on the cocktail menu or never veer from their tried and true standard.
Why not be like the twenty-one year old newbie and dabble in cocktails that revolutionized the cocktail as we know it? Instead of trying them all in one day, take the time to savor the flavor.
2 ounces Sweet Vermouth
Orange Slice for Garnish
Fill a Collins glass two-thirds full of ice. Pour in Campari and Sweet Vermouth. Top off with club soda. Garnish with orange slice.
Bacardi Cocktail
1 ounce Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 ounce Grenadine
Maraschino Cherry for Garnish
Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry dropped to the center. Bacardi Rum must be used in this cocktail for it to be a true Bacardi Cocktail.
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Prosecco Sparkling Wine
Peach Slice for Garnish
Pour pureed white peaches and lemon juice in bottom of a champagne flute. Carefully top off with Prosecco. Stir gently. Garnish with peach slice. A 1/4 ounce of peach schnapps may be added to the pureed white peaches to give this cocktail added punch.
Black Russian and White Russian
2 ounces Espresso Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua Especial
Fill a rocks glass two-thirds full of ice. Build drink in glass beginning with vodka and then Kahlua. Insert stir straw.
1 ounce Kahlua Especial
1 ounce Half & Half
Build ingredients in a rocks glass over ice. Stir.
Bloody Mary
1/2 Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
6-8 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
4-6 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
2-3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
3 Dashes Celery Salt
2 Dashes White Pepper
2 Dashes Garlic Powder
2 Dashes Onion Powder
Coarse salt for rimming
Garnishes: Celery stalk is standard. Try a dill pickle spear, jalapeño stuff olives on a skewer or shrimp cocktail for something off the beaten track.
Rim a Collins glass with salt. Fill glass half full with ice. Season ice with sauces, bitters, powders, peppers and salts. Pour in vodka. Top off with Clamato Juice leaving a half inch at the rim of the glass. Squeeze in lime and drop into glass. Garnish. For a fantastic Bloody Mary Vodka infusion recipe click on my recipe here Bloody Mary
Buck’s Fizz
Pour freshly squeezed orange juice into the bottom of a champagne flute. Carefully top off with Brut Champagne.
1 lime cut into wedges
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Place lime wedges in cocktail shaker, reserving one for garnish. Muddle. Pour Cachaca and bar syrup into cocktail shaker and fill two-thirds with ice. Shake to combine well. Place ice into old-fashioned glass. Do not overfill. Strain contents of shaker into glass. Garnish with one reserved lime wedge.
Champagne Cosmopolitan
The Cosmo has been done so many times, so here is one with a twist from a friend of mine, Dan Crowell.
1 dash Premium Orange Liqueur
1-1/2 ounce Cranberry Juice
1/2 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 ounce Moet & Chandon White Star Champagne
Shake Vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice and lime juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top off with champagne. Garnish with orange twist.
Harvey Wallbanger
1/2 ounce Galliano
Build in a Collins glass filled two-thirds full of ice. Pour in the vodka. Add orange juice leaving room for the Galliano to float on top. A simple drink yes, but how often do you find Galliano in a cocktail?
Horse’s Neck with a Kick
2-1/2 ounces Bourbon
3 dashes Classic Bitters
Garnish: Peel entire rind of a large lemon in a spiral and place in glass with end hanging over rim
Pour ingredients into an ice filled Collins glass. Stir. Add garnish.
Irish Coffee Sweetened and Unsweetened
1-1/4 ounce Irish Whiskey
Hot Strong Coffee
Whipped Cream (optional)
Three Whole Coffee Beans for Garnish
Place a metal spoon in hot toddy glass. Measure in whiskey. Top off with hot coffee. Optional whipped cream may be added to the top with three coffee beans sprinkled on top.
1/2 ounce Irish Whiskey
3/4 ounce Irish Cream
Hot Strong Coffee
Whipped Cream (optional)
Three Whole Coffee Beans or three chocolate covered espresso beans for Garnish
Place metal spoon in hot toddy glass. Measure in whiskey and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Top off with coffee. Optional whipped cream may be added to the top with coffee bean garnish sprinkled atop.
Kamikaze Cocktail
While most twenty-one year olds are throwing back shots, this Kamikaze is a cocktail instead. An easy way to remember this one; throwing back too many will make for a V ery T ough L anding.
1 ounce Triple Sec
3/4 ounce Lemon Juice
Lime Wedge for Garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled two-thirds full of ice. Shake for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a well chilled cocktail shaker. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Original Mai Tai & Variation
This is an adaptation of the original formula as interpreted in The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan.
2 ounces 17 year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican Rum
1/2 ounce French Garnier Orgeat
1/2 Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 Sprig Fresh Mint for Garnish
Combine all liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled half with crushed ice. Add mint sprig garnish.
These ingredients are much easier to find and this makes a fantastic Mai Tai. Credited to Dan Crowell.
2 ounces 10 Cane Rum (or 1 ounce each 10 Cane and Captain Morgan Private Stock)
3/4 ounce Orange Curacao
3/4 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 ounce Orgeat Syrup
2 Mint Springs & Lime Wedge for Garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third with ice. Shake well. Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint springs and wedge of lime.
Manhattan – Dry, Perfect, Sweet
2-1/2 ounces Bourbon
1 ounce Dry Vermouth
3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Orange Twist for Garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.
2-1/2 ounce Bourbon
1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth
1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth
3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Orange Peel & Maraschino Cherry for Garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a skewered maraschino cherry wrapped with an orange peel creating a flag.
2-1/2 ounces Bourbon
1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
Bar Spoon of Syrup from Maraschino Cherry Jar
3 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Maraschino Cherry for Garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry.
Everyone has their version of the perfect Margarita and their favorite tequila to add to the equation. Here is a basic recipe to build upon so you won’t have to pick up a mix from the corner grocery.
1 ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
Lime Wedge for Garnish
Salt for Rimming
Rim edge of margarita glass with salt. Combine liquid ingredients in cocktail shaker filled two-thirds with ice. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Place ice in margarita glass. Strain contents of shaker into margarita glass. Garnish with lime wedge. To upgrade this margarita use quality tequilas such as Patron Silver or Reposado and Cointreau or Grand Marnier in place of the Triple Sec.
A“real” martini doesn’t have to be difficult, yet there are so many ways to mess it up. Stirred, shaken, up with a twist (is that a lemon or lime?), with an olive (stuffed with blue cheese, almonds, jalapeño, or pimento?) gin or vodka and did you say dirty or dry or extra dry? Oh, so many questions. This martini is pretty straight forward. When you saddle up at the bar all you have to say is, “Tanqueray 10 Martini dry, up with a twist, please” and then sit back and watch an inexperienced bartender squirm and an experienced bartender do their job. Make sure you get that “please” and “thank you” in there with a nice tip.
Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
Place ice in a martini glass. Drizzle approximately 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of dry vermouth in the ice and set aside. Measure out Tanqueray 10 Gin into a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice. Shake or swirl the gin (depending on your theory of “bruising” the gin) for at least fifteen seconds. Your goal is to chill the gin thoroughly. Take the martini glass with vermouth in hand. Swirl the glass so the vermouth coats the inside and pour out. Do not shake the glass until every drop is gone. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the vermouth coated martini glass. Take your lemon twist and circle it around the rim of the martini glass before placing it halfway on the edge and partially inside the gin as garnish. Serve and drink while still chilled.
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
Orange Twist for Garnish
Fill an old-fashioned glass half to two-thirds full of ice. Add liquid ingredients in the order given. Garnish with orange twist.
Old Fashioned
There is much debate over what is “real” Old Fashioned and what is just a fruity version of one. Muddle if you like or don’t. The point is to enjoy your drink.
2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 Maraschino Cherries (save one for garnish)
2 orange slices (save one for garnish)
Bar Spoon of Maraschino Cherry Juice from Jar – optional for sweeter version
Place all ingredients (save one cherry and one orange slice) into a cocktail shaker. Muddle lightly. Fill one-third full of ice. Shake for ten to fifteen seconds. Fill an old-fashioned glass half full with ice. Strain contents of shaker into old-fashioned glass. Garnish with cherry and orange slice skewered.
Orgasm Cocktail
1-1/2 ounce Cointreau
1-1/2 ounce Irish Cream
1 ounce Grand Marnier
Maraschino Cherry for Garnish
Fill an old-fashioned glass half full with ice. Place ingredients in glass in the order given. Garnish with cherry. Insert cocktail stirrer.
1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Maraschino Cherry for Garnish
Place liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the maraschino cherry. This drink can also be built in an old-fashioned glass on the rocks.
This twist on an old favorite is proof that an old dog can be taught new tricks.
2-1/4 ounces Freshly Squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
Bar Spoon of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Salt for rimming
Rim a chilled cocktail glass with salt and set aside. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for ten to fifteen seconds until well mixed. Strain into salt rimmed cocktail glass.
Suggested drinks from reader are listed below:
Gin & Tonic
3 to 4 ounces Tonic Water
Build over fresh ice in Collins glass. Garnish with squeeze of lime.
Long Island Iced Tea
1/2 ounce Tequila Blanco
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
1/2 to 1 ounce Cola
Lemon Slice Garnish
Build over fresh ice in Collins or Sling style glass saving cola topper as last addition. Stir. Garnish with lemon slice.
Russian Quaylude Shot
1/2 ounce Galliano
1/2 ounce Green Chartreuse
Layer chilled liquids in order given in chilled shot glass. Layering can be achieved by slowly pouring liquids over back of bar spoon.
That is it for the “21 Must Try Cocktails” on this list. Of course these are only a few of the basics. Some you may have tried or thought you would get around to one day. Why not today?
Many more classic cocktails have been suggested as Top 10 classic cocktail favorites. Have a suggestion to add to the list? Add a comment or send me a tweet of your top 10 classic drink favorites.
Subscribe to the monthly Newsletter
All content ©2015 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist
Cheri Loughlin is the Omaha writer and photographer behind www.intoxicologist.net and author of Cocktails with a Tryst: An Affair with Mixology and Seduction. You can email Cheri with comments and questions at str8upcocktails@gmail.com.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE.
Sweet manhattan? Long Island? Old fashioned with tons of cherry juice? Furthest thing from an actual list of cocktails that I’ve ever seen. Obviously done by a person in their low 20’s from the midwest.
kindly send me more created cocktails iam going for a competition national wide and ill appreciate thankyou
superb. This will add my cocktail collection.
I designed this drink in 1995, when I was a cocktail Lounge Owner. Its called an
1 0unce of Vodka ( I perfer Russian )
half ounce of Blu Maui ( Blue Hawaiian Schnapps )
4-6 ounces of orange juice ( depending on if using a ball glass or a 10 ounce tea glass )
pour over Ice or if making summer beach cocktails, blend all ingredients in blender for an AntiFreeze Slushy.
Garnish with lime wedge. Enjoy.
BTW, This taste so Yummy, kool-aid without the syurpy sweetness..goes down smooth, able to drink plenty, without belly ache next day. ;)
From what I understand you’re supposed to stir spirit forward drinks like the manhattan, not shake them.
That is indeed a correct way to do it. I’ve also seen accomplished and well known bartenders shake spirit forward drinks. My thought on the whole thing is make drinks how you’re comfortable and how they taste best to you. If you prefer stirring versus shaking, by all means do so. I do both. But shake gently if I choose that way or sometimes swirl in a shaker until it is chilled. It’s what is best or most suited to circumstances at the time.
Classic Cocktails
You don't need to be a seasoned bartender to mix up your favorite classic cocktails. With top-notch ingredients and simple techniques, these time-honored drink recipes are easy to make any time. So send out the cocktail party invites or plan a relaxing night in with the classics, from cooling mint juleps to sophisticated Manhattans.
Popular In Cocktails
Margarita Recipes
Pitcher Cocktail Recipes
35+ Refreshing Summer Drinks
Make These Cocktails, Pretend You're On Vacation
Everything In This Slideshow
Whiskey Sour
Bring vintage flair to your next cocktail party with our so-easy whiskey sour recipe -- no cocktail shaker required. Splashes of lemon and lime juice balance the sharp flavor of your favorite whiskey. A hint of sugar sweetens each sip.
Classic Margarita
There are hundreds of variations of the popular tequila drink, but our classic on-the-rocks recipe stays true to its Mexican roots. Fresh-squeezed lime juice cools the earthy taste of tequila, and triple sec adds an extra splash of citrus. Rimming the glasses with fine sugar creates delicious contrast.
With sparkling wine, peach nectar, and fresh fruit, oh-so-simple bellinis lend an air of sophistication to any occasion. We love the way the sweet peach balances the crisp wine. Add a few raspberries to each glass for an added burst of color.
Bloody Mary
This popular vodka cocktail's claim to fame is its unique and spicy blend of tangy tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Bloody Marys are easy to mix, so get creative and experiment with the ingredients to hone in on your ideal recipe.
Pisco Sour
The pisco sour, a traditional South American drink, is a refreshing balance of savory and sweet. With pisco (a spicy brandy), guava nectar, and angostura bitters (at 90 proof, a potent mixer), our cocktail calls for lime wedges and fresh mint to cool down each sip.
Old-Fashioned
The old-fashioned is just that. Originating in the late 1800s, this drink's long-lived popularity is a testament to its delicious flavor. A dash of sugar muddled with bitters and an orange slice makes a citrusy-sweet base for this classic bourbon cocktail. Serve on the rocks in glass tumblers with a maraschino cherry.
This traditional Cuban cocktail might be the last word in refreshing drinks. Smooth light rum takes on a tart, cooling flavor as it's poured over muddled mint, sugar, and lime juice. Finish with extra mint leaves and lime wedges.
How to Make a Mojito: 5 Easy Steps
You'll be the hit of your next party when you show off your mojito-making skills. It's easier than you think -- just follow our simple tips!
Brandy, lemon juice, and orange liqueur join forces in the simple, no-frills sidecar. The citrus liqueurs complement the spiced brandy, and a lemon peel twist adds color and zest. Serve in a chilled martini glass or on the rocks in a glass tumbler.
With just three ingredients and a maraschino cherry, Manhattans are as easy to make as they are timeless. Full-bodied bourbon, vermouth, and a dash of bitters are shaken and strained into a chilled glass for one seriously sophisticated classic cocktail.
Become a Cocktail Guru
Our NEW digital cocktail guide has everything you need to make the most delicious cocktails for any event.
Rum and Cola
You don't need to be at the bar or on the beach to relax with a rum and cola. With just four ingredients, it's easy to mix up your own batch at home. Diet soda helps keep each drink to 107 calories, and a splash of amaretto adds a delicous hint of almond flavor. Top each glass with a pretty orange peel twist.
Whether you prefer your martini shaken or stirred, these classic cocktails add a touch of sophistication to any occasion. Choose gin or vodka, then shake with dry vermouth and strain into a martini glass. A lemon peel twist or a toothpick threaded with olives makes a timeless finishing touch.
Mint Julep
This southern belle of cocktails has a rich history, but it's best known as the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. With three simple ingredients -- muddled fresh mint leaves, bourbon, and a hint of sugar -- it's easy to see why this popular drink recipe stands the test of time.
Tom Collins
This quick and easy gin cocktail is the perfect choice for your next party, or is just as tasty for a quiet night in. Lemon juice and a hint of sugar add complexity to the gin, and a splash of seltzer water makes each sip refreshing. Garnish with lemon wedges before serving.
Sweetened lime juice helps highlight the flavors of your favorite vodka or gin in our classic gimlet recipe. Shake, strain, and pour into chilled martini glasses with bright lime peel twists.
Sour Apple Martini
You'll love the slightly sour taste of this popular apple cocktail. Start with vodka or gin, then shake with sour apple schnapps. A splash of lemon-lime soda provides bubbles and balance for the tart schnapps.
Orange juice justifies mimosa's brunch-time reputation; bubbly champagne gives it company-worthy appeal. Our recipe features both orange juice and limeade concentrate, so each sip is extra citrusy. Serve with strawberry ice cubes for fruity flavor and a fun pop of color.
Reinvented Classic Cocktails
From deliciously light cucumber Cosmopolitans to decadent Manhattan ice cream floats, these brilliant recipes take the classic cocktail to another level.
The Savoy Daisy
Erik Lorincz updates the classic Daisy cocktail by using muscovado, an unrefined brown sugar with a very moist texture and a strong molasses flavor.
Cucumber Cosmopolitan
This spin on a Cosmopolitan uses Hendrick's, a Scottish gin that's infused with both cucumber and rose petals.
Carrot Colada
A Thai curry of carrots with coconut milk gave Todd Thrasher the idea for this drink.
Sazerac Reborn
Mango Margarita
Bartender David Yan coats the rim of the glass with citrusy Tajin-brand chile powder, but any powdered chile will give the drink a fun kick.
Lychee Gimlet
Lychee nectar balances the tartness of fresh lime juice in this Asian-Peruvian take on the gimlet.
The Un-Usual Suspect
Bartender Kai Braaten offers the Un-Usual Suspect as an alternative to the Negroni, another pleasantly bitter aperitif cocktail. Both drinks use Italian bitters, but Braaten prefers Fernet-Branca's herbal complexity to the Campari in Negronis for this drink.
Grilled Citrus and Grape Sangria
This delicious sangria features grilled lemons, oranges and grapes in either red wine or rosé it’s the perfect drink for an outdoor party.
The Palomaesque Cocktail
The Paloma is a classic Mexican cocktail made with lime juice, tequila and grapefruit soda. Scott Baird makes his version with smoky mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice and Cocchi Americano, the sweet Italian aperitif wine.
Manhattan Ice Cream Float
Gabriel Frasca makes his own bourbon ice cream and cherry syrup for this clever riff on a Manhattan. For his superquick version, he blends vanilla ice cream with bourbon and uses a high-quality black cherry soda like Stewart’s or IBC.
Champagne Mojitos
This puckery drink is prepared with rum and fresh mint like a classic mojito, but New Orleans chef John Besh makes it holiday-worthy by topping it with a splash of Champagne.
XXX Martini
Even Duggan McDonnell's wackiest drinks—like his vodka martini that's spiked with a generous shot of black squid ink—have the sublime balance of a classic cocktail.
Classic Cocktails
Cocktail Recipes
Classic Cocktails
There’s a reason these elegant drinks have endured for so long, and they’re now enjoying a well-deserved renaissance. Try your hand at one of these outstanding originals.
Old-Fashioned
Describing something as old-fashioned isn’t always a compliment. But for this cocktail, it’s the highest form of flattery. Classic, simple and delicious, this drink is a true original.
Created upon request for Sir Winston Churchill’s mother, in one of the world’s most renowned cities. Elegant and in a class of its own, this drink blends whisky with sweet vermouth.
Good tequila is like fine wine, except instead of aging in the cellar, agave plants mature for at least seven years in the Mexican mountains. It’s the backbone of zesty cocktails like the classic Margarita.
Cosmopolitan
This revived classic has been receiving some much deserved adoration in the last couple of decades. It boasts the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Approved by both pillaging pirates and a Nobel Prize winner, The Mojito has become a classic around the world. It's citrusy and refreshingly minty.
The Gin Martini
The British Royal Army, Sir Winston Churchill, and Alfred Hitchcock have all shared in the story of this cocktail. Mixed with dry vermouth, it’s crisp, fragrant and as famous as those who crowned it a classic.
Tom Collins
"Have you seen Tom Collins?" was a running joke in New York City in the late 1800s, which inspired one enterprising bartender. The result: a tall, bold blend of gin and lemon juice that never disappoints when called for.
There are many permutations of the daiquiri, but they all begin here: a blend of rum, lime juice and sugar. Sour and deliciously sweet, this cocktail blends the best of both worlds.
A pitcher of refreshing, chilled sangria is always a summer favourite. This traditional sangria blends red wine, lemon and fresh fruit beautifully.
An Italian Count made a unique request that resulted in this classic. It's rich, dark and belovedly bitter.
English | Français
Information
Policies
Please select a language / S'il vous plaît sélectionner une langue
YOU MUST BE 19 YEARS OF AGE TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ONLY DELIVER IN ONTARIO / VOUS DEVEZ AVOIR AU MOINS 19 ANS POUR ACHETER DE L'ALCOOL. VEUILLEZ NOTER QUE NOUS NE LIVRONS PAS À L'EXTÉRIEUR DE L'ONTARIO.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий