The Worlds Top 100 Cocktails In 2020

 

 

 

What Are The Most Popular Cocktails In The World?

Our team has painstakingly curated what we believe to be 2020’s top 100 cocktails.

These are not our personal favourites or is it a list hastily thrown together.

We have got to say..there are some really big surprises in this list and the top 10 was not what we expected.

This is the definitive list of the world’s most popular cocktails and is the most comprehensive on the web.

Trust us.

In compiling ‘The 100 Most Popular Cocktails In The World’ we used our own sales data, consulted several leading bartenders and bar owners, about what cocktails are trending.

There are many different types of cocktail on this list from classic to tiki to modern classics. Some are simple enough for the novice home bartender and some very complex.

For any budding home bartender or advanced professional, this is an essential cocktail list. To look at more cocktail recipes and how-to videos click here. You could even go one stage better and buy your cocktails ready made.

Quick Jump The List

Cocktails 100 – 81 Cocktails 80 – 61 Cocktails 60 – 41

Cocktails 40 – 21 Cocktails 20 – 1

100. Monkey Gland

Kicking off proceedings is old-timer, the Monkey Gland. Yep, the name is not particularly appetising, we agree, but don’t let that put you off.

It’s a drink born in the glitz and the glamour of the 1920’s, invented by a bartending maestro you have probably never heard of, Harry McElhone (author of Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails).

Why it’s called the Monkey Gland?

You can find those sordid details yourself – Google Dr Serge Voronoff …we just feel sorry for the monkeys.

Flavour-wise, it’s a fruity number with orange juice and grenadine, with a backbone of anise from the absinthe (yes, we said absinthe, but stick to the spec and don’t add too much or you could wake up with a headache and a whole load of regrets the following day). Holding the whole drink together is the spirit of the moment, your favoured London Dry Gin.

Monkey Gland Recipe

50ml London Dry Gin
15ml Absinthe
15ml Grenadine
60ml Orange Juice

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

99. Mitch Martini

The Mitch Martini was one of the first cocktails we ever made and for that reason holds a special place in our heart. Let’s be honest, it won’t win any awards for complexity and those pretentious bartenders among you will scoff at its fruitiness…but ignore the naysayers!

Created in 1997, at Match Bar London by cocktail bartender Giovanni Burdi, it’s damn fruity. A mix of bison grass vodka (try this if you haven’t – it’s great with apples), peach liqueur, passionfruit and balanced (to a degree!!!) with apple juice.

Popular with those who have a sweet palate, if you like fruit this cocktail has your name written all over it.

Mitch Martini Recipe

50ml Bison Grass Vodka
10ml Peach Liqueur
10ml Passionfruit Syrup
50ml Apple Juice
Garnish: Lemon Zest

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

98. Painkiller

To call this cocktail the Painkiller is a bit grand…for what is essentially a twist on a Pina Colada.

If anything the amount of sugar will give you a headache.

It’s a good drink though and very popular so it gets a nod here at no 98. The interest here lies in the fact the Painkiller Cocktail has been trademarked by Pusser’s Rum (similar to the Dark and Stormy) – it seems Caribbean rums are rather protective of their tiki creations. So don’t go making this cocktail with anything but Pusser’s Rum.

What we are dealing with here is classic tiki – lots of pineapple, coconut and orange underpinned by good old rum.

Perfect if you are lying on the beach in the BVI. A nightmare if it’s 1amin a disco club in London on a wet Saturday night.

Painkiller Recipe

50ml Pusser’s Navy Strength Rum
75ml Pineapple Juice
30ml Orange Juice
30ml Coconut Cream
Garnish: Grated Nutmeg

Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

 

97. Brandy Alexander

Dare we say it…a fantastic cocktail. Fine, it’s another drink that won’t challenge the palate, but you have to ask yourselves – do we want this dessert in a glass to challenge our palate….of course not.

Another treat from the prohibition era, this cocktail evolved from the original Alexander that used gin over brandy. One of those rare occasions when the sequel is more enjoyable, the Brandy Alexander is a globally popular drink.

We love the mix of ingredients in the Brandy Alexander – robust brandy, chocolatey cacao all tempered with rich cream and milk. Great to drink and the original hard milkshake.

Brandy Alexander Recipe

30ml Brandy
25ml Dark Crème De Cacao
50ml Half/Half (1:1 cream/milk)
Garnish: Grated Nutmeg

Shake| Strain | Martini Glass

 

96. Japanese Slipper

Right we will let you into a little secret here…..we have a few schools of cocktails within this resume of the top drinks in the world.

There are the classics. Timeless and respected.

Tiki cocktails which are perfect for the environment they were created in. Fun and colourful.

Then there are the disco drinks. These are the ones that you find on the cursory cocktail list down the local boozer. The ones that no self-respecting bartender, worth his salt, will drink.

Now this is not to get heavy on disco drinks, they are a vital part of cocktail culture, but they tend to be sweet, sometimes lacking character and a bit lairy to look at.

The Japanese Slipper is one of the best of this bunch, created by Jean-Paul Bourguignon (great name) in Mietta’s Restaurant in Melbourne. It’s made with Midori Melon Liqueur, triple sec and lemon juice. So super fruity but with a much-needed acidity. It’s pleasant enough and if you don’t mind wandering around with a fluorescent green cocktail then this is for you.

Japanese Slipper Recipe

30ml Midori
30ml Triple Sec
25ml Lemon Juice
Garnish: Cherry

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

95. Greyhound

So, the Greyhound is a cocktail…by the skin of its teeth.

It’s nothing more than vodka (or gin) served over ice with fresh grapefruit juice and lime. If you see this on a cocktail menu order a vodka grapefruit for a £2 discount. We can’t slate it though as Greyhound cocktails have been supped since the 1940’s and we all know we should respect our elders.

Despite its simplicity, it’s very popular. Grapefruit has a marmite quality to it, so not many grapefruit cocktails get mainstream success.

The Greyhound is a nice refreshing, bitter cocktail.

Greyhound Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka/Gin
75ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Collins Glass

94. Hedgerow Sling

The Hedgerow Sling has quietly maintained its position as one of the great sloe gin cocktails. It’s very much back to basics with this cocktail, balancing sweet and citrus throughout. The harmony you can create by blending lemon juice and sweet liqueur is always fascinating. Brian Duell, the cocktails creator, is known for his simple approach to mixing drinks and bucking the trend of seven or eight ingredient cocktails. He was a bit of a name in the early 2000s and won a lot of competitions for his art.

So, let’s look at the liquid. This cocktail is called the Hedgerow Sling, so its only right and proper that it contains a big hit of berries. Sloe Gin (this is not really a gin, more a liqueur made with very tart tasting sloe berries from the blackthorn bush – in essence, a very small, super sour plum) and crème de mure (blackberry liqueur) are the key flavour components here. This is then balanced with a nice robust gin which gives it body and a balance of lemon juice to offset the berry sweetness.

The Hedgerow Sling is a great cocktail, best described as a very British, berry lemonade for grown-ups.

Hedgerow Sling Recipe

25ml Gin
25ml Sloe Gin
25ml Lemon Juice
10ml Gomme
15ml Crème De Mure (laced)
Dash Soda
Garnish: Blackberry & Lemon Slice

Build| Stir | Lace | Sling Glass

93. Caipiríssima

All the classics have a bounty of variations. The Caipirinha is a hugely popular Brazilian cocktail (more on that later) and the Caiparissima is, let’s be completely upfront, a fairly uninventive twist on that. Now, that’s not to say it’s not a good cocktail, it tastes great, but sometimes you see a variation of a cocktail and you think its creator has got away with absolute murder.

However, the cocktail is massively popular. Genetically, almost identical to the Caipirinha, but it swaps out the cachaça with rum (you see the slight issue here…cachaça and rum are quite similar). It certainly tastes good though, with a sweet and sour flavour given muscles by the rum. So, we can’t knock it and it makes it into the coveted 93rd position.

Caiparissima Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rum
6 Wedges Lime
15ml Demerara Sugar Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Churn | Rocks Glass

92. Lynchburg Lemonade

So, another boozy lemonade cocktail, spiked with Jack Daniels whiskey. Perhaps better than the cocktail itself, is the story behind it. Back in the 1980’s, the cocktail was the subject of a MASSIVE lawsuit, to the tune of about 13 million dollars, between Jack Daniel’s and bar owner Tony Mason.

Tony claimed to have created the Lynchburg Lemonade recipe in his Alabama bar and felt a little peeved when Jack Daniel’s started to market the cocktail as their own, signature serve. When you are a little annoyed, most tend to try and work things out, talk it over and resolve….Tony Mason had other ideas. He filed a lawsuit for 13 million dollars. In fact, he filed two lawsuits over a six-year period. The first he won (but with no compensation) and the second he lost.

All is not lost though. The Lynchburg Lemonade is enduringly popular and makes our list for 2020. This cocktail is a great opportunity for those who say they hate whisky to give it a go. The lemony zest, balances nicely with Jack’s slightly sweet whisky notes.

Lynchburg Lemonade Recipe

35ml Jack Daniel’s
25ml Triple Sec
25ml Lemon Juice
50ml Lemonade
Garnish: Lemon Wedge

Build | Stir | Collins Glass

91. Gold Record

A little nod to one of our esteemed team here at The Cocktail Service, Mr Jamie Cox. The Gold Record is a great cocktail, that Jamie says, was inspired by one of his clients, a record producer with a penchant for rum and walls adorned with gold records. It’s a big seller for us here and was even picked up by Tales Of The Cocktail and shared with their 200k followers in 2019.

The flavours have a tiki edge to them. Rum and apricot brandy give it the boozy hit, which is tempered by vanilla and fresh passionfruit. A taste sensation. We salute you Coxy.

The Gold Record Cocktail Recipe

25ml Plantation Pineapple Rum
25ml Apricot Brandy
15ml Vanilla Syrup
25ml Passionfruit Juice
20ml Lemon Juice
Soda Top
Garnish: Passionfruit and Pineapple Leaves

Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

 

90. Tequila Sunrise

The famed Tequila Sunrise…considered the height of refinement in 1970’s California where its presence on cocktail menus was rife across the state. Fast-forward to 2020 and it’s not the sat at the heady heights of yesteryear but it’s still considered a sweet treat by many.

We feel that the trashy cocktails of the 70’s and 80’s are starting to make a bit of a comeback, with many given a bit of va va voom for the millennial palate. For instance, at lauded bar Ghost Donkey, their version has a split base of tequila and mezcal, is lengthened with bitter orange juice and grenadine is given the boot in favour of hibiscus and habanero syrup.

Sounds funky.

Tequila Sunrise Recipe

50ml Tequila
75ml Orange Juice
15ml Grenadine
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Collins Glass

89. John Collins

A bit of sibling rivalry is fairly common and no more so that in the Collins family dynasty. Myriad variations of the classic Tom Collins have been invented and one of the very first was the John Collins.

Collins cocktails are characterised by base spirit, lemons juice and soda. From there where you take it is up to you. The John Collins uses juniper heavy London Dry Gin as its base and a great result it is too. Fresh, zesty, zingy lemoniness make the ultimate adult lemonade.

John Collins Cocktail Recipe

50ml London Dry Gin
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Gomme
Top Soda
Garnish: Lemon Slice

Build | Stir | Collins Glass

88. Dubonnet

The royal cocktail (apparently a big hit with the British Royal Family) is one hell of a drink. Its very simplicity makes it all the more alluring we think. The Dubonnet is one of the early twists on a cocktail, mimicking the Gin Martini, with the vermouth swapped out for Dubonnet Rouge.

What’s Dubonnet we hear you cry…well it’s a fortified wine with a secret blend of herbs, spices and quinine. Its got a lovely spicy fruity taste and it could be described as the lovechild of Campari and sweet vermouth….game changer.

Expect big fruity notes that marry perfectly with botanical gin. The spices and herbs of the Dubonnet work well in a team with strong juniper notes. Very tasty.

Dubonnet Cocktail Recipe

40ml Gin
20ml Dubonnet
Garnish: Lemon Zest

Build | Stir | Double Strain | Martini Glass

87. Sex On The Beach

If you like it fruity, easy to drink and with zero challenge on the palate then the Sex On The Beach should be the first port of call. Now first off, the name. Where has that come from? Well, that was down to bartender called Ted who worked the bar at Confetti’s in Florida, Ted created the cocktail and named it Sex On The Beach as he thought they were the two main reasons most of their customers ended up in the Florida bar….

The cocktail is simple to make and in its ingredients. It’s simply vodka, peach schnapps and equal parts orange and cranberry juices. There are no hidden or complicated flavour profiles here…just vodka and fruit.

Sex On The Beach Cocktail Recipe

35ml Vodka
15ml Peach Schnapps
50ml Cranberry Juice
50ml Orange Juice
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Stir | Collins Glass

86. Lemon Drop

A smorgasbord of lemony goodness awaits in the first sip of the Lemon Drop. It’s been in existence since the 1970’s, when it was created by Norman Hobday in San Francisco. The popularity of the Lemon Drop went off the Richter for some years, with it being a staple of cocktail menus across the world and was even served live on Oprah, the pinnacle of any cocktails career.

It’s a clean cocktail with orange and lemon citrus notes that shake the palate down. A tasty Victorian lemonade with a horsewhip of vodka. The sugar rim garnish is essential. It’s more than just a pretty accoutrement, the sugar and citrus create an alluring flavour sensation.

Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe

35ml Vodka
15ml Triple Sec
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Gomme

Garnish: Sugar Rim

Shake | Double Strain | Martini

 

85. Bijou

The Bijou is a pretty boozy cocktail, action packed with gin, Chartreuse and vermouth. Don’t be put off by the alcohol content as you would be missing out on something extremely flavoursome. Created by another bartending Harry, this time Johnson, it appeared in his mixology tome, Bartenders Manual.

It’s a very intriguing flavour combination. You have the botanical gin, softened somewhat by aromatic sweet vermouth and then a jump start of complex Chartreuse, which at turns is sharp, minty and herbal. What this makes for is herbaceous and crisp cocktail that is not all sharp edges.

Bijou Cocktail Recipe

35ml Gin
20ml Chartreuse
25ml Sweet Vermouth
2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Build | Stir | Double Strain | Martini

84. Whisky Mac

Ahh the Whisky Mac, a roaring fire and blanket after trekking the rugged, unrelenting wilderness of the Scottish Highlands. It really is the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s day. Full name Whisky MacDonald, it was first crafted by Colonel Hector MacDonald in the British Raj.

It’s still a serious contender of the world cocktail scene, with the flavour mix of ginger and whisky a winner. A decent scotch whisky (we love it with a nice little smoky number from Islay) and Ginger wine are mixed over ice. Whisky purists might baulk at mixing the good stuff with a fortified wine, but to really enjoy the cocktail in all its glory, this is a must.

Whisky Mac Cocktail Recipe

40ml Islay Single Malt
20ml Ginger Wine

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned Glass

83. Bloody Caesar

Our Canadian friend’s swear by the Bloody Caesar…so much so that they consume a whopping 350 million per year. We don’t blame them. The Bloody Caesar is a fine representation of the Bloody Mary, made with Clamato Juice (this is a tomato juice with clam extract steeped in it) it’s full of rich umami flavour that’s hard to resist.

Bloody Marys (see entry) are sensational cocktails. Clamato is a sensational alternative to tomato juice. The resulting Bloody Caesar is a sensational cocktail. Season how you do usually, sit back, sip and enjoy that umami goodness smacking you in the chops.

Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
100ml Clamato Juice
7.5ml Lemon Juice
3 Dashes Tobasco Sauce
8 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Pince Celery Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Garnish: Celery Stick & Lemon Wedge

Build | Roll* | Collins Glass

• Rolling is a technique of pouring the ingredients over ice between two cocktail tins. This ensures the ingredients get agitated without blasting air and over dilution into the liquid. The only way to make tomato juice cocktails.

82. Martinez

We have A LOT to thank the Martinez for. The Martinez is ultimately responsible for the evolution of the Gin Martini, one of the worlds most famous sons. It’s the classic cocktail categories very own elder statesman. The Martinez is a cocktail you order when at a venue such as the Ritz, it’s all about glitz, glamour and sophistication. So next time you are some place special and the bartender looks like they have something about them, order up a Martinez, you won’t regret it.

It is a complex drink, let’s not deny that. Genever is robust but it is tempered by some sweetness from orange curacao and the sweet vermouth. Dry vermouth adds some additional body before the bitters brings out a slight maltiness from the spirit.

Martinez Cocktail Recipe

50ml Genever
25ml Sweet Vermouth
15ml Dry Vermouth
10ml Orange Curacao
Dash Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Zest

Build | Stir | Double Strain | Martini Glass

81. Calvados Old Fashioned

A company favourite the Calvados Old Fashioned deserves a place in folklore. Its an epic drink. Largely down to the fact that Calvados is an epic spirit. Calvados is an apple brandy and it really doesn’t get enough airtime in cocktail culture. What better than Normandy apples running hand in hand with warming brandy? Get yourself a bottle, we recommend apple calvados ( as opposed to the pear variety which you can get) as its great in cocktails but also just to sip. Yum.

So the Calvados is given the Old Fashioned treatment. Old Fashioned cocktails rely on patience and expert dilution. The spirit is stirred over ice, with the addition of sugar and bitters, for 3-4 minutes to ensure perfect dilution and chilling. Don’t cut corners, you’ll be doing this incredible cocktail a disservice. Super smooth appley goodness awaits.

Calvados Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

50ml Calvados
10ml Honey & Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dash Bitters
Garnish: Apple Fan

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned Glass

80. Blood & Sand

A timeless, cocktail classic that has stood the test of time, but some say how? It’s a tricky combination of scotch whisky, orange juice, maraschino and vermouth. Its hard to imagine it being anything other than unpleasant. However, cocktails are the sum of their parts and the Blood & Sand is a good cocktail if made exactly right. The key is a smooth scotch with no funny business (read this as a no to smoky Islay whiskies) and a freshly squeezed orange juice. As with any food or drink, it’s about balance and get this right and you are onto a winner.

Created in 1922 it gets its name from a bullfighter movie of the same name. It was then committed to print in Harry Craddock’s 1930’s lexicon The Savoy Cocktail Book. In terms of flavours, the ingredients work in harmony with the maraschino and vermouth taking the edge of the orange’s acidity. The scotch provides a good stability to the sweet orange.

Blood & Sand Cocktail Recipe

20ml Scotch
20ml Sweet Vermouth
20ml Cherry Heering Liqueur
20ml Orange Juice
Garnish: Flamed Orange

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

79. Hanky Panky

Bit of a silly name to be honest and not one we feel actually tells you anything about the drink. You imagine a garish pink nightmare of a cocktail but alas we are saved from that penance.

The Hanky Panky cocktail was created by Ada Coleman of the Savoy Hotel in about 1903. Ada would create cocktails for many of the elite, including Mark Twain and Sir Charles Hawtrey (a famous actor of the time). Sir Charles was known to be a discerning cocktail aficionado and one day came to Ada and said:

“Coley, I’m tired…give me something with a bit of punch to it.” On receiving and trying the new cocktail he exclaimed “By Jove! This is the real hanky panky”

And thus the cocktail was named. By an out of work actor who had had too much to drink. Makes sense now.

The cocktail is a sweet gin martini with a bitter edge (this comes from the Fernet-Branca which is an Italian bitter style amaro)

Hanky Panky Cocktail

30ml Gin
30ml Sweet Vermouth
15ml Fernet-Branca
Garnish: Flamed Orange

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

78. Red Snapper

The Red Snapper is another variant of the classic Blood Mary. Gin evangelists will not leave anything alone and no stone unturned. This approach to their drinking life has given us the Red Snapper, which switches out the vodka with gin.

The result actually is excellent. Choose your gin carefully, as you don’t want anything too juniper heavy. We really like Ophir Gin in our snapper as its botanicals work really well with the other ingredients.

Red Snapper Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
100ml Tomato Juice
7.5ml Lemon Juice
3 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
8 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Pinch Celery Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Garnish: Celery Stick & Lemon Wedge

Build | Roll* | Collins Glass

• Rolling is a technique of pouring the ingredients over ice between two cocktail tins. This ensures the ingredients get agitated without blasting air and over dilution into the liquid. The only way to make tomato juice cocktails.

77. Boulevardier

The magic three-ingredient cocktail. They hold a lofty status, as elusive and perfectly formed. Three ingredient cocktails are extremely rare in the modern era. The Boulevardier translates to a man-about-town and was created by Erskine Gwynne in the 1920s.

The cocktail is revered for its simplicity but the balance (yes that word again) of the three components – each complimenting its counterpart to great effect. Think bitterness, sweetness and booziness, all wrapped up and happy.

Boulevardier Cocktail Recipe

25ml Bourbon Whiskey
25ml Campari
25ml Sweet Vermouth
garnish: Flamed Orange

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned Glass

76. Bees Knees

Another prohibition-era cocktail that is a blend of gin, lemon juice and honey. Like many of the cocktails that came from that era, it was created to mask the flavour of the dreadful moonshine products of the time. Fortunately, our spirits production has improved somewhat and left us with this fantastic martini cocktail.

Bees Knees Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
20ml Lemon Juice
15ml Honey Syrup

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

75. Rusty Nail

The go to cocktail of the Rat Pack (you know that gang of mega cool musicians – Sinatra, Davis Junior et al) so it must be good. It’s another simple classic that any home bartender can knock up with no issues. Drambuie has, rightly so, appropriated the Rusty Nail, as a classic Drambuie cocktail.

For the uninitiated, Drambuie is the king of scotch liqueurs made with a secret recipe of honey, herbs, spices and of course scotch.

The resulting cocktail is one of warming scotch flavour with all the hard edges softened out. The honey flavour of the Drambuie is the perfect accompaniment. No wonder Sinatra couldn’t get enough of these.

Rusty Nail Cocktail Recipe

40ml Scotch Whisky
20ml Drambuie

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned

74. Rickey

The Rickey cocktail dynasty is a little like the Collins’ one with many in the family…all a little different from their siblings. The Rickey is a simple affair with base spirit, lime and soda. Very little sugar, big zesty limes and lengthened with soda. The first rickey was made with bourbon and named after its originator, Joe Rickey, a democrat politician in the late 19th century.

Since then, the Gin Rickey has become the prominent member of the clan and is universally popular.

We have a cocktail here that is incredibly simplistic in its execution but a fine way to enjoy your favourite spirits, with a zest of lime juice and a splash of soda.

Gin Rickey Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
3 Lime Wedges Squeezed
Top Soda
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Collins Glass

73. Rum Old Fashioned

Rising up out from the shadows of the Old Fashioned, the Rum Old Fashioned is a delightful drink. You need to use the best ingredients you can find to nail this. Do not make a Rum Old Fashioned with white rum. We repeat do not make a Rum Old Fashioned with white rum. Made in the same way as an Old Fashioned (see entry) it can be stratospheric if made with a serious aged rum like Diplomatico or Plantation with at least ten years in the cask.

Flavours are abound in this cocktail. Rum works really well with a careful dilution and the bitters bring out the best in it, it’s a serious cocktail for rum lovers.

Rum Old Fashioned Recipe

40ml Aged Rum
15ml Velvet Falernum
3 Dash Bitters
5ml Demerara Sugar
Garnish: Flamed Orange

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned Glass

72. Caipiroska

Another fairly lazy twist on a classic, this time the cachaça of the original Caparinha is subbed out with….vodka.

Hmm…its hard to get excited about a Caiprioska but that doesn’t stop its popularity. A bit like reality TV, the Caiprioska doesn’t have much substance but everyone seems to love it.

In terms of the taste there is nothing offensive whatsoever, it’s limes, sugar and vodka, agitated up into a tasty cocktail. It’s very popular too and makes it in at no. 72.

Caiprioska Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
5 Lime Wedges
15ml Gomme
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Churn | Rocks Glass

 

71. Jungle Bird

Tiki is a big, big deal in the cocktail world. Some of the worlds best bars are focused solely on tiki drinks. Tiki, is essentially a cocktail subculture that focuses on tropical themes – rum, tropical flavours and fruits. Tiki had a major impact in the ’80s…probably as some escapism from how boring the 1980s was.

This cocktail from the tiki family of drinks, this was created in 1978 at the Hilton Hotel’s Aviary Bar in Malaysia. It is making a comeback of sorts and is seen on many menus, mixing rum, Campari, pineapple and lime. It is often garnished with a pineapple wedge, whose leaves resemble an exotic birds plumage. It’s bittersweet and certainly fits the bill of classic tiki drinks, with bags of tropical flavour.

Jungle Bird Recipe

35ml Dark Rum
15ml Campari
50ml Pineapple Juice
15ml Lime Juice
10ml Gomme
Garnish: Pineapple Leaves

Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

70. Brooklyn

Prohibition has a lot to be applauded for and the Brooklyn Cocktail is yet another star of the era. Despite the many issues during the time of prohibition – dodgy spirits, organised crime and alcoholism – we did get a banging collection of cocktails at the end of it all.

Largely overlooked in favour of the big cocktails of the time, The Brooklyn is a delightful cocktail of rye whisky, maraschino, vermouth and Picon Bitters. Essentially a riff on the Manhattan, but with enough character to stand alone as one of the world’s most popular cocktails. If you like bourbon this is an absolute must drink.

Brooklyn Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rye Whiskey
10ml Vermouth
10ml Amer Picon
10ml Maraschino
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Build | Stir | Martini Glass

69. Sangria

Sangria…is very much a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly. On one hand, a delicious red wine punch that’s loaded to the hilt with fruit and flavour. On the other hand a pallid and innocuous, hangover inducing mess. Its’s important to remember though, when this cocktail is mixed right, its the perfect balance of flavours. Be bold though, if you don’t like it too sweet or if you prefer it fruitier then tell your bartender. Rather like the Bloody Mary, a Sangria is down to personal taste and interpretation and can be customised in any number of ways.

A great sangria should have a big hit of fruit from oranges, not too sweet, with a dry body from red table wine running throughout. The modern interpretations tot of soda to make a long refreshing punch for a hot day on the continent.

Sangria Cocktail Recipe

1 Bottle Of Dry Rose Or Red Wine
75ml Triple Sec
50ml Brandy
25ml Gomme
50ml Fresh Orange Juice (the fresher the better)
Garnish: Selection of cut fruit including apples, oranges, berries and pineapple)

Build | Stir | Jug

68. Carol Channing

That man Dick Bradsell is back. He was a very busy boy throughout the 1980s and drinks wise we have a lot to thank him for (Espresso Martini, Bramble…)

Created in 1984, in homage to American comedienne, Carol Channing, it’s a reflection of her appearance in ‘Thoroughly Modern Milly’ where she runs around on-screen shouting about raspberries (can’t say we’ve seen that one) According to Dick, that is the actual reason why this cocktail got its name. He must have sunk more than a couple of Carol Channing’s before coming up with that.

Made using framboise au de vie, framboise liqueur and topped with Champagne. Its a fruit but drier take of a Kir Royale.

Carol Channing Cocktail Recipe

5ml Frambois Eau De Vie
10ml Frambois Liqueur
Top Champagne
Garnish: Raspberry

Build | Flute

67. Navy Grog

The Navy Grog has been tussled over for many years by tow old bartending foes – Don Beach and Trader Vic. Handbags at dawn springs to mind. They also squabbled over the invention of the Mai Tai which holds slightly more gravitas. We say pick a side, we’re with Trader Vic on this one. Navy Grog sounds a lot better then the name suggests (for us it conjures visions of a tepid, sweet and inordinately boozy concoction) and it is another cocktail from the tiki trail.

There are variations aplenty of this tasty little number, but the classic Navy Grog contains a mix of rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, honey syrup and soda. As with many great tiki drinks, it is a masterclass in balancing sweet, sour, strong and weak, which is an old tiki bartending adage for how to balance cocktails and punches…and it works.

Navy Grog Cocktail Recipe

20ml White Rum
20ml Dark Rum
20ml Demerara Rum
20ml Lime Juice
20ml Grapefruit Juice
15ml Honey Syrup
Top Soda
Garnish: Orange & Cherry

Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

66. Hot Buttered Rum

Who puts butter in drinks…what madness would drive you to that? As we have said before, cocktails are the sum of their parts. When eating a great plate of food you don’t imagine eating the individual elements, so don’t do it here. Butter has been added to hot drinks for millennia, Himalayan people have been adding yak butter to coffee for centuries and now the global fad for bulletproof coffee is also upon us. Its a super popular cocktail, a staple on winter cocktail lists as it really is delicious and a welcome distraction from mulled wine and Bing Crosby’s Jingle Bells on repeat.

It’s a hot cocktail traditionally made with rum, sugar, butter and spices. The butter gives it an exceptional flavour and silkiness, pleasantly binding all the ingredients together. Give this a go.

Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

1 Tablespoon Butter
10ml Vanilla Sugar Syrup
Pinch on Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Allspice
35ml Aged Rum
Top Hot Water

Build | Stir | Glass Coffee Cup

65. Bronx

The Bronx has basked in more than a century of popularity and was created in New York (big surprise that) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Sometimes you come across cocktails and the immediate prejudice rears its ugly head. The Bronx sometimes gets that treatment as its essentially a perfect gin martini with the addition of orange juice. Pack the grimace away and don’t be fooled, it’s wildly popular for a reason.

The Bronx is a challenge though and will not work for every taste. The orange juice and sweet vermouth nip the bitterness in the bud and give way to a pleasantly fruity gin cocktail.

Bronx Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
10ml Sweet Vermouth
10ml Dry Vermouth
30ml Fresh Orange Juice
Garnish: Orange Zest

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

64. Irish Coffee

The king of the hot cocktails. On paper an easy cocktail to make. Easy to screw up too, we’ve had some bad ones. Balance as ever is key, too much base spirit throws the flavour off, too much cream and you end up with a tepid, milky muddle. Another Irish export that’s got global appeal, rubbing shoulders with Guinness and Jamesons, you can find this more or less in every corner of the globe. Introduced to an American bartender by a travel writer Stanton Delaplane, in the Buena Vista Hotel in 1952, this hot cocktail has not looked back.

Made with coffee, Irish whiskey and cream, it is the subject of numerous variations, where the whisky is substituted for products such as Baileys, mint liqueur and orange liqueur, to name just a few. It’s fantastic when made right.

Irish Coffee Recipe

50ml Irish Whiskey (sub out for variations)
15ml Demerara Sugar Syrup
Top to 1cm under the rim with fresh coffee
Layer 1cm Whipped Cream

Build | Layer | Glass Coffee Cup

63. Grasshopper

The Grasshopper has one of the most lurid, fluorescent colours of all cocktails. It’s hard to imagine how it made this list but it did, largely down to the fact this thing flies off the shelves during festive periods across the world. We are not the biggest fans but respect, where respect is due, it has been around since the 1918’s and people still order it. Created in New Orleans (New Orleans is super cool…they are probably not shouting from the rooftops about being behind the Grasshopper Cocktail) by Phillip Guichet at a bar in the french quarter.

The flavour is of chocolate and mint, made with crème de cacao, creme de menthe and cream. If you like cream, chocolate and mint this cocktail has got your back.

Grasshopper Cocktail Recipe

25ml Peppermint Liqueur
25ml Creme De Cacao
75ml Half & Half (1:1 cream/milk)
Garnish: Mint Leaf

Shake | Double Strain | Martini

62. Corpse Reviver No 2

The best damn name in the cocktail kingdom and so named because it is said that four of these drank in swift succession is enough to awaken a corpse. A family of cocktails with many variants, the Corpse Reviver No. 2, is head of the household and the most ordered of all Corpse Revivers. It’s jam-packed with spirits and it has to be said that a couple of these will lead to slight difficulty in coordination.

It’s a delicious combination of gin, orange liqueur, Lillet and absinthe. Make sure you go easy with absinthe on this as strong flavoured spirits such as this can destroy a cocktail with only a drop too much. The combination of ingredients plus the balancing act provided by the lemon juice makes this into a really exciting, exceedingly tasty cocktail.

Corpse Reviver No2 Cocktail Recipe

25ml Gin
25ml Lillet Vermouth
25ml Triple sec
5ml Absinthe
25ml Lemon Juice
Garnish: Lemon Zest

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

61. Hurricane

A New Orleans original and one worth shouting about (unlike the Grasshopper) it was created due to an oversupply of rum forced on Pat O’Brian, who owned speakeasy Mr O’Brian’s Club Tipperary. In the 1940s, it was tough to get many spirits in the USA but rum was abundant and many of the distributors of alcohol at the time could not get hold of much else other than rum. Pat would often have his back to the wall and sort new and editing ways to drink rum…enter The Hurricane Cocktail.

The cocktail has a lot of ingredients…lots and lots of ingredients. Containing (this isn’t the whole lot) rum, passionfruit juice, orange juice and lime its rightly fruity, tropical and really tasty. Super popular in beach bars all over the world as it’s easy drinking.

Hurricane Cocktail Recipe

25ml Dark Rum
25ml Light Rum
50ml Passionfruit Juice
25ml Orange Juice
15ml Lime Juice
10ml Grenadine Syrup
10ml Gomme Syrup
Garnish: Orange & Cherry

Shake | Strain | Hurricane Glass

60. Sidecar

The Sidecar has a timeless appeal…it has been consistently popular since its first creation in 1922. Closely related to the Margarita (see entry), The Sidecar is one of the best brandy cocktails in the whole universe. The Sidecar doesn’t mess around either, in its simplest form its three ingredients of brandy, triple sec and lemon juice. It’s a great weapon of choice for the home bartender or the seasoned professional. Simple and everyone seems to love it.

The flavour is sour with orange notes and the smooth warmth of brandy coupling up nicely wit the citrus. The sugar rim is important here as it acts as a nice counterbalance to the acidity on the lips.

Sidecar Cocktail Recipe

30ml Brandy
30ml Triple Sec
30ml Lemon Juice
Garnish: Sugar Rim & Lemon Zest

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

59. Batida

The Brazilian cocktail that uses cachaça that’s not a Caipirinha! Good god. Apparently regarded as the working man’s drink in its homeland, the less famous Brazilian cocktail is awesome. Another one of those handy cocktails that’s puts the maker in the driving seat, fully customizable to any preference and lends itself to any combination of fruits.

The Batida is made with cachaça, fruit juice (and/or condensed milk), sugar and is blended briefly with crushed ice. All manner of varieties are possible with fruits and juices blended in, giving a fruity yet decadent cocktail that brings cachaça’s herbaceous and grassy notes to the fore. Saude!

Batida Cocktail Recipe

50ml Cachaça
60ml Fruit Puree
15ml Lime Juice
25ml Condensed Milk
Garnish; Fresh Fruit Of Choice

Blend | Crushed Ice | Rocks Glass

58. Champagne Cocktail

One of the oldest cocktails, dating back to at least the mid-1800s, the Champagne Cocktail is a sophisticated affair. The origins of The Champagne Cocktail are lost in the midst of bartending time, dating from the Iron Age of American mixology – that final prehistoric period between the invention of the cocktail, whenever that was and 1862, when the first cocktail book was published. It was first spotted in Jerry Thomas’s Bon Vivant’s Companion.

The cocktail consists of a brown sugar cube doused in aromatic bitters and dropped into the base of Champagne glass, over which is poured a small measure of cognac before the glass is topped up with champagne. It’s a dry cocktail, with a nice additional layer of character from the angostura and a sweet finish.

Champagne Cocktail Recipe

10ml Cognac
1 Brown Sugar Cube
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Top Champagne

Build | Champagne Flute

57. Southside

A disputed history sees the Southside cocktail originate from a few places. Our favoured origin is that is named after the Southside district of Chicago, where Al Capone haunted the streets. The Southside was said to be a favoured cocktail of his, where he used the masses of gin he illegally moved during prohibition, to good effect. This is another cocktail whose creation came about from the revolting flavoured liquor of the time.

To think, we would have been denied the majority of this list if they had got their act together in prohibition and created some better plonk.

The cocktail is made using gin, lime, gomme and mint, shaken and served straight up. A really nice citrus base with the botanicals in the gin and the mint working particularly well together. The trick here is to shake all ingredients except the mint hard, then add in the mint for the final few throws. Over shaken mint becomes extremely bitter.

Southside Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Gomme
6 Mint Leaves
Garnish: Mint Leaf

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

56. Mimosa

No decent brunch can be had without a Mimosa Cocktail or three, this cocktail is another gift from the 1920’s. Said to have been invented in the Ritz Hotel, Paris, the Mimosa is created using equal parts juice and sparkling wine. It is very similar to the Bucks Fizz, which itself uses the same ingredients but with a slightly less juice to sparkling wine. There’s not a lot in it, to be honest, and both the Mimosa and Bucks Fizz are created and drank interchangeably.

Sweet oranges and sparkling wine, preferably the slightly sweeter prosecco, make this incredibly pleasant and easy sipping.

Mimosa Cocktail Recipe

50ml Fresh Orange Juice
Top Sparkling Wine

Build | Champagne Flute

55. Penicillin

The Penicillin Cocktail was created by New York bartender Sam Ross in the 2000’s, it is a smoky, spicy and warm cocktail of scotch, honey and ginger spice. Its popularity slowly gained momentum after its creation and is now embedded as a modern classic.

Penicillin Cocktail Recipe

40ml Scotch
15ml Ginger Liqueur
15ml Islay Whiskey
20ml Lemon Juice
10ml Honey
Garnish: Candied Ginger

Shake | Strain | Rocks Glass

54. El Diablo

The El Diablo cocktail is a drink first referenced by legend Trader Vic in the 1940’s. A tiki cocktail hero, Trader Vic is responsible for many drinks including the Mai Tai cocktail. The El Diablo is a heady blend of tequila, lime, cassis and ginger beer. Very tasty and easy to make.

El Diablo Cocktail Recipe

35ml Reposado Tequila
15ml Cassis
15ml Lime Juice
60ml Ginger Beer
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Rocks Glass

53. Gibson

The Gibson is a mixed drink made with gin and dry vermouth, and often garnished with a pickled onion. In its modern incarnation, it is considered a cousin of the more-ubiquitous martini, distinguished mostly by garnishing with an onion instead of an olive. Supposedly a man named Charles Gibson challenged Charley Connolly, the bartender of the Players Club in New York City, to improve upon a martini. As the story goes, Connolly simply substituted an onion for the olive and named the drink after the patron.

Gibson Cocktail Recipe

60ml Gin
10ml Dry Vermouth
Garnish: Cocktail Onion

Build | Stir | Double Strain | Martini Glass

52. Ramos Gin Fizz

Invented by the eponymous Henry C. Ramos in 1888, at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, the Ramos Gin Fizz is a very special cocktail. It is widely popular and has a curious characteristic creaminess, with citrus and vanilla notes. The drink has a rather long list of ingredients, but the key ones are gin, cream, egg white, citrus and vanilla extract. It’s a delicious and delightful cocktail.

Ramos Gin Fizz Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
10ml Lime Juice
10ml Lemon Juice
20ml Gomme
3 drops Orange Flower Extract
3 drops Vanilla Extract
1 Egg White
20ml Half & Half
Top Soda
Garnish: Orange Zest

Dry Shake | Wet Shake | Collins Glass

51. Singapore Sling

Created sometime around 1915, by a bartender called Ngiam Tong Boon, who worked at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The reserve of the glitterati of Singapore at the time, the Singapore Sling has more than lasted the test of time, with it being a regular fixture of serious cocktails bars globally. The ingredients list reads a little long, which is an explanation for the complexity of the cocktail. Gin, Maraschino, Benedictine Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, pineapple juice and lime are just some of the ingredients.

Singapore Sling Cocktail Recipe

25ml Gin
10ml Grand Marnier
10ml Maraschino Liqueur
10ml Benedictine
40ml Pineapple Juice
20ml Lime Juice
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Top Soda
Garnish: Cherry & Orange Slice

Shake | Strain | Sling Glass

50. Pina Colada

Spanish: Pina ‘’pineapple’’ Colada ‘’strained’’ is a sweet cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut or coconut milk and pineapple juice usually served blended or shaken with ice. There are two claims of origin for the Pina Colada. The first is that the Pina Colada was created in the 19th century, by Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresi, to boost his crew moral. The alternative story tells us that The Pina Colada hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico where it was created by bartender Ramon ‘’Monchito’’ Marrero at the Caribe Hotel in 1954. Either way… it’s a great cocktail!

Pina Colada Cocktail Recipe

50ml Golden Rum
50ml Pineapple Juice
35ml Coconut Milk
15ml Lime Juice
Garnish: Lime Wedge & Cherry

Blend | Collins Glass

49. Mint Julep

The Mint Julep became the unofficial drink of the famed Kentucky Derby in 1938. Apparently, over 120,000 Mint Julep cocktails are sold at the race every year. The Mint Julep is a blend of bourbon, mint and brown sugar and is an incredibly fragrant cocktail.

Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe

50ml Bourbon
15ml Gomme
8 Mint Leaves
Garnish: Mint Leaves

Build | Churn | Julep/Rocks Glass

48. Blue Blazer

The godfather of mixology, Jerry Thomas created this drink in his 1862 bartenders guide. The ingredients include cask strength scotch, demerara sugar and some lemon zest. The technique for making a Blue Blazer is very advanced and involves the bartender lighting the ingredients in a metallic tankard (a Blazer Mug) and pouring from vessel to vessel, while aflame. This creates an arc of blue flame (hence Blue Blazer) and an act of total showmanship. The lighting of the spirit smooths off some of the alcohol burn and warms the liquid for serving.

Blue Blazer Cocktail Recipe

60ml Cask Strength Whisky (55% +)
10ml Demerara Sugar Syrup
40ml Boiling Water
Garnish: Lemon Peel

Flamed Pour | Build | Blazer Cup

47. Breakfast Martini

The Breakfast Martini was created by living legend and raconteur, Salvatore Calabrese at The Lanesborough Hotel in London. It is a modern classic and the cocktail maestro has created something that will stand the test of time. Essentially, a marmalade sour, the ingredients include gin, marmalade, orange liqueur and lemon juice. Simple yet delicious. Don’t be surprised if it’s garnished with a piece of toast.

Breakfast Martini Recipe

50ml Gin
15ml Triple sec
15ml Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Marmalade (stir with lemon juice)
Garnish: Triangle of Toast

Stir | Shake | Double Strain

46. Hot Toddy

Hot Toddies have been consumed for centuries. With no real indication of its inventor, it’s a cocktail where evidence shows it was created in Scotland, as far back as 1700. It’s a mix of whisky, honey, lemon and hot water at its base. From there, the options available to customize to taste are immeasurable – think cloves, cinnamon, ginger or bitters.

Hot Toddy Cocktail Recipe

50ml Whisky
10ml Lemon Juice
10ml Honey
2 Cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
Pinch Nutmeg
60ml Hot Water

Build | Stir | Glass Coffee Cup

45. Clover Club

Another ancient libation which was the preferred drink of the pre-prohibition gentlemen. It came to be, via Philadelphia gentlemen’s club, The Clover Club who met at The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in the 1920’s. The cocktail is a delight and mixes fresh raspberries, gin, lemon juice and egg white.

Clover Club Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
10ml Fresh Lemon Juice
10ml Grenadine
10ml Sweet Vermouth
5 Raspberries
Egg White
Garnish: 3 Raspberries

Dry Shake | Wet Shake | Martini Glass

44. Zombie

The Zombie is a cocktail made of fruit juices, liqueurs, and various rums. Due to popularity of the cocktail during the Tiki craze and the fact that Beach kept his recipe secret and occasionally altered it, there are many variations of the Zombie served at the restaurants and bars. It first appeared in late 1934, invented by Donn Beach at his Hollywood Don the Beachcomber restaurant. It was popularised on the East coast soon afterwards at 1939 New York World’s Fair.

Zombie Cocktail Recipe

25ml Golden Rum
25ml Dark Rum
25ml Triple sec
15ml Lime Juice
40ml Orange Juice
25ml Passionfruit Puree
7.5ml Grenadine
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Mint Sprig & Orange Slice

Shake | Strain | Collins

43. Americano

One of the old guard of this list – the Americano was created in the 1860s at Gaspare’s Campari’s bar in Milan, Italy. It was pushed into popular culture by that man James Bond again after he ordered it in the novel Casino Royale. Considered the father of the Negroni, the Americano is a blend of Campari, sweet vermouth and soda.

Americano Cocktail Recipe

45ml Campari
45ml Sweet Vermouth
Top Soda
Garnish: Orange Wedge

Build | Collins Glass

42. Cubre Libre

So the history of this simple drink is more or less unknown. What we do know is that sometime around the Spanish-American War the term and a form of the drink were widely used and imbibed. This was in the late 1800’s. Fast forward to 1928 and a chap called Basil Woon joined the dots in his book ‘When It’s Cocktail Time In Cuba’. He had spotted the Cubre Libre was available at the American Club in Havana and noted down the recipe. A simple mix of rum, lime and Coca-Cola.

Cubre Libre Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rum
3 Wedges Lime Squeezed
Top Coca-Cola

Build | Collins Glass

41. Sea Breeze

Born in the 1920’s, the Sea Breeze was a different proposition to the one widely consumed today. The original had gin as its base spirit mixed with grenadine cranberry and grapefruit juice. Todays, incarnation has vodka as its base and as with many other old-timers is the subject of many varieties of cocktail.

Seabreeze Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
50ml Cranberry Juice
25ml Grapefruit Juice
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Collins

40. Anejo Highball

Dale De Groff…take a bow. The famed American bartender created the Anejo Highball at the Rainbow Room in New York. A riff on the Dark and Stormy (see entry) this cocktail fuses rum, orange curacao, lime bitters and ginger beer.

Anejo Highball Cocktail Recipe

35ml Golden Rum
15ml Triple sec
10ml Lime Juice
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Top Ginger Beer
Garnish: Lime Wedge & Orange Slice

Build | Collins Glass

39. Aviation

Another cocktail and another created in New York, the classic cocktail factory. It was created in the early 1900s by a certain Hugo Ensslin and it first appeared in his book ‘Recipes For Mixed Drinks’. Ensslin was a bartender at Hotel Wallick and named it the Aviation due to the pale blue colour of the liquid. The Aviation cocktail is a concoction including gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice, which is served straight up.

Aviation Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
10ml Maraschino Liqueur
7.5ml Violet liqueur
20ml Lemon Juice
Garnish: Cherry

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

38. Rum Swizzle

The Rum Swizzle cocktail is Bermuda’s national drink and is a delicious blend of rum, falernum, pineapple juice, lemon juice, orange juice and bitters. It’s as old as they come and dates back to the 18th Century.

Rum Swizzle Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rum
15ml Velvet Falernum
20ml Lime Juice
10ml Demerara Sugar Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Mint Sprig/Orange Slice/Swizzle Stick

Build | Churn | Sling Glass

37. Planters Punch

Hailing from the Planters Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, The Planters Punch Cocktail is as old as the hills. A reference we found goes as far back as 1878. A cocktail of dark rum, several juices, bitters and grenadine it’s a great, timeless rum cocktail.

Planter’s Punch Cocktail Recipe

50ml Dark Rum
20ml Lime Juice
15ml Gomme
3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Top Soda
Garnish: Mint Sprig

Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

36. Bramble

The Bramble is a cocktail created by Dick Bradsell aka ‘The Cocktail King’ in the 1980’s London, England. Best described as a spring cocktail, the Bramble brings together dry gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, crème de mure and crushed ice, finished off with blackberries and a slice of lemon. It closely resembles the Gin Fix Cocktail.

Bramble Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
10ml Sugar Syrup
10ml Blackberry Liqueur
Garnish: 3 Blackberries

Build | Churn | Lace | Rocks Glass

 

35. French 75

French 75 is a cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar. The drink dates to World War 1, and an early form was created in 1915 at the New York bar in Paris – later Harry’s New York Bar – by barman Harry MacElhone. The combination was said to have a such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun.

French 75 Cocktail Recipe

15ml Gin
7.5ml Lemon Juice
5ml Gomme
Top Champagne
Garnish: Lemon Zest

Build | Champagne Flute

34. White Russian

Devised in 1949 when bartender, Gustave Tops, created the White Russian cocktail and its sibling, the Black Russian at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels. It has become popular in modern-day culture (immortalized in the film The Big Lebowski) and is a widely ordered cocktail globally. A mix of coffee liqueur, vodka and cream served short on the rocks.

White Russian Cocktail Recipe

25ml Vodka
25ml Coffee Liqueur
75ml Half/Half (1:1 Milk/Cream)

Build | Stir | Rocks Glass

33. Elderflower Collins

In truth, the Elderflower Collins does not have much history. It is yet another beverage in the Collins cocktail family and is probably a fairly modern variation. It blends the typical collins cocktail base of gin, lemon, sugar and soda, with the addition of elderflower liqueur.

Elderflower Collins Cocktail Recipe

40ml Gin
15ml Elderflower Liqueur
10ml Gomme
4 Lime Wedges
Top Soda
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Stir | Collins Glass

32. Gimlet

The Gimlet is a cocktail typically made of 2 parts gin and 1 part lime juice. The derivation of the name of the cocktail is contested. It may be named after the tool for drilling small holes (alluding to it’s ‘piercing’ effect on the drinker) or after Surgeon Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette who is said to have first added lime cordial to the daily gin tot of the men of the Royal Navy to help combat the ravages of scurvy on long voyages.

Gimlet Cocktail Recipe

60ml Gin
20ml Lime Juice
10ml Gomme Syrup
Garnish: Lime Zest

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

31. Pisco Sour

Peru’s most famous liquid export, pisco is given the sour treatment. Pisco is a white brandy that is made by distilling grape juice. A delightful way to enjoy pisco, the modern Pisco Sours was created in the 1920’s by Mario Bruige.

Pisco Sour Cocktail Recipe

50ml Pisco
2ml Lime Juice
10ml Gomme
1 Egg White
Garnish: Angostura Bitters

Dry Shake | Wet Shake | Strain | Collins Glass

How to Shake a Cocktail

30. Tom Collins

Created by the “father of American mixology” Jerry Thomas, the Tom Collins is a classic. Simple as that.

Super refreshing, it has everything in a balanced long cocktail should have. We don’t have to sell this one to you, it’s easy and brilliant.

This cocktail is so good you can change the base spirit to match your favourite tipple. Vodka works well with the spec below, but adding tequila, use lime juice and agave syrup instead of lemon juice and simple syrup. Likewise, add elderflower or different fruits to make a spin on this legend… wait for it… dary drink.

Jerry Thomas, we bow in your presence for this fantastic cocktail!

Tom Collins Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
20ml Lemon Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
150ml Soda Water
Garnish: Lemon Slice and a Maraschino Cherry

Built | Collins Glass

29. Long Island Iced Tea

Throw a bit of everything in and see what happens… I wonder if this is what went through the mind of the person who created this cocktail. The exact story hasn’t been proved or whether it was Robert Butt or Ransom Bishop that hold the right to be the inventor, whatever the story, a classic cocktail was created.

One of the key reasons this drink has been so popular is that it can be made individually or in a sharing jug. Both ways are so simple to make and go back to the old days of drinking punch together at a gathering. Although the mixture of multiple spirits with cola and lemon may sound like a nightmare waiting to happen, give it a chance… you can trust us!

Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail Recipe

10ml Vodka
10ml Tequila
10ml Rum
10ml Orange Liqueur
10ml Gin
100ml Cola
Garnish: Lemon Slice

Built | Stir | Collins Glass

28. Kir Royale

Another Champagne based cocktail in the list, this time with the addition of a blackcurrant liqueur. The blackcurrant liqueur will sweeten the drink slightly, to offset the dry sparkling wine. For those of you who like to mix up your Champagne serves, you’ll love this and is well worth its position on our list.

Top tip: Pour the Crème de Cassis in the glass first, then add the Champagne. The Champagne will them mix with the liqueur to finish off the cocktail. The garnish we mention below is optional as well.

Kir Royale Cocktail Recipe

110ml Champagne
15ml Crème de Cassis
Garnish: Blackberry

Build | Flute Glass

27. Sazerac

There’s no holding back, a Sazerac is a punchy cocktail. Claimed to be the oldest American cocktail with deep routes in New Orleans, a Sazerac isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Aesthetically, it looks great, with a deep red colour and a slick lemon twist garnish, and there is plenty of theatre-going behind it as well if made correctly in your favourite cocktail bar. The cocktail itself packs a punch, but its final taste is very good. Like most cocktails, don’t let the ingredients put you off and give one a go.

If you’re not a fan of rye whisky, substitute with tequila and take out the simple sugar and replace with agave syrup.

Sazerac Cocktail Recipe

40 Rye Whisky
20ml Cognac
1 Brown Sugar Cube
3 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Twist

Build | Stir | Strain | Rocks Glass

26. Pimm’s Cup

Often cocktails work so well when they are consumed at a certain time of year, and the Pimm’s Cup is a true example of this. This cocktail is iconic for the summertime, due to its sweet taste, use of summer fruits, and the fact it’s so easily consumed. Whilst writing this, I can almost feel the sun on my skin and the taste of the cocktail in my mouth.

From Royal Ascot to Wimbledon, summer music festivals to BBQ’s, you will see the easily recognisable Pimm’s everywhere, often being consumed with a smile and a pair of sunglasses on the face. Due to the fact there is so much fruit involved, some may even state it’s an easy way to consume your five a day (we don’t).

Is it Pimm’s o’clock?

Pimm’s Cup Cocktail Recipe

50ml Pimm’s No.1 Cup
125ml Lemonade
5 Mint Leaves
2 Slices of Orange
2 Slices of Apple
2 Slices of Cucumber
1 Strawberry (cut in quarters)
Garnish: Mint Sprig and a Strawberry

Built | Collins Glass

25. Cosmopolitan

Some say Carrie Bradshaw MADE the Cosmopolitan cocktail popular, and they may be correct. The cocktail was created well before the Sex and the City character commonly ordered this cocktail when out with the girls, but maybe she pushed it to the masses more than any cocktail bar or bartender could.

Easy to drink, with a strong red colour, the stereotype is this is a feminine cocktail. Many a girl gang will have tried to replicate Carrie and her girls on a night out, and a round of Cosmo’s is one way of doing this.

The Cosmopolitan has elements of sour, sweet and bitter, but none of those profiles overpower one another, to present a properly blended cocktail. The flamed orange peel adds both theatre and citrus to finish off the cocktail.

If attempting the flamed orange peel at home, please be careful / don’t burn your house down! Also use a lighter as opposed to matches and roll the orange before cutting to get the juices into the skin.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail Recipe

30ml Vodka
20ml Triple Sec
60ml Cranberry Juice
10ml Lime Juice
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
Garnish: Flamed Orange Peel

Shake | Strain | Martini Glass

 

24. Bellini

The huge growth in popularity of Prosecco, the Bellini has mirrored in popularity. Seen in brunch parties, wedding breakfast, or a standard family breakfast all over the world, the Bellini is a classy cocktail which can match most flavour profiles. You can simply mix up the fruits with the Prosecco to create any type of Bellini you wish.

Invented in Harry’s Bar in Venice, the classic serve is Prosecco and peach, but as mentioned above, make spins to work for you.

Bellini Cocktail Recipe

100ml Prosecco
25ml Peach Puree

Build | Stir | Flute Glass

23. Vesper Martini

Another cocktail made famous by Ian Fleming’s James Bond character, the Vesper Martini is particularly linked to the modern-day Bond, Daniel Craig, named after the one woman that stole the womanising hitman’s heart. The cocktail was an integral part of a scene in the 2006 film Casino Royale, whilst playing a high-stakes game of poker at Casino Royale in Montenegro with terrorist financier Le Chiffre, Bond explains to the waiter how he wants the drink to be created in very meticulous detail.

All ingredients are alcoholic (hence the need for a strong shake whilst creating), the Vesper Martini takes a certain flavour profile to consume but is a great drink. For those of you creating at home, Lillet is the essential vermouth in this cocktail. If you want to fully replicate the film, you would use Gordon’s Gin as well. The Vesper Martini is much smoother than you would imagine.

Vesper Martini Cocktail Recipe

40ml Gin
10ml Vodka
5ml Lillet
Garnish: Lemon Peel

Shake | Strain | Martini Glass

 

22. Hemingway Daiquiri

Originally created for the popular Ernest Hemingway, who was known to enjoy a drink or two, he admired Daiquiris. There are various stories about the conversation that went behind this cocktail, but the long and short is Hemingway wanted it stronger and less sweet, hence the inclusion of maraschino liqueur to replace simple syrup. The maraschino is very subtly sweet, so works well with this cocktail.

Unlike common Daiquiris, which taste sweet, the Hemingway Daiquiri is a complex cocktail which leaves a nice dry taste. Hence why Ernest Hemingway could go through so many at a sitting! Remember to raise a glass to Ernest before drinking one.

Hemingway Daiquiri Cocktail Recipe

35ml White Rum
15ml Maraschino Liqueur
20ml Lime Juice
60ml Grapefruit Juice
10ml Gomme
Garnish: Dehydrated Pink Grapefruit

Shake | Strain | Collins

 

21. Trader Vic Mai Tai

Trader Vic’s is a famous restaurant and bar chain, originally from California, founded by Victor Jules Bergeron. Victor claims to be the founder of the Mai Tai, the now-famous rum cocktail, and is the most requested tropical drink in the world.

Today, as the popularity of tiki bars grows, so does the Mai Tai. A classic that’s worth its place in our list of top 100 cocktails in 2020.

Trader Vic Mai Tai Cocktail Recipe

25ml Gold Rum
25ml Dark Rum
15ml Triple Sec
15ml Orgeat Syrup
25ml Lime Juice
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry and a Lime Wedge

Shake | Strain | Rocks Glass

 

20. Paloma

We LOVE the Paloma. We have taught thousands of people to create one as it is one of our “how to create” cocktails we use. It is also simple to do at home and looks great.

Some might describe a Paloma (dove in Spanish) as a long Tommy’s Margarita, but the addition of grapefruit soda (we use Ting, which reminds the older members of the team here of their childhood) makes the cocktail fruity and refreshing. We add a thyme sprig garnish in to mix the colours and have a different sent work with the taste buds of the cocktail lover.

Give one a go, and if you make one at home, send an image over to us.

Paloma Cocktail Recipe

50ml Reposado Tequila
25ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
15ml Lime Juice
5ml Agave Syrup
Top Grapefruit Soda
Garnish: Pink Grapefruit Wedge and a Rosemary Sprig

Build | Stir | Collins Glass

19. Tommy’s Margarita

Tommy’s Margarita holds a special place in our hearts, as it was one of the most popular cocktails in our first cocktail bar in Oxford. A super simple cocktail, where each ingredient holds deep connections from the cocktails native Mexico routes.

Created in the late 1980’s by Julio Bermejo, the cocktail is named after the family’s restaurant & bar in San Francisco. Julio has become a bit of the legend within the cocktail industry, and the bar is a stopping point for all decent mixologist, check it out if you’re in the area.

Slightly different from a standard Margarita, where agave syrup replaces the orange liqueur, this may be easier to consume when trying a type of Margarita. Agave is a great cocktail ingredient and comes to the forefront on this fantastic cocktail.

Tommy’s Margarita Cocktail Recipe

50ml Reposado Tequila
25ml Lime Juice
15ml Agave Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Shake | Strain | Rocks Glass

 

18. Bloody Mary

Often seen as “the morning after” cocktail to get you going after a big night out, don’t let this stereotype demean the name of the Bloody Mary, it’s a spectacular cocktail. Equally good as a virgin version (depending on the time of day), this is a cocktail which will never get old.

Apparently named after Mary Tudor (it was believed to be her favourite drink), one of the key reasons this cocktail is so popular is that it’s easy to amend to suit many different taste buds.

You can take your spice, add more Tabasco sauce to make hotter. Equally, if you can’t handle the heat, request less. The recipe below is mild, so adapt to suit you.

You like it with plenty of bitterness, simply add more lemon juice.

The look for the cocktail, add more garnishes with anything you want. We like to garnish with bacon, sea salt, pepper and celery, but we have even served with sausages and scrambled egg. Depending on when you are drinking your Bloody Mary, you can go to town on the garnish. You will see so many different garnishes on Instagram, so search on there to get some inspiration.

Bloody Mary Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
80ml Tomato Juice
15ml Lemon Juice
15ml Worcester Sauce
5 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
2 Pinches of Celery Salt
2 Pinches Onion Salt
2 Pinches of Black Pepper
Garnish: Crisp Streaky Bacon & Celery Stick

Build | Roll | Collins Glass

17. Vodka Martini

When we say Vodka Martini, what do you think of? It’s James Bond, isn’t it?

Perhaps the Vodka Martini was made as famous as it is due to the iconic fictional film character, James Bond. Everyone knows the classic like “shaken, not stirred” delivered with a cheeky smile (normally to an attractive female co-star), but you don’t have to have a tuxedo and license to kill to enjoy this cocktail though. What you do need is a particular taste profile to match this “strong” cocktail.

If making at home, we recommend you shake hard, to ensure its properly chilled and diluted. Also, when ordering at your favourite cocktail bar, speak to the bartender and watch how they are creating the cocktail. Also if the bartender asks your name, resist the temptation to reply “the names Bond, James Bond”.

Vodka Martini Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
5ml Dry Vermouth
Garnish: Olives

Build | Stir | Martini Glass

16. Amaretto Sour

A spin on the whisky Sour (see in the list), the Amaretto Sour offers people that don’t like whisky (we won’t hold this against you, honest) a chance to enjoy a sour. And if you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love the Amaretto Sour (weird given the name of the cocktail).

Amaretto Liqueur (you will all have tried Disaronno at some point) has become very popular to the masses and is often consumed as a basic spirit and mixer. As the popularity has grown, so has this cocktail, which is why it’s so high on the list. Again, like the Whisky Sour, you can the egg white with aquafaba or Ms Betters Bitters.

Try both a Whisky and Amaretto Sour and let us know your favourite.

Amaretto Sour Cocktail Recipe

50ml Amaretto Liqueur
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
Egg White
Garnish: Lemon Slice and a Maraschino Cherry

Shake | Strain | Rocks Glass

 

15. Caipirinha

The Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil and can be found ingrained into the hospitality sector in Brazil. Similar in its format and taste profile to a Mojito, the Caipirinha has a refreshing taste, which we know you’ll appreciate.

The base spirit is cachaça, which is a sugarcane liquor and Brazil’s highest distilled alcoholic drink. If you don’t have cachaça, you can replace with vodka which makes a spin on the Caipirinha, called the Caipiroska. Try and use fresh limes within the cocktail and muddle the juice out for a more refreshing flavour.

If you want to try a refreshing cocktail, we strongly advise you try a Caipirinha, you can thank us later!

Caipirinha Cocktail Recipe

60ml Cachaça
4-6 Wedges of Fresh Lime
10ml Simple Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Churn | Rocks Glass

14. Manhattan

The story behind the Manhattan cocktail is that it was created at the Manhattan Club in New York in the mid-1870s. Legend has it that was created by Dr Iain Marshall whilst hosting a party for Jennie Jerome (mother of Winston Churchill) in honour of the then-presidential aspirant Samuel J. Tilden. The success of the party ultimately made the Manhattan. History does show that Churchill’s mother wasn’t in the USA, but in France at the time, so the story doesn’t completely add up, but is a great bartender’s story.

Based on its name, the Manhattan has strong links with the USA, and is a favoured serve in America. What’s more amazing, is unlike a lot of the cocktails in the list, which has changed or evolved through the ages, a Manhattan at any decent cocktail bar will taste as it would have when first invented.

Give one a go.

Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

50ml Whisky
20ml Sweet Red Vermouth
1 Dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Cocktail Cherry

Build | Stir | Strain | Martini Glass

13. Moscow Mule

An old school classic on the list, a Moscow Mule includes some globally loved ingredients of vodka and ginger beer, hence its popularity all around the world. Often linked to Russia due to the name and the fact it has vodka included, it’s very easy to consume and is relevant at any function or event… It is as good as it is simple.

If you have a copper mug, try a Moscow Mule in it. The copper mug enables the temperature for the cocktail to remain as cold as possible, which is the correct way to drink a Moscow Mule.

Some call the Moscow Mule the cousin of the Dark ‘n’ Stormy and Mexican Mule (pretty much the same cocktail with differing spirit bases). Make sure you try each of these and let us know your favourite.

Moscow Mule Cocktail Recipe

50ml Vodka
15ml Lime Juice
150ml Ginger Beer
3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Copper Mug

12. French Martini

Born in one of Keith McNally’s New York bars in the 1980s, the French Martini has been listed on cocktail menus around the world ever since.

As opposed to quite a few of the different Martinis on this list, the final taste is fruity and sweet (you won’t find any Vermouth in this cocktail!). The pineapple and black raspberry flavours complement one another to give a fantastic resulting cocktail, which also looks great.

Profitez de votre cocktail!

French Martini Cocktail Recipe

25ml Vodka
25ml Chambord
50ml Pineapple Juice
Garnish: Two Raspberries

Shake | Strain | Martini Glass

11. Whisky Sour

A simply great looking drink, which is equally as tasty.

If you’re not a fan of whisky, the other elements of the cocktail compliment the whisky to make the taste not so overpowering. If this still doesn’t tickle your taste buds, try the Whisky Sour’s brother, the Amaretto Sour.

When you see the recipe below, you may think it strange that a cocktail has egg white included… Don’t, this is what creates the beautiful foam head to the cocktail (when shaken hard). A little tip for those of you making a Whisky Sour at home, try replacing the egg white with aquafaba (or for the true professionals out there) Ms Betters Bitters. The taste is the same, but it makes the creation process of the cocktail simpler.

Also, add the Angostura Bitters to the top of the foam head to make this drink look even better.

Whisky Sour Cocktail Recipe

50ml Whisky (we recommend a Bourbon)
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Lemon Slice and a Maraschino Cherry

Shake | Strain | Rocks Glass

 

10. Dark & Stormy

You don’t have to be a sailor (or a pirate) to enjoy a Dark ‘n’ Stormy. Some say THE classic dark rum cocktail, as the rum and ginger complement one another to create an outstanding cocktail.

Created in Bermuda (known as the shipwrecked capital of the world at the time), the name of the cocktail allegedly came from an old sailor comparison of the drink’s “stormy” appearance to that of the harrowing weather conditions at the time. This isn’t proven, and some say an old sailors’ tail.

What is proven is during the early 1800’s James Gosling managed to avoid the coral reef and bad weather and port in Bermuda after a long tour on the ocean. From this point onwards The Goslings would become one of the most prominent families on the island, and they entered the rum production business in 1857. Ginger beer was also produced on the island, and from here the mix of the two ingredients lead to the Dark ‘n’ Stormy. Until now, if you are to use the Dark ‘n’ Stormy name for the cocktail, you must use Gosling’s Black Seal Rum.

Dark ‘n’ Stormy Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
15ml Lime Juice
Top Ginger Beer
3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Build | Collins Glass

9. Gin Martini

The Martini cocktail is iconic. The look, the name and glassware it’s served in, are famous worldwide and are enjoyed by a global fanbase.

Although there are many different types, history states the Gin based Martini is the original. Also, the method used to create the drink has changed/amended through the ages. Originally stirred to dilute and chill for the perfect serve, it is now acceptable to shake and strain to get a similar outcome.

The taste itself is quite strong, as the ingredients are only alcohol (which is why the dilution within the chosen method is so important), so this cocktail isn’t for the faint-hearted, BUT we strongly recommend you give one a go if you haven’t already.

Gin Martini Cocktail Recipe

50ml Gin
5ml Dry Vermouth
Garnish: Olives

Build | Stir | Martini Glass

8. Margarita

The Margarita is another stalwart that hails from a bygone era. In Mexico, Tequila is a pretty much a religion and forms the base spirit of this sensational cocktail, which in recent times has been subject to a huge upsurge. Celebrities such as George Clooney and The Rock have bought into Tequila which has resulted in waking this sleeping giant of the spirits family.

You probably will have had a bad experience with Tequila, which will normally be down to one of two reasons – poor quality tequila or a misspent youth shooting it in a bar or nightclub.

Don’t let past experiences influence your decision to order a Margarita. We highly recommend you have one and drink Tequila the way you are supposed to, by sipping instead of taking it all in one! We would highly recommend drinking one on a beach in the sum (but keep hydrated, they go down very easily)! Also, try a frozen Margarita if possible, again this goes down well in the sun.

In terms of the history of the cocktail, the Margarita is said to have been invented in 1938 by Carlos ‘Danny’ Herrera at his restaurant, near Tijuana, called Rancho La Gloria. Created for a famed patron, this Mexican cocktail blends tequila, orange liqueur, lime and sugar. The cocktail can be served straight up, blended or on the rocks, and is often offered with an optional salt rim.

Margarita Cocktail Recipe

35ml Reposado Tequila
15ml Orange Liqueur
30ml Lime Juice
5ml Simple Syrup

Garnish: Salt Rim

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

7. Mojito

Probably, the most famous cocktail in the world. Before the recent upsurge in cocktail knowledge, most people’s go-to cocktail would be a Mojito. Although times and the popularity of cocktails have changed, the love of the Mojito hasn’t. It remains a fantastic drink on any occasion, this rum-based cocktail truly is a legend of the game.

Uncomplicated and universally enjoyed, the Mojito is a blend of fresh mint, rum, sugar and soda. Its history is the subject of much debate, but we do know the Mojito was created in Havana, Cuba and has been a fan favourite worldwide ever since.

Like all great cocktails, the Mojito has different variations and can be made to suit most taste buds. Popular when mixed with fruits and purees, this gives another spin on this classic cocktail. One of our favourites spins on the cocktail here is a Passionfruit Mojito, give it a try.

Although we encourage everyone to try as many different cocktails (within reason, remember to drink responsibly), there is always time for a Mojito.

Mojito Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rum
15ml Lime Juice
10ml Simple Syrup
50ml Soda Water
5 Mint Leaves
Garnish: Mint Sprig & Lime Wedge

Build | Churn | Collins Glass

6. Daiquiri

When you ask someone to list their favourite cocktails, a Daiquiri (or a take on one) will always be in the list. Here at The Cocktail Service, we are big fans of rum, so we are big fans of this cocktail. Make sure you pick you preferred rum when creating at home, or when ordering at your favourite cocktail bar.

The Daiquiri was created by Jennings Cox in the early 1900’s when visiting Cuba (hence the influence of rum). On the face of it, a Daiquiri looks like a filtered down serving of rum, but the final outcome is a spectacular cocktail. Due to the simplicity of the cocktail, there are countless variations of this Daiquiri. These include mixed with pretty much any fruit, straight up, frozen or short. You can pretty much amend to fit any occasion or party.

Top tip – Use the lime garnish to make the drink sourer should you wish.

Daiquiri Cocktail Recipe

50ml Rum
35ml Lime Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wedge

Shake |Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

5. Aperol Spritz

If you haven’t had an Aperol Spritz, where have you been!

Arguably the most popular summer cocktails of the last three years, most of you reading this blog will have seen a picture on social media of a friend or family member in the sun (most probably pouting) with the famous orange coloured cocktail.

Made by building Italian aperitif Aperol, Prosecco and soda, the cocktail first became popular in the 1950’s.Some exceptional marketing by owners Campari Group since it’s purchase of the brand in 2003, the Aperol Spritz has been at the forefront of summer cocktails. A large part of this is due to its refreshing taste, and an upsurge in the popularity of Prosecco (and bubbles in general). Campari aimed to create the perfect drink for social occasions, which I think we can all agree that they have successfully achieved!

When the sun is out, how can you not try this sensational cocktail?

Aperol Spritz Cocktail Recipe

30ml Aperol
60ml Prosecco
30ml Soda Water
Garnish: Orange Slice

Build | Wine Glass

4. Negroni

Simply, the Negroni is a classic! Any drink that has been relevant for over a hundred years must be pretty special! We think the ease to make and simple ingredients have contributed to this cocktail standing the test of time.

The most common and popular tale of its creation is that the Negroni was created by Count Camillo Negroni in the early 1900’s. The story tells Count Negroni requested bartender Fosco Scarselli (at Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy) to create a stronger version of his favourite cocktail, an Americano. Legend has it Count Negroni requested for the soda the be replaced with gin.

So, a Negroni is a hybrid or spin on a classic Americano. And from there it has been a favourite for cocktails connoisseurs worldwide ever since.

Negroni Cocktail Recipe

25ml Gin
25ml Sweet Vermouth
25ml Campari
Garnish: Dehydrated Orange Wheel

Build | Stir | Rocks Glass

3. Pornstar Martini

Like it or loathe it, the Pornstar Martini is a modern classic and is here to stay. Often seen as a feminine cocktail (but in our eyes, it isn’t), the Pornstar Martini has been thrown into the public eye by its name, presentation and sweet flavours.

Invented by Douglas Ankrah in 1999, at The Townhouse Bar in Knightsbridge, London, the cocktail was initially named the ‘Maverick Martini’, named after a club in Cape Town. This quickly evolved into the now famous Pornstar Martini. The name is linked to one of the main ingredients, passion fruit (we don’t need to explain this), but the actual art of drinking this cocktail is linked to the name and being sensual.

Consuming the half passion fruit garnish.

Shooting the shot of Champagne.

Enjoy the vanilla and passion fruit flavoured concoction.

Having said this, lots of people will sip or pour the Champagne into the cocktail before drinking, there is no set rule for the drink. Whatever way you drink your Pornstar Martini, you’ll enjoy it

Pornstar Martini Cocktail Recipe

40ml Vodka
15ml Passionfruit Liqueur
15ml Vanilla Gomme
10ml Lime Juice
20ml Passionfruit Puree
50ml Champagne
Garnish: 1/2 Passionfruit

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

2. Espresso Martini

The Espresso Martini cocktail is a world-beater and phenomenally popular since its creation. In fact, it’s getting even more popular day by day and is an iconic party cocktail.

The story of its creation is a very good one. Invented by acclaimed British bartender Dick Bradsell in 1983 at the Soho Brasserie, London, legend has it a young future supermodel requested a cocktail that would “wake me up, and then f*** me up”… And the rest is history, and a modern classic was born.

Aesthetically, the cocktail is easy on the eye. The contrast of dark and light with the foam (created during the shaking process in the method of the drink) sitting on top of the dark coffee is very Instagramable. You will also notice three coffee beans will be placed on top of the cocktail before you can enjoy. Each coffee bean represents something different, one is for health, one if of wealth and last is for happiness.

As with many classics, the Espresso Martini has a number of variations. The original is a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and a little sugar, shaken and served straight up in a martini. In fact, here at The Cocktail Service, our variation of the drink isn’t in its ingredients, but in how it’s served at special occasions… Let us present to you, the Espresso Martini Cocktail Tower.

Espresso Martini Cocktail Recipe

25ml Vodka
25ml Coffee Liqueur
50ml Fresh Espresso Coffee
5ml Simple Syrup (optional)
Garnish: 3 Coffee Beans

Shake | Double Strain | Martini Glass

 

1. Old Fashioned

Top of the list and our heavyweight champion of the world is the Old Fashioned. Simple in the quantity of ingredients of bourbon whiskey, brown sugar and Angostura Bitters, but don’t let that defer from how impressive a cocktail this is. An Old Fashioned simply oozes class and is THE iconic short served cocktail.

Even the creation and the theatre of this cocktail is impressive. The bitters and the brown sugar cubed are added to a mixing glass, then the bourbon is introduced along with ice. Stirred for the perfect dilution (you will see your bartender adding more ice while stirring), this is then strained into a rocks glass and garnished with an orange peel.

James E. Pepper, a Louisville based bartender has been credited with the original creation at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York where he worked. Over the years, bartenders have played with the ingredients and created spins on this classic (you will have seen a couple above in the list) with a variation of the base spirit and addition of more ingredients.

For the cigar smokers out there, the Old Fashioned pairs incredibly well with a full-bodied cigar… There is nothing quite like celebrating a landmark moment with a cigar and an Old Fashioned.

By the time you get here, you will have read a lot about our favoured cocktails in the world, and you should (while abiding with responsible drinking) try them all. But when you’re next at your favourite cocktail bar, ask the bartender for an Old Fashioned and you won’t be disappointed.

Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

50ml Bourbon
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
1 Brown Sugar Cube
Garnish: Flamed Orange Zest

Build | Stir | Old Fashioned