There’s a reason why some things are classic. Don’t get us wrong: we enjoy a creative, over-the-top cocktail just as much as the next person, but classic flavors like margaritas, Manhattans, and martinis are the cocktail equivalent of comfort food, and we can’t imagine imbibing without them. These classics will never let you down, whether you’re brushing up on your home mixology menu or searching for a go-to order at your next cocktail hour.
There are hundreds of traditional cocktails to choose from. However, only a few have true staying power. Those who do are drinks that are just as popular today as they were a century (or two) ago. Not to mention that they’re frequently used as inspiration for dozens of riffs, so getting to know the originals is a smart idea.
Rather than sticking to just the top ten traditional drinks, we’ve expanded the list to include all of your favorites. Even so, this isn’t a full list; rather, it’s a starting point for learning about the classics. Among these time-honored cocktails, you’re likely to find old and new favorites.
So, here are the must-try cocktail recipes that will make your night a lit one!
Old Fashioned
Ordering an Old Fashioned may be the ultimate litmus test for a bartender. The recipe is straightforward:
– 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
– 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
– 1 sugar cube or 1 tsp sugar
– Orange twist garnish
In a glass, place the sugar. Add some bitters to finish it off. Stir in the whiskey until it dissolves the sugar. Serve with ice. Have your next round at a different bar if the bartender starts shaking the ingredients or muddling fruit.
Why is it a must-try?
The old-fashioned drink is, without a doubt, one of the most popular. The old fashioned as we know it now originally appeared in 1880, but the classic whiskey drink was probably being served long before that, with the word “cocktail” first appearing in American newspapers in 1806. Back then, a cocktail was defined as a drink made with liquor, sugar, bitters, and water.
Manhattan
The Manhattan is a boozy traditional drink recipe that dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.
– 2 oz rye whiskey
– 1 oz sweet vermouth
– 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
In a mixing glass with ice, combine all ingredients. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe or martini glass.
Why is it a must-try?
The Manhattan was founded in Manhattan, as you might expect! Around 1880, the Manhattan Club in New York City is said to have introduced the classic cocktail. Nobody knows for sure who or where this cocktail was conceived. Despite its enigmatic origins, it was most likely created in the 1880s as a blend of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and aromatic bitters. While many bartenders today use bourbon instead of rye, nothing compares to the original.
Mojito
This delightful rum-based drink with mint and lime comes from Cuba and is ideal for enjoying by the pool or on the beach. If you’re looking for some literary cred, the mojito was a favorite of author Ernest Hemingway, according to legend.
– 3 mint leaves
– 2 oz white rum
– .75 oz lime juice
– .5 oz simple syrup
In a shaker tin, muddle the mint, then add the ice and the remaining ingredients. Shake to cold, then strain into an ice-filled highball glass. If desired, top with club soda and garnish with mint.
Why is it a must-try?
To make this Cuban classic, mix unaged white rum with lime juice, muddled mint leaves, and sugar, then top with club soda. It’s a delicious drink with a burst of flavor that transports you to the Caribbean tropics, and it’s equally at home at a party as it is by the pool.
Martini
When ordering a martini, stirred is the way to go, whether you’re drinking it with gin or vodka.
– 3 oz gin or vodka
– .5 oz dry vermouth
– Lemon peel or olive
In a mixing glass with ice, combine all ingredients. Into a cold martini glass, strain. Garnish with olives or squeeze lemon oil into the glass.
Why is it a must-try?
The Martini is famed for its elegance and appeal, yet its origins are murky at best. Around the turn of the century, the formula was published under several different titles. It’s a drink that sparks the mind, generally made with gin (although vodka is a popular substitution), dry vermouth, and orange bitters.
French 75
The name of this drink, which was created during World War I, is said to be inspired by the sensation of being shelled by a French 75mm field cannon, a powerful piece of artillery.
– 2 oz gin
– 2 dashes of simple syrup
– .5 oz lemon juice
– Champagne
With ice, shake the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a champagne glass. Pour champagne on top.
Why is it a must-try?
This most festive of drinks calls for a Champagne topper to the shaken mix of gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It’s a terrific cocktail for New Year’s Eve or other similar events because of the bubbly ingredient, but it’s also a great way to start a regular weekend breakfast.
Sazerac
Try this famous New Orleans cocktail if you enjoy a drink with a kick.
– 2 oz rye whiskey
– .5 oz simple syrup
– 2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
– Absinthe
Remove the absinthe from a cooled glass and discard it. In a mixing glass, combine the remaining ingredients, strain into the chilled glass, and garnish.
Why is it a must-try?
Have you ever visited New Orleans? If so, you’ve most likely had this cocktail. The Sazerac is a sophisticated cocktail that starts with an absinthe rinse and was created in the mid-1800s at the Sazerac Coffee House in the historic Crescent City. An alcoholic yet aromatic sipper is made with rye whiskey (originally cognac, but that switch happened quite early on), bitters (most typically Peychaud’s), and a sugar cube.
Moscow Mule
The Moscow Mule is one of the most refreshing drinks to drink on a hot summer day, and for good reason. The proposed receptacle, a copper mug, is also rather attractive.
– 2 oz vodka
– 4 to 6 oz ginger beer
– .5 oz lime juice
In a Moscow Mule mug, squeeze lime juice. Fill the glass with two or three ice cubes, vodka, and chilled ginger beer. Serve after stirring.
Why is it a must-try?
This basic three-ingredient drink is a simple mix of vodka, lime juice, and spicy ginger beer, and is said to have been devised in the 1940s as a method to expose Americans to vodka, a then-uncommon liquor. It’s perhaps most known for the eye-catching copper mug in which it’s customarily served.
Vesper
When you think of James Bond, you might think of a martini, but this drink is the real deal—the recipe first featured in Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel Casino Royale as a tribute to Bond girl Vesper Lynd. While Bond like his cocktails “shaken, not stirred,” most people prefer their spirits-only cocktails stirred.
– 3 oz gin
– 1 oz vodka
– .5 oz Lillet blanc
In a mixing glass with ice, combine all ingredients and stir until thoroughly cold. Serve with a lemon twist on top.
Why is it a must-try?
Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels, popularized the Vesper or Vesper Martini. The cocktail was first mentioned in the 1953 novel Casino Royale, and it was named after Vesper Lynd, a fictional double spy. James Bond famously requested the Vesper “shaken not stirred.”
Mimosa
We’d like to honor Frank Meier, the Ritz Paris bartender who allegedly served the first mimosa in 1925. The recipe could be the most basic cocktail ever devised.
– 2.5 oz champagne
– 2.5 oz orange juice
In a champagne flute, combine equal quantities of the ingredients.
Why is it a must-try?
Have you ever attended a drunken brunch that didn’t include mimosas? The mimosa is perhaps the most basic of all the cocktails, but it is also one of the most popular. The origins of the mimosa are contested, with a Paris bar and a London club claiming credit.
Paloma
The Paloma is just as popular in Mexico as the original margarita, and with a thirst-quenching blend of tequila, lime, and grapefruit soda, it’ll quickly become one of your summer favorites as well.
– 2 oz tequila
– .5 oz lime juice
– Grapefruit soda to top
In a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice, combine the tequila and lime. Serve with grapefruit soda on top.
Why is it a must-try?
Although the Margarita takes center stage in the United States, this is Mexico’s favorite cocktail. Drink snobs will tell you that the tequila should be joined in the glass by freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and club soda, with a squeeze of lime, but we’ve tried both ways and can assure you that the standard way of making the drink, with grapefruit soda (and, yes, that same squeeze of lime), is just as tasty and a whole lot easier.
Mint Julep
Even if you’re not at Churchill Downs, the official Kentucky Derby drink is worth trying.
– 2 oz bourbon
– 8-10 mint leaves
– .25 oz simple syrup
In a mint julep cup, muddle the mint leaves with simple syrup. Fill with crushed ice and add bourbon. Stir until the cup is completely frozen. More crushed ice should be added. Serve with a straw and a sprig of mint on top.
Why is it a must-try?
Sure, this bourbon cocktail is the Kentucky Derby’s signature drink. However, it should not be limited to one day per year. The combination of whiskey, simple syrup, and muddled mint leaves, served in a julep cup over crushed ice with a mint sprig garnish, is a refreshing way to cool off on a hot day.
Daiquiri
Forget about the sweet blended frozen version. One of the most well-balanced cocktails is the classic daiquiri.
– 2 oz light rum
– 1 oz simple syrup
– 1 oz lime juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail glass and strain into it. Serve with a lime wheel garnish.
Why is it a must-try?
Although the blender has left its mark on the Daiquiri, this fundamentally simple drink is best served without a steel blade. Simply combine rum, simple syrup, and a splash of fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker, and you’ve got yourself the most ideal of zesty cocktails.
Martinez
The Martinez employs “Old Tom,” a somewhat sweeter kind of gin that first appeared in the mid-1800s, and is neither a Manhattan nor a Martini. Request it by name for the most authentic flavor.
– 1.5 oz Old Tom gin
– 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
– .25 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur
– 2 dashes of Angostura or orange bitters
In a mixing glass with ice, combine all ingredients. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe or martini glass.
Why is it a must-try?
Although this cocktail is commonly regarded as the forerunner of the modern Martini, the two cocktails are not genetically related. The Martinez is a delicious and sweet-leaning drink made with gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Angostura bitters that shows only a passing similarity to its dry-vermouth cousin. Compare it to a Martini and see if you can see the connecting thread between the two.
Sidecar
This 1920s cocktail features brandy, lemon juice, and orange liqueur. You’ll see why the recipe has lasted so long once you try one.
– 2 oz VS or VSOP Cognac
– 1 oz Cointreau
– .75 oz lemon juice
With ice, shake the ingredients. Strain into a rocks glass or a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar.
Why is it a must-try?
Cognac is now frequently consumed neat. That’s how bright it is. But after trying it in this zesty cocktail, made with cognac, fresh lemon juice, and the orange liqueur Cointreau, you’ll have a new appreciation for the remarkably flexible French spirit. Don’t be put off by the sugary rim: it’s designed to hide the Sidecar’s nasty tongue.
Tom Collins
The Tom Collins, which is essentially a sour topped with club soda, is a traditional drink that is just as easy and tasty to make at home as it is at your favorite bar. Choose an Old Tom-type gin for a genuinely classic version.
– 2 oz Old Tom gin
– 1 oz lemon juice
– .5 oz simple syrup
– Club soda to top
In a glass with ice, add all ingredients and swirl gently to incorporate. Serve with a cherry and a lemon slice as garnish.
Why is it a must-try?
This cocktail of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda tastes like spiked sparkling lemonade and goes down just as smoothly. This is one simple, refreshing cocktail you’ll be glad to know how to prepare on a hot summer afternoon because it requires no extra equipment—made it’s directly in the same glass you drink it out of.
Pimm’s Cup
The first official Pimm’s bar opened during the 1971 Wimbledon tournament, and over 80,000 pints of the archetypal British summer cocktail are now offered to fans each year. The official Pimm’s recipe is as follows:
– 50 ml (about 1.75 oz) Pimm’s No.1
– 150 ml (about 5 oz) lemonade
– Mint, orange, strawberries
– Cucumber to garnish
Combine all of the ingredients in a large glass, stir well, and enjoy.
Why is it a must-try?
With this drink, which resembles a bouquet of garden-fresh produce, an abundance of garnishes is the name of the game. In a glass-topped with cucumber slices, assorted fruits, and a mint sprig, gin-based Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur is mixed with lemon juice and ginger ale. If you’re feeling really festive, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Gimlet
Although the original recipe asks for gin, you can make this drink with vodka instead.
– 2 oz gin or vodka
– .75 oz simple syrup
– .75 oz lime juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail glass and strain into it.
Why is it a must-try?
This drink, like many of the oldest cocktails, is thought to have been invented by British sailors to combat scurvy. Also, it combines a clear spirit, lime juice, and simple syrup to make a pleasant (and vitamin C-rich) beverage. The original recipe called for gin, but the vodka-based version has now superseded it in popularity. Either one is deserving of a slot in your heavy cocktail rotation this summer.
Dark ‘n Stormy
The Dark ‘n Stormy was established in the late 1800s in Bermuda when British sailors who were already rum enthusiasts began producing ginger beer and merged their two loves into one delectable drink. The cocktail is traditionally made with Bermuda native Gosling’s Black Seal Rum.
– 1.5 oz Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
– Ginger beer to top
Pour the rum and ginger beer into a highball glass filled with ice. Lime should be garnished.
Why is it a must-try?
This is the unofficial cocktail of Bermuda, the world’s shipwreck capital.
Cosmopolitan
Thanks to the TV program Sex and the City, the cosmo became practically ubiquitous in the 1990s, but this twist on the martini is as delectable today as it was when Carrie Bradshaw made it famous.
– 1.5 oz citrus vodka
– 1 oz Cointreau
– .5 oz lime juice
– .25 oz cranberry juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass with a lime wheel or zest for garnish.
Why is it a must-try?
Perhaps you learned about this drink from HBO’s Sex and the City when it was at its peak of popularity. Women who watched this show in the 1990s and early 2000s were undoubtedly envious of Carrie Bradshaw’s ability to make ordering a pink drink look so sophisticated.
Negroni
The Negroni is a simple three-ingredient drink that is a favorite among bartenders all over the world:
– An oz of gin
– 1 oz Campari
– 1 oz sweet vermouth
Stir ingredients with ice.
Why is it a must-try?
According to the renowned Gary Regan, who famously quipped that whether you’re trying to impress a new date or your boss, ordering a Negroni would do the trick. Count Camillo Negroni devised this drink by mistake in the early twentieth century, when he replaced the typical club soda in his Americano with gin. The bitter bitterness of the Negroni, along with its simple equal-parts mix, has made it a favorite among home and professional bartenders alike.
