Classic Cocktails

101 recipes, including Wine Sour, Bramble, Batanga.

101 classic cocktail recipes.

Wine Sour — A technical drink that showcases the body of the wine, with a velvety texture.
Bramble — A simplified version made with high-quality blackberry jam.
Batanga — Tequila, lime, and cola in a tall glass.
Canchanchara — A Cuban classic balancing rum, bright citrus, and the sweetness of honey syrup.
Cuba Libre — The classic Cuban highball of rum, lime, and cola.
Brazilian Negroni — A Negroni twist with cachaça, sweet red vermouth, and Cynar.
Macunaíma — A white cachaça cocktail with honey syrup and Fernet, served up.
New York Sour — A whiskey sour with egg white and a floating layer of dry red wine.
Old Fashioned — The stirred classic of whiskey, sugar, and aromatic bitters.
Gold Rush — A bourbon sour balanced with honey syrup and lemon.
Gin Mint Sour — A gin sour with muddled mint, egg white, and a double strain.
Kamikaze — A balanced classic of vodka, lime, and triple sec.
Fitzgerald (Classic) — A classic sour of gin, lemon, and aromatic bitters, double strained.
Pineapple Devil's Margarita — A pineapple margarita with a floating layer of dry red wine, Devil's Margarita style.
Devil's Margarita — A classic margarita with a floating layer of dry red wine for visual and flavor contrast.
Coffee Boulevardier — A Boulevardier riff with coffee liqueur in place of vermouth, stirred with Campari and whiskey.
Paloma — A Mexican classic of tequila with grapefruit and lemon syrups, topped with sparkling water.
Balanced Negroni — A riff on the classic with more gin and less Campari and vermouth, stirred to put the spirit up front.
Rabo de Galo — A stirred Brazilian classic: cachaça, sweet vermouth, and Cynar.
Garibaldi — An Italian classic of Campari and fresh orange juice: built in the glass or with aerated juice for a velvety texture.
Americano — The Negroni's predecessor: Campari and sweet red vermouth lengthened with soda water, built over plenty of ice.
Campari Sour — A full-bodied Campari sour with a dry shake, egg white, and drops of Angostura on the foam.
Daiquiri — Cuban classic of white rum, lime, and sugar, served up, with a touch of grenadine at the bottom of the glass.
Tequila Sunrise — A shaken classic of tequila and orange juice, with grenadine poured over a spoon for the sunrise gradient.
Bloody Mary — The vodka-and-tomato classic with homemade juice from tomato paste, soy sauce in place of Worcestershire, and a double strain.
Vodka Martini — A stirred classic of vodka and dry vermouth, served ice-cold up, with a lime twist.
Negroni Sour — The equal-parts Italian classic, shaken with lime, syrup, and egg white.
Tom Collins — A long classic of gin, lemon juice, and syrup, topped with soda water.
Penicillin — A Scotch sour with muddled ginger, honey syrup, and lime, served short in a rocks glass.
Pisco Punch — A San Francisco classic: pisco shaken with pineapple syrup, pineapple juice, and lemon.
Caipiroska — The classic caipirinha with vodka instead of cachaça: lime, simple syrup, and ice in a rocks glass.
Espresso Martini — Dick Bradsell's classic: vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso shaken until crowned with foam.
Negroni — Equal-parts Italian classic: gin, Campari, and sweet red vermouth, stirred in a rocks glass.
Cosmopolitan — Shaken classic of vodka, orange liqueur, lime, and cranberry juice, served up.
Dry Martini — Stirred classic of gin and dry vermouth, ice-cold in the glass, with a lemon twist or an olive.
Porn Star Martini — Homemade take with caramel vodka, passion fruit pulp, and egg white, served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side.
Caipirinha — Brazil's national cocktail: lime muddled with sugar, cachaça, and lots of ice.
Aperol Spritz — Italian 3-2-1 classic: prosecco, Aperol, and soda water, served in a wine glass with an orange slice.
Gin & Tonic — Classic highball of gin topped with cold tonic, plenty of ice, and lemon.
Margarita — Mexican classic of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, with a half salt rim, double strained into a chilled coupe.
Mojito — Cuban classic of white rum, mint, lime, and soda, built in a highball without shredding the leaves.
Moscow Mule — Classic of vodka, ginger beer, and lime, built in a copper mug.
Piña Colada — Puerto Rican blender classic: white rum, cream of coconut, and ripe pineapple.
Mai Tai — Tiki classic of two rums, curaçao, orgeat, and lime, served over ice.
Boulevardier — Stirred classic of whiskey, Campari, and sweet red vermouth — the Negroni's cousin.
Whiskey Sour — Classic sour of bourbon, lemon, and syrup — egg white is optional, for foam.
Manhattan — Stirred classic of rye whiskey, sweet red vermouth, and Angostura, served ice-cold up, no ice.
Dark 'n' Stormy — Bermudian highball of dark rum floated over ginger beer — a storm in a glass.
French 75 — IBA classic of gin, lemon, and syrup, topped with champagne in a flute.
Caju Amigo — Brazilian shaken classic of cachaça, cashew fruit in syrup, and lime, served unstrained in a highball.
Negroni Sbagliato — The "mistaken" Negroni: Campari and sweet red vermouth lengthened with prosecco in place of gin.
Amaretto Sour — Modern sour of almond liqueur and bourbon, dry shaken with egg white for foam.
Bee's Knees — A Prohibition sour: gin, lemon, and honey syrup, shaken and served up.
Jungle Bird — Tiki drink of dark rum, Campari, and pineapple: sweet, sour, and bitter in a rocks glass.
Irish Coffee — Hot classic of Irish whiskey, brewed coffee, and cream floating on top.
Ranch Water — Texas highball of blanco tequila, lime, and sparkling water, built in the glass.
Gimlet — Classic of gin and lime, shaken and served ice-cold in a coupe, no ice.
Mint Julep — Classic of bourbon, mint, and crushed ice, built in the glass until it frosts.
Bellini — Brunch classic: prosecco and peach purée, served in a chilled flute.
Sex on the Beach — Classic highball of vodka, peach liqueur, orange juice, and cranberry.
Mimosa — Brunch classic: fresh orange juice and brut sparkling wine, equal parts in a flute.
Lemon Drop Martini — Vodka sour served up: triple sec, fresh lemon, and a sugar rim.
Port Light — Bourbon tiki drink with lemon, honey syrup, passion fruit, and egg white, over crushed ice.
Bitter Giuseppe — Stirred drink of Cynar and sweet red vermouth, with orange bitters and a touch of lemon.
Siesta — Blanco tequila sour with Campari, grapefruit, and lime, served up.
Kir Royal — French aperitif: crème de cassis in the bottom of a flute, topped with brut sparkling wine.
Enzoni — A Negroni that met a sour: gin and Campari shaken with grapes, lemon, and syrup, over a big cube.
Toblerone — Creamy cocktail of coffee, hazelnut, and Irish cream — a liquid dessert inspired by the Swiss chocolate.
Grasshopper — IBA dessert classic: white crème de cacao, green crème de menthe, and cream, shaken and served up.
El Diablo — Tequila highball with crème de cassis, lime, and ginger beer — Trader Vic's classic.
Godfather — 1970s stirred duo: Scotch whisky and amaretto in a rocks glass.
White Lady — IBA classic of gin, triple sec, and lemon, shaken and served up.
Long Island Iced Tea — IBA party classic: vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and Cointreau, lengthened with lemon, syrup, and a splash of cola.
Cosmonaut — Gin sour with raspberry jam in place of syrup, shaken and served up.
Sea Breeze — Classic vodka highball lengthened with cranberry and grapefruit juice, built in the glass.
French Martini — '90s martini: vodka, raspberry liqueur, and pineapple juice, shaken until it foams in the glass.
Pimm's Cup — British fruit cup of Pimm's No. 1 lengthened with ginger ale, cucumber, strawberry, and mint.
Hurricane — New Orleans classic: two rums, passion fruit syrup, and lemon, in a tall glass.
Japanese Highball — Classic whiskey-and-soda highball, ice-cold soda water, stirred once in a tall glass.
Hemingway Daiquiri — El Floridita dry daiquiri: white rum with grapefruit and maraschino, no sugar, in a chilled glass.
Cantarito — Jalisco highball: tequila with grapefruit, orange, and lime juices, lengthened with grapefruit soda and a pinch of salt.
Godmother — 1970s stirred duo: vodka and amaretto in a rocks glass — the Godfather's sister.
Gin Basil Smash — Jörg Meyer smash (Le Lion, 2008): gin, muddled basil, lemon, and syrup.
Air Mail — Classic of gold rum, lime, and honey syrup, topped with sparkling wine in a flute.
Oriental — Philippine classic: rye whiskey shaken with sweet vermouth, orange liqueur, and lime.
Matador — Trader Vic tropical sour: blanco tequila, pineapple juice, and lime, shaken and served up.
Fernandito — Argentine highball of Fernet Branca and cola, built in the glass over ice.
Martinez — Ancestor of the Dry Martini: gin, sweet red vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and orange bitters, stirred and served up.
Mary Pickford — Cuban Prohibition classic: white rum, pineapple, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur, shaken and served up.
Rosita — Tequila Negroni: reposado or blanco, Campari, sweet and dry vermouth, dash of Angostura.
Champagne Cocktail — Jerry Thomas classic: a sugar cube soaked in Angostura, topped with brut sparkling wine.
Hanky Panky — Ada Coleman's stirred classic: gin, sweet red vermouth, and Fernet, served up chilled, with orange peel.
Ti' Punch — National drink of Martinique and Guadeloupe: agricole rum, a touch of syrup, and a lime coin, built in the glass.
Adonis — Classic stirred aperitif of sherry, sweet red vermouth, and orange bitters, in a coupe.
Mexican Firing Squad — Blanco tequila sour with lime, grenadine, and Angostura, in a rocks glass over ice.
Old Cuban — Modern classic of gold rum, mint, lime, and Angostura, topped with sparkling wine in a coupe.
El Presidente — Cuban stirred classic of white rum, blanc vermouth, orange curaçao, and grenadine, in a coupe.
Gin Rickey — Dry highball of gin, lime juice, and soda water — no sugar, in a tall glass.
Vesper — Bond's classic: gin, vodka, and Cocchi Americano (or Lillet Blanc), stirred and served up.
Bicicletta — Milanese aperitif of Campari, dry white wine, and soda water, in a highball.
Irish Maid — Dead Rabbit modern sour: Irish whiskey, St-Germain, lemon, and muddled cucumber.