9 Cocktail Recipes Everyone Should Memorize (2024)

Manhattan

The great Manhattan cocktail — a sharp combination of whiskey (usually Rye), sweet Vermouth, and Angostura bitters — came to be in the 1880s. William F. Mulhall penned in his Valentine's Manual in 1923 that the drink was invented by a man who tended bar on Broadway near Houston Street in Manhattan. Thank you, kind sir. You've given us everything we've ever wished for in an alcoholic beverage.

Martini

Though the history of the Martini is unclear — popular theories say it was invented in San Francisco during the Gold Rush or at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York — the drink started cropping up in cocktail guides around the world in the late 19th century. The common law for a Martini today, however is simple: a 3:1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth stirred together over ice and strained into a cocktail glass. Though the ratios have changed over the years (from 2:1 all the way up to 8:1), and the addition of bitters became acceptable, the ultra clean Martini has remained the most popular cocktail in existence. It's also worth noting that the only garnishes should be either an olive or a lemon twist. (None of the over-the-top, unnecessary garnishes we've seen in recent years. An olive. Or a lemon twist.)

Negroni

We've seen a definite spike in the delightfully bitter Negroni across bars around the world, which features equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. The Negroni can be traced back to 1919, debuting in the Caffè Casoni bar in Florence. Per Gary Regan, bartender and author of The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, legend suggests that Count Camillo Negroni demanded the bartender make him a stiffer version of the Americano. Interested in returning to the scene of the crime? Caffè Casoni exists now as Caffè Giacosa, where they boast an entire menu dedicated to the libation. All hail the Negroni.

Old Fashioned

There is nothing more straightforward than the Old Fashioned: muddled sugar with bitters and whiskey. The drink dates back to the early 18th century and officially got its name later on in the 1880s at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. It grew so popular that the recipe was taken to the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Years later, Don Draper would show us all that it's absolutely acceptable to have an Old Fashioned (or two, or three) during the work day.

Mint Julep

The Old Fashioned wasn't the only thing going on in Louisville. Also during the early 1800s, bartenders were muddling mint and sugar together and serving it up with Bourbon. The first notation of the drink can be found in Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States: 1798–1802 by John Davis. The Mint Julep grew in such popularity that it became a track staple at Churchill Downs in 1938.

Daiquiri

By now it's safe to say that the public's knowledge of the Daiquiri goes above and beyond the blended concoction with extra floater shots we've become accustomed to. The daiquiri actually found its place shortly after the Spanish–American War as there was a subsequent influx of Americans in Cuba. A gentleman by the name of Jennings S. Cox, a mining engineer, can be credited with the drink's creation. (The result of running out of gin and turning to Cuba's resident spirit: rum.)

French 75

Known to the French as simply, "Sioxante Quinze," the French 75 dates back to World War I, named after the French army's 75 mm field gun. The cocktail gained popularity in New York after the publication of Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails by Harry MacElhone in 1922.

Gimlet

Named after a small, piercing hand drill, the aptly named Gimlet packs a punch. Thought to have been popular in the Navy, the first printed recipe can be found in MacElhone's tome in 1922, noting that the only two ingredients are gin and lime juice. Nowadays, bartenders are making gimlets with more subtle flavors like cucumber, basil, and Meyer lemon.

Margarita

Like many other libations, there are several theories behind the history of the Margarita. A very popular story suggests that Carlos "Danny" Herrera, bartender/owner of the Tijuana-based Rancho La Gloria restaurant, was tasked with creating a drink for a picky customer allergic to all spirits other than tequila in 1938. He used the basic elements of the traditional tequila shot (tequila, salt, and lime) with the addition of triple sec to create what we now know as the Margarita.

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