Do you want to impress your guests with vibrant drinks for aperitifs or other social gatherings? Any alcoholic drinks can be made in only a few minutes… let’s see which are the best alcoholic cocktails to serve your friends and family for delicious aperitifs and sparkling evenings at home. We’ve put together a list of cocktails that can be made with the best ingredients.
The ability to balance structure, fragrance, and colour is the key to making a good cocktail. In reality, thanks to the wise (and often different) combination of ingredients, mixing, and presentation techniques, the number of drink combinations is nearly infinite.
Shaken, blended, pounded, frozen, or poured directly into the glass are all the options. There are aperitif cocktails (pre-dinner drinks) like the Manhattan, Margarita, Negroni, Hugo, Spritz, and after-dinner drinks like the Old Fashion, Sex on the Beach, Americano, Cosmopolitan, Cuba Libre, Martini Dry, and Bellini.
Surprisingly, the beverages have an often amazing delight, sometimes intriguing backstory that is often confused with legend. That’s why, after seeing the planning, we decided to go over it again together for each cocktail. Are you all set? Let’s get started!
History
Alcoholic blended beverages, also known as cocktails or drinks today, have a long tradition dating back to the early 1800s. Cocktails were limited to punch-like drinks back then, and they were often served in the mornings to keep you energized for the rest of the day, unlike today.
Sazerac, the first drink that resembled what we have today, debuted in New Orleans in the 1890s. This combination of cognac and absinthe rapidly developed a large following and became the most popular drink of the era, consumed not only at home but also in growing bars.
There is no agreement about how the word cocktail came to be, but the most intriguing version of the story involves an American tavern owner who used rooster feathers (called “cocktails”) during the Revolutionary War. Cock refers to a cock that has been named. Tail = tail) to decorate drinks that you serve yourself. However, the word drink is used to describe mixed alcoholic drinks even more frequently. It literally means “to drink” in English.
The Manhattan Cocktail
The ingredients of the Manhattan are:
- 50 ml of whiskey
- 20 ml of vermouth
- maraschino cherries to taste
- 2 drops of angostura
- lemon zest as required
- ice to taste
Manhattan can be made in a matter of minutes. All of the ingredients (except the cherries and lemon zest) should be shaken vigorously until the sides of the shaker are cold. Remove the ice cubes from the liquid and strain in the maraschino cherries and lemon zest.
American Cocktail Recipe
The ingredients of the Americano are:
- 30 ml of red vermouth
- 30 ml of Campari bitters
- soda to taste
- ice to taste
- 1 slice of orange
Fill a glass halfway with ice, then pour in the red vermouth, Campari sour, and a splash of soda. Garnish with an orange slice.
Long island cocktail recipe
The ingredients of long island cocktail are:
- 1.5 cl of tequila
- 1.5 cl of gin
- 1.5 of triple sec
- 1.5 cl of vodka
- 1.5 cl white rum
- 2.5 cl of lemon juice
- 3 cl of sugar syrup
Toss in the ice cubes first, then the spirits, lemon juice, and syrup. Add the cola, stir, and serve with a lemon garnish.
Negroni Cocktail Recipe
The ingredients of the negroni :
- 60 ml of red vermouth
- 60 ml of Camparihonorbitters
- 60 ml of gin
- 1 slice of orange
Combine the gin, bitters, and red vermouth in a bottle of ice. Then combine all and garnish with thin orange slices.
Old-fashioned Cocktail Recipe
It’s called Old Fashioned for a reason: it’s a great classic that blends the intensity of bourbon, the bitterness of angostura, and the sweetness of sugar and cherry in a drink that’s very traditional in taste.
The ingredients of old-fashioned cocktail are:
- 45 ml of whiskey
- 1 lump of sugar
- 2 drops of angostura
- soda to taste
- orange zest to taste
- 1 maraschino cherry
This time, the preparation is a little different: begin by placing a sugar cube in a container, then wetting it with angostura and a drop of soda. Pound the ice and pour in the whisky. Finally, garnish with orange zest and a maraschino cherry. To be served in old-fashioned glasses only.
Mai Tai Cocktail Recipe
Colorful, fruity, and refreshing, mai tai is distinguished by the distinct taste imparted by the orgeat syrup. The following ingredients are required:
- 30 ml of dark rum
- 30 ml of light rum
- 15 cl of orange curacao
- 10 cl of lime juice
- 15 cl of orgeat syrup
- pineapple to taste
- cherries to taste
All of the ingredients (except the dark rum) should be shaken with ice. Pour the dark rum into a cocktail glass and stir. Enjoy with a pineapple and a cherry on top!
Cuba Libre Recipe
Cuba Libre is made up of three ingredients: rum, coca, and lime. It is very simple to plan, but it is always appreciated and successful.
- 50 ml of white rum
- 100 ml of coke
- 10 ml of lime juice
- 1 slice of lime
Squeeze the lime and make the juice (and strain it). In a glass, then, pour the ice, lime juice, white rum, and cola. Stir and decorate with a slice of lime.
Spritz Recipe
Let’s move on to the ultimate pre-dinner drink, the Aperol spritz! The following ingredients are required:
- 1/3 of Aperol
- 1/3 of prosecco or white wine
- 1/3 of sparkling water
- ice to taste
- orange to taste
Fill a glass halfway with ice, then halfway with Aperol, Prosecco, and sparkling wine.
B52 Cocktail Recipe
This cocktail, though a little out of date, has an irresistible allure: just looking at it, with its three layers that don’t mix, makes you want to give it a try. The following are the ingredients:
- 20 ml of coffee liqueur
- 20 ml of Grand Marnier
- 20 ml of Baileys
It’s served in a shot glass, into which you must pour the coffee liqueur first. The Baileys will be the second ingredient, and it will be slipped on the back of a spoon so that it does not mix. Finally, add the great Marnier in the same way. Then, using an open flame, ignite the final layer and drink the b52 through a straw.
Cuba Libre
The Cuba Libre is a drink made with cola and rum, as well as lime. During the Spanish-American war in Cuba, the drink was made. Each side’s symbolic ingredients were mixed together: Coke for America and Rum for Cuba. Cuba Libre translates to “Free Cuba.”
Ingredients:
- 50 ml of white rum,
- 100 ml coca-cola,
- lime,
- ice.
Bloody Mary
This is one of the most well-known and popular drinks on the planet. The popular cocktail was created when American bartender Fernand Petiot combined tomato juice with vodka at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1920. Some claim the name “Bloody Mary” derives from the Queen of England, Maria Tudor, who was famous for her ruthlessness and bloody executions during the 16th-century persecution of English Protestants.
Ingredients:
- 40 ml of vodka,
- 80 ml of tomato juice,
- lemon juice,
- salt, pepper, tabasco,
- Celery.
Californication
What’s the source of the beverage? It’s a mystery. The name is said to be a reference to a phenomenon described in a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It blends various types of alcohol from around the world to create something truly original.
Ingredients:
- 20 ml of pure vodka,
- 20 ml of gin,
- 20 ml of rum,
- 20 ml of tequila,
- 15 ml of orange liqueur,
- 15 ml of lemon juice,
- 70 ml of orange juice,
- ice cubes.
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Mojito
White rum, cane sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint make up the mojito, a popular Cuban cocktail. Yerba buena, a common mint variety on the island, is used in the original Cuban recipe. A heavy rum punch complements the sweetness, refreshing citrus, and cooling mint, making this drink one of the most popular alcoholic cocktails of the summer.
When making Ernest Hemingway’s favourite cocktail, be careful not to break the mint leaves; they just need to be crumpled enough to release the essential oils. There are many variants of this cocktail, including Greek Mojitos with Metaxa instead of rum, Mexican Mojitos with tequila instead of rum, Royal Mojitos with champagne instead of soda water, and even virgin Mojitos.
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Martini
A martini is a drink made with gin and vermouth, or flavoured wine, and topped with an olive or a twist of lemon peel. This drink is served shaken in a shaker, not stirred, in keeping with the trend started by the film James Bond.
The cocktail’s ingredients can also be poured directly over ice cubes, resulting in the on the rocks version, or Martini on rocks, which is served in an old-fashioned, low glass with a thick bottom known as a tumbler. The dirty Martini is a version of this cocktail that includes brine or olive juice in addition to the basic ingredients.
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Caipirinha
Brazilians’ national drink is caipirinha. Cachaça, fermented sugar cane liqueur, and lime are used to make it. Since the initial concoction included rum instead of cachaça and garlic, it is said to be derived from a drink that was consumed during flu symptoms. Caipirinha is best served in a low glass with a thick bottom and a slice of lime on top. When making this cocktail, make sure to add the ingredients in the correct order: first, smash the lime pieces with the peel and sugar in the bottom of the bottle, then add the ice cubes, and finally pour the cachaça over them.
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Pina Colada
The Pina Colada, which translates to “squeezed pineapple” in Spanish, is a rum-based drink with coconut milk and pineapple juice. This cocktail is traditionally served shaken with crushed ice in a Poco Grande glass with a stem, garnished with a slice of fresh pineapple and a hanging marasca. For over thirty years, the Pina Colada has been Puerto Rico’s official drink and is one of the most popular drinks among women.
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Margarita
The margarita is in the middle of the best drinks list. Tequila is blended with Cointreau, Triple sec, or another bitter orange liqueur, and lime or lemon juice in this Mexican cocktail. Served in special glasses with an extra belly, the rims of which are salt-rimmed and adorned with a slice of lime. There are two ways to serve a margarita: mixed with ice, and no ice at all.
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Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary is known as the world’s most complex drink for a reason: it’s made up of a variety of spices and additives, including Worcester sauce, Tabasco sauce, broth, horseradish, celery, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and more.
It is thought to aid in the treatment of hangovers, but in fact, it just masks the symptoms of a hangover. Many bartenders have their own special recipe for this drink due to the variety of spices and optional ingredients. The most popular way to serve a Bloody Mary is in a tall glass with a slice of celery on top.
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Tequila Sunrise
There are two different ways to make Tequila Sunrise. Tequila, crème de cassis (black currant liqueur), lime juice, and soda water make up the first one, the original. The more popular version of this cocktail was made about 30 years after the first and contains only three ingredients: tequila, orange juice, and grenadine.
The drink’s denser ingredients, such as cassis or grenadine, fall to the floor, creating vivid transitions that resemble the sky at sunrise, i.e. sunrise. This cocktail looks great in a stemmed bottle, but it’s also nice in a tall glass with a flat bottom, garnished with an orange slice and a candied cherry.
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Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan, also known as Cosmo, is a drink made with vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice that has been freshly squeezed. It’s served in martini glasses with a decoratively twisted lemon peel or a slice of lime on the lip, while a drifting piece of orange is commonly served with this cocktail. Serving Cosmo with candied cherry is a popular blunder, as it distorts the flavor of the smoothie.
The Cosmopolitan was created in the 1970s and has gained popularity in the last decade, thanks to the television show Sex in the Big Place, which has made it a favorite drink of women who enjoy clubbing and glamour parties.
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Kuba Libre
Free Cuba, or Kuba Libre, is a simple drink made with cola, lime, and white rum. It’s simply known as Coke Rum in foreign countries, and lime juice is also an optional ingredient to this drink. American soldiers carried Coca-Cola to Cuba, and one of them is credited with inventing the Cuba Libre cocktail. Despite the fact that this drink originated in a Havana bar, it rapidly gained popularity in the United States due to the low prices of both rum and Coca-Cola at the time. Cuba Libre can be served on the rocks in a short glass with a slice of lime or pineapple as a garnish.
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Manhattan
The Manhattan cocktail, made with whisky or bourbon, soft vermouth, and bitter vodka, rounds out the list of the best cocktails. It comes in a cocktail glass with a candied cherry and a tail on top. Winston Churchill’s mother hosted a banquet at the Manhattan Club in New York, according to a classic anecdote about its establishment. The party’s popularity sparked a trend for the drink served at it: when ordering this cocktail, mention was made of the location where it was tasted, hence its name.
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Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is a dry cocktail that is not for everyone’s taste. Bloody Mary is either liked or despised. It’s made with 40 mL white vodka, 80 mL tomato juice, a dash of lemon juice, salt, pepper, tabasco, and celery for garnish (and eat).
Melon Punch With Melissa
New punch with melon balls and lemon balm leaf in a basic fruit cocktail. Since the only alcohol used is plain white wine, it’s more than a cocktail and a refreshing drink for the afternoon.
With a melon digger, open the melon, extract the seeds, and dig out the pulp. Combine the melon balls, Grand Marnier, and sugar in the punch cup. Add the white wine, which should have been chilled for at least two hours.
Fill with a little sparkling wine or prosecco before serving, and garnish with a lemon balm leaf.
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