From the smoky dens of pre-Prohibition America to today’s craft cocktail bars, these 20 drinks have stood the test of time. Whether you’re building your home bar skills or deepening your appreciation for mixology, mastering these classics is the foundation every cocktail lover needs.
The Timeless Classics
1. Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred over ice and strained into a chilled glass with an olive or lemon twist. The Martini is the cocktail that defined an era of elegance. Adjust the gin-to-vermouth ratio to your taste — from a classic 2:1 to a bone-dry splash. Get the Martini recipe →
2. Old Fashioned
Bourbon, a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, and an orange peel. Dating back to the early 1800s, the Old Fashioned is arguably the first true cocktail — and it remains the best introduction to spirit-forward drinking. Simple, timeless, perfect. Get the Old Fashioned recipe →
3. Margarita
Tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau with a salted rim. Born in Mexico in the 1930s or 40s, the Margarita is the world’s most popular tequila cocktail for good reason — it’s perfectly balanced between sweet, sour, and salty. Serve it shaken on the rocks or blended with ice. Get the Margarita recipe →
4. Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice with an orange peel. Invented in Florence in 1919, the Negroni is the gateway to bitter cocktails — bold, complex, and beautifully balanced. Once you acquire the taste, nothing else quite satisfies. Get the Negroni recipe →
5. Manhattan
Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, stirred and strained into a coupe with a maraschino cherry. Created at the Manhattan Club in the late 1800s, this cocktail is the Old Fashioned’s more sophisticated sibling — smooth, aromatic, and effortlessly classy. Get the Manhattan recipe →
Refreshing & Tropical
6. Mojito
White rum, fresh mint, lime juice, sugar, and soda water. Havana’s gift to the cocktail world is crisp, minty, and impossibly refreshing. The secret is muddling the mint gently — press to release the oils, don’t shred the leaves. Get the Mojito recipe →
7. Piña Colada
Rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice blended with ice. Puerto Rico’s national drink since 1978, the Piña Colada is tropical indulgence in a glass. Creamy, sweet, and the closest thing to a beach holiday you can pour at home. Get the Piña Colada recipe →
8. Daiquiri
Rum, lime juice, and sugar — shaken and served up. Named after a small Cuban town, the Daiquiri was a favourite of Hemingway and JFK. Don’t confuse it with frozen slushie versions — the classic is a sophisticated, perfectly balanced sour. Get the Daiquiri recipe →
9. Moscow Mule
Vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice served in a copper mug. Invented in the 1940s to sell vodka to Americans, the Moscow Mule succeeded spectacularly — and the copper mug actually does keep it colder. Spicy, fizzy, and universally loved. Get the Moscow Mule recipe →
10. Caipirinha
Cachaça, sugar, and lime. Brazil’s national cocktail is bold, rustic, and dangerously easy to drink. Muddle the lime with sugar, add cachaça and ice, and you’ve got the perfect drink for a warm evening. Nothing else tastes quite like it. Get the Caipirinha recipe →
Elegant Sippers
11. Cosmopolitan
Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and fresh lime juice. The Cosmo became an icon in the 1990s and never actually went away. It’s tart, pink, and endlessly sophisticated — shake it hard to get that perfect frothy top. Get the Cosmopolitan recipe →
12. French 75
Gin (or cognac), lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne. Named after a WWI field gun for its powerful kick, the French 75 is the ultimate celebration cocktail — bubbly, elegant, and deceptively strong. Serve it in a flute for maximum drama. Get the French 75 recipe →
13. Whiskey Sour
Whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and optionally egg white for a silky foam. The Whiskey Sour has been around since the 1870s and remains the template for the entire sour cocktail family. Once you nail this recipe, you can adapt it to any spirit. Get the Whiskey Sour recipe →
14. Sazerac
Rye whiskey, absinthe rinse, a sugar cube, and Peychaud’s bitters. Considered America’s first cocktail, born in New Orleans in the 1850s. The absinthe rinse sets it apart — a whisper of anise that makes every sip feel like a journey through cocktail history. Get the Sazerac recipe →
15. Espresso Martini
Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso, and simple syrup. Created by London bartender Dick Bradsell in the 1980s, the Espresso Martini has become the most ordered cocktail of the 2020s. Rich, caffeinated, and impossibly smooth. Get the Espresso Martini recipe →
Bar Staples
16. Bloody Mary
Vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice, and a garden of garnishes. The undisputed queen of brunch cocktails — savoury, spicy, and endlessly customizable. Go wild with the garnish bar; the Bloody Mary was made for self-expression. Get the Bloody Mary recipe →
17. Gin Fizz
Gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water. Light, effervescent, and wonderfully refreshing, the Gin Fizz has been a favourite since the late 1800s. Shake it hard to build a frothy top, then finish with chilled soda for that perfect fizz. Get the Gin Fizz recipe →
18. Sidecar
Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice with a sugar rim. Born in Paris at the end of World War I, the Sidecar is a masterclass in balance — the warmth of cognac meets the brightness of citrus. It’s the cocktail that proves brandy belongs in every bar. Get the Sidecar recipe →
19. Tom Collins
Gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water served in a tall glass with ice. Named after a 19th-century practical joke, the Tom Collins is the gin lover’s answer to lemonade. It’s easy, refreshing, and the perfect gateway to gin cocktails. Get the Tom Collins recipe →
20. Mint Julep
Bourbon, fresh mint, sugar, and crushed ice. The official drink of the Kentucky Derby and a Southern institution since the early 1800s. Served in a silver julep cup, gently muddled mint releases its oils without turning bitter. Sip slowly and savour. Get the Mint Julep recipe →
Master These Cocktails
These 20 recipes cover the full spectrum of cocktail culture — from stirred spirit-forward classics to shaken tropical refreshers. Learning them gives you a foundation that unlocks thousands of variations. Here’s how to get the most out of this list:
- Start with what you like: If you love bourbon, begin with the Old Fashioned and Manhattan. Gin drinker? Martini and Negroni. Work outward from your comfort zone.
- Invest in technique: The difference between a good cocktail and a great one is rarely the ingredients — it’s the shaking, stirring, and attention to detail.
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh citrus juice, quality ice, and proper garnishes transform every drink on this list.
- Build your bar gradually: You don’t need everything at once. Check our beginner’s guide to home bartending for a smart starting lineup.
Explore more recipes by browsing our cocktails collection, searching by ingredient, or using the Drink Finder to discover what you can make right now.
