The Bloody Mary is less a classic cocktail and more a concept. Vodka, tomato juice, pepper and celery are commonly used today, but in truth the serve varies from menu to menu – even switching out the spirit for gin or tequila. The underlying theme of all Bloody Marys, however, is a bold, punchy serve packed with strong flavours.
Its most likely origin comes from Harry’s New York Bar in Paris during the 1920s under bartender Fernand ‘Pete’ Petiot, who took the recipe with him to The Savoy in London and later the St Regis Hotel in New York.
18. French 75
You’d be hard pressed to find a classic cocktail which has undergone as many identity changes as the French 75.
Initially called Soixante-Quinze, it was named after a French 75mm gun during the First World War. The only two ingredients which survive today from its original recipe are dry gin and lemon juice, while calvados, grenadine and absinthe have all given way to champagne and powdered sugar over the subsequent century.
But it’s not just ingredients which have changed – the original cocktail was served in a coupe before changing to a Collins glass, which eventually gave way to a flute, which is most commonly used today.
17. Gimlet
Spirit, lime and sugar is the simple equation for many classic cocktails. For gin, the Gimlet is the result. However, it wasn’t created in a bar, but at sea by the British Navy as a scurvy preventative. While it’s not recommended to drink it warm at a 50-50 ratio as the sailors would have, stirred down over ice and well balanced, the Gimlet is an all-time classic.
16. Mojito
The origin of the Mojito is as muddled as the drink itself. Sir Francis Drake and Ernest Hemingway are two names mentioned in the development of the 100-year-old recipe, yet what is clear is its bulletproof legacy.
Synonymous with sunny vacations and the Cuban lifestyle, the Mojito is essentially a minty Highball version of a Daiquiri, which explains why the drink continues to sit strong in this list. The Mojito is also easily twisted, making it popular with the bartender affinity – muddling aside.
15. Amaretto Sour
The Amaretto Sour is a crowd pleaser, and has been around since the mid-’70s, reforming in recent years. The classic’s first appearances, likely around the year 1974, saw little more than a combination of amaretto and lemon juice, with the latter quickly turning into a sour mix.
However, that original formulation has evolved and improved over time, taking cues from the more established Whiskey Sour. A revamped version from 2012, by Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, is largely responsible for the Amaretto Sour’s resurgence. Morgenthaler’s take on the classic combines amaretto with cask-strength bourbon, lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg white.
14. Moscow Mule
The Moscow Mule is a classic with arguably one of the best cocktail origin stories, although whether it’s entirely true is another matter. The tale dates from 1941 and Hollywood’s Cock ’n’ Bull pub, where proprietor Jack Morgan and entrepreneur John Martin were lamenting their ailing businesses. Morgan was trying to launch a ginger beer and Martin had recently acquired the rights to Smirnoff vodka. Then entered Sophie Berezinski, who was struggling to shift a number of copper mugs from her father’s factory in Russia.
Now the Moscow Mule is globally recognised, with its share of modifications. For example, the Gin Gin Mule, switches out the vodka for gin, and uses a little mint from the Mojito too.
13. Boulevardier
What might seem like a twist on the Negroni, the Boulevardier actually emerged independently. The classic was born in 1920s Paris and is thought to be the invention of socialite Erskine Gwynne, editor at the time of Paris magazine The Boulevardier. Gwynne is given credit in bartender Harry McElhone’s 1927 book Barflies and Cocktails, which states that the serve is made with equal parts whiskey, Campari and sweet vermouth.
