There’s nothing more attractive than a man who knows his way around a well stocked bar, picking out the perfect spirits and ingredients to concoct the perfect classic cocktail.
From the iconic Martini to the refreshing Paloma, here are 10 classic cocktails that you should know how to make. Memorize, practice, and perfect these, my friend. You can thank me later.
Old Fashioned
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 tsp sugar (or 1 sugar cube)
Put the sugar in a whiskey glass and add bitters. Gently pour over whiskey and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add ice and swirl. Serve with a garnish of orange or a dehydrated fruit slice if your heart desires.
Margarita
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz Grand Marnier
- 1 oz lime juice
- Salt for the rim
Slide a slice of lime around the rim and dip in a saucer of salt. Pour all other ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake to combine. Strain into the glass with fresh ice and serve.
Negroni
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
Add all ingredients to a glass with ice and stir.
Whiskey Sour
- 2 oz whiskey
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg white
Add all ingredients to a shaker and dry shake to combine. Add ice and shake again. Stir over ice into a rocks glass and serve.
Moscow Mule
- 2 oz vodka
- 4 oz ginger beer
- .5 oz lime juice
Add lime juice to the copper Moscow Mule mug and drop in a few ice cubes. Add in vodka and top with ginger beer.
Mojito
- 5 mint leaves
- 2 oz white rum
- .75 oz lime juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
Add mint leaves and simple syrip into a shaker and muddle. Add rum and lime juice with ice and shake to combine. Strain into a highball glass with fresh ice, top with club soda if desired, and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.
Manhattan
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Quickly stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with a cherry.
Gimlet
- 2 oz gin or vodka
- .75 oz simple syrup
- .75 oz lime juice
Shake everything in a shaker with ice and strain into a glass.
Sazerac
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- .5 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- Absinthe
Swirl absinthe around a chilled glass and pour out the excess. In a mixing glass, combine the rest of the ingredients and strain into the absinthe-coated class.
Paloma
- 2 oz tequila
- .5 oz lime juice
- Grapefruit soda to top
In a highball glass, add ice, and pour in tequila and lime juice. Top with grapefruit soda.
BONUS: Martini
- 3 oz gin or vodka
- .5 oz dry vermouth
- Lemon peel or olive for garnish
In a mixing glass, stir (or shake, if you want to go 007-style) vodka and vermouth with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. If garnishing with lemon peel, squeeze the oil from the peel into the glass.
