If you’re just getting started with mixology, sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. We love the classics because of their timeless style. If you think about it, only those things we want around for a long time get the title “classic”, from movies and literature, to cars and clothes. Similarly, classic cocktails are the drink recipes that continue to stand the test of time. These are the drinks every mixologist knows, and every home-bartender should know how to make. You can also think about them as a guide to structuring and expanding your home bar setup, as the spirits used in them can help you make a huge variety of cocktails.
13 Classic Cocktails To Master
1. Old Fashioned
First developed as a hangover cure, it uses a little sugar and aromatic bitters to knock the hard edges off of American bourbon or rye. You can use an inexpensive spirit to make an Old Fashioned, but make no mistake, the better the whiskey, the better the cocktail. Get the recipe here.
2. Martini
One word to describe an expanse of possibility. You can make a martini up, with rocks, dirty, perfect, and dry, just to name a few. All you need is gin and vermouth to execute this cocktail, but quality matters when selecting the spirit. Get the recipe here.
3. Manhattan
Just three ingredients, rye, sweet vermouth, and aromatic bitters can jumpstart your home bar. The Manhattan is suave, versatile, and the epitome of classic. Get the recipe here.
4. Daiquiri
Misunderstood by tropical tourist traps, a true daiquiri just needs rum, lime juice, and sugar. It’s a blast of citrus and spirit, perfect for brunch, happy hour, or revitalizing a late night. Get the recipe here.
5. Last Word
This herbaceous and complex comeback-kid inspires riffs in cocktail bars worldwide. It’s easy to make and two ingredients are home mixology essentials; Green Chartreuse and Maraschino Liqueur. Get the recipe here.
6. Vieux Carre
Eat your heart out, Francophiles. This complicated drink features cognac and the unique French herbal liqueur, Benedictine. It’s perfect for sophisticates who prefer the obscure. Get the recipe here.
7. Sazerac
If you’ve been to New Orleans, you might understand the Sazerac’s perfection. Bold but approachable, just like NOLA, the Sazerac calls for absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters (invented in the good-times city) and spicy rye whiskey. Get the recipe here.
8. Negroni
The Italians know food and drink, so it’s no wonder Florence is the birthplace of this bitter/sweet/strong cocktail. The perfect apéritif and ideal punctuation to end the day, week, or whenever. Get the recipe here.
9. French 75
Aptly named for a portable piece of French artillery, it’s effervescent, light, and packs a wallop. Combining gin (or cognac if you want a true French cocktail), lemon, sugar and sparkling wine it’s delightful, but dangerous. Get the recipe here.
10. Sidecar
The Sidecar will introduce you to the versatility of cognac. This earthy and floral cocktail combines cognac with Cointreau and citrus for a not-too-sweet drink. Get the recipe here.
11. Aviation
The subtle purple/blue hue of the drink from Creme de Violette never fails to garner attention. For a time, it was considered the “bartender’s handshake”, and ordering one would let the bartender know you were a cocktail connoisseur. Get the recipe here.
12. Pink Lady
If you’re adventurous enough to use egg white in your home mixology, shake up one of these ladies. It wraps herbaceous gin and citrus in velvety texture and subtle grenadine. Perfect for a post-dinner drink at home. Get the recipe here.
13. Boulevardier
Sweet, bitter, and spicy, boulevardier means “man-about-town.” It combines rye whiskey, Campari, and sweet vermouth in a complex and balanced cocktail. Get the recipe here.
