Stir for at least 30 seconds — never shake a Manhattan
One large ice cube means slower dilution and a better drink
Rye gives spice; bourbon gives sweetness — your call
Express the peel over the glass, rub the rim, then drop it in
Carpano Antica or Cocchi di Torino elevate this noticeably
Bonus TriviaSaid to have been invented at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1870s — though like most cocktail origin stories, this is probably at least half myth.
Dublin Negroni
Stirred · On the Rocks Spirit-Forward · Modern Classic
Serve on the rocks · Stir until cold
Ingredients
1 Part Irish Whiskey
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth
Garnish Expressed Orange Peel
Ice Large cubes preferred
Tips
Stir, never shake — always with a Negroni
Jameson works well; Redbreast adds more complexity
The whiskey softens Campari's bitterness vs. gin
Carpano Antica is the ideal vermouth here
Express the orange peel, rub the rim, then drop it in
Bonus TriviaA riff on the classic Negroni, swapping gin for Irish whiskey. The result is rounder and less botanical — easier for whiskey lovers who find the original too bitter.
Gin & Tonic
Built · Over Ice Refreshing · Classic
Built over ice · No shaking needed
Ingredients
2 Parts Dry Gin
3 Parts Tonic Water
Garnish Lime Wedge
Ice Plenty of it
Tips
Use a premium tonic — it's half the drink
Pour tonic slowly down the side to keep the fizz
A highball or copa glass keeps it cold longer
Hendrick's pairs with cucumber; Tanqueray with lime
Squeeze the lime wedge in before dropping it in
Bonus TriviaBritish soldiers in India drank quinine-laced tonic water to ward off malaria. Adding gin made it palatable. The G&T was essentially medicinal — and it caught on.
Margarita
Shaken · On the Rocks Citrus · Classic
Shaken · Salted rim · On the rocks
Ingredients
2 Parts Blanco Tequila
1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
1 Part Triple Sec / Cointreau
Rim Salt (optional)
Garnish Lime Wheel
Tips
Always use fresh lime juice — bottled ruins it
Cointreau over cheap triple sec makes a big difference
Salt only half the rim so guests can choose
Shake hard with plenty of ice for proper dilution
Reposado tequila adds a smoky, richer character
Bonus TriviaDisputed origins — at least three bartenders claim to have invented it in the 1930s–40s. The name simply means "daisy" in Spanish, a classic sour cocktail format.
Martini
Stirred · Straight Up Spirit-Forward · The Original
Stirred · Straight up · Ice cold glass
Ingredients
3 Parts Gin or Vodka
1 Part Dry Vermouth
Garnish Olive or Lemon Twist
Tips
Gin = botanical & complex; vodka = clean & cold
Stir — shaking dilutes and clouds the drink
Chill your glass in the freezer beforehand
"Dry" means less vermouth; "wet" means more
Rinse the glass with vermouth and discard for extra dry
Bonus TriviaJames Bond famously ordered his "shaken, not stirred" — which most bartenders consider an abomination. Stirring is correct. Bond was wrong.
Dirty Martini
Stirred · Straight Up Savoury · Bold
Stirred · Straight up · Ice cold glass
Ingredients
3 Parts Gin or Vodka
½ Part Dry Vermouth
½ Part Olive Brine
Garnish 3 Olives on a Pick
Tips
Vodka is the classic dirty base — cleaner brine flavour
Use the brine from quality olives, not cheap jars
Extra dirty = more brine; filthy = a lot more brine
Stir gently — you want cold and silky, not frothy
Castelvetrano olives on the garnish are a game changer
Bonus TriviaThe "dirty" in dirty martini refers to the cloudy appearance from olive brine. First recorded around 1901, it divides cocktail purists to this day.
Negroni
Stirred · On the Rocks Bitter · Italian Classic
Serve on the rocks · Stir until cold
Ingredients
1 Part Dry Gin
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth
Garnish Expressed Orange Peel
Ice Large cube preferred
Tips
Always stir — never shake a Negroni
Equal parts is the rule; adjust to taste from there
Beefeater or Tanqueray work beautifully here
Carpano Antica makes a noticeably richer Negroni
Try it stirred and served up for a more elegant pour
Bonus TriviaCount Camillo Negroni reportedly asked a Florence bartender to strengthen his Americano by swapping soda for gin in 1919. The bartender obliged. The rest is history.
Old Fashioned
Stirred · On the Rocks Spirit-Forward · The Original
Serve on the rocks · Stir until cold
Ingredients
2 Parts Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Tsp Sugar or Simple Syrup
Garnish Expressed Orange Peel
Ice One large cube
Tips
Build it in the glass — no shaker needed
Muddle the sugar with bitters before adding spirit
One large ice cube melts slowly and dilutes less
Bourbon = sweeter; rye = spicier and drier
Express the orange peel and drop it in — no cherry needed
Bonus TriviaConsidered the first "cocktail" in the modern sense. When bartenders started adding fancy ingredients to drinks, purists asked for one the "old fashioned" way — and the name stuck.
Mai Tai
Shaken · On the Rocks Tropical · Tiki Classic
Shaken · Float the dark rum on top
Ingredients
1 Part Aged Rum (base)
1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
½ Part Orgeat Syrup
½ Part Orange Curaçao
Float Dark Rum on top
Garnish Mint Sprig + Lime
Tips
Float the dark rum last — pour over the back of a spoon
Shake everything except the dark rum float
Fresh lime juice only — this drink lives or dies by it
Orgeat is non-negotiable; it's the soul of a Mai Tai
Slap the mint before garnishing to release the aroma
Bonus TriviaInvented by Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) in Oakland in 1944. He served it to Tahitian friends who reportedly exclaimed "Mai Tai — Roa Ae!" meaning "Out of this world — the best!"
Dark & Stormy
Built · Over Ice Spiced · Classic Highball
Built over ice · Float rum on top
Ingredients
Float Dark Rum (Gosling's)
3 Parts Ginger Beer
Squeeze Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish Lime Wedge
Ice Fill the glass
Tips
Gosling's Black Seal is the traditional rum for this
Pour rum slowly over the back of a spoon to float it
Use a spicy ginger beer — not ginger ale
The dark layer on top makes it visually dramatic
Squeeze the lime in before adding ice for best integration
Bonus TriviaGosling's trademarked the name "Dark 'N Stormy" — it legally must use Gosling's Black Seal rum. It's one of the few cocktails with a registered trademark.
Moscow Mule
Built · Over Ice Crisp · Refreshing
Built over ice · Serve in copper mug
Ingredients
2 Parts Vodka
3 Parts Ginger Beer
½ Part Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish Lime Wedge
Ice Crushed preferred
Tips
A copper mug isn't just aesthetic — it keeps it colder
Use a fiery ginger beer for a proper kick
Add vodka first, then lime, then ginger beer over ice
Crushed ice makes it extra cold and dilutes gently
A mint sprig garnish adds a great aromatic lift
Bonus TriviaInvented in 1941 as a marketing scheme to sell both Smirnoff vodka and Cock 'n Bull ginger beer. The copper mug was added for branding — and it worked brilliantly.
Whiskey Sour
Shaken · On the Rocks Citrus · Classic Sour
Shaken · Dry shake first if using egg white
Ingredients
2 Parts Bourbon Whiskey
1 Part Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Part Simple Syrup
Optional Egg White (for foam)
Garnish Orange Slice + Cherry
Tips
Dry shake egg white first (no ice) for a thick foam
Then wet shake with ice for proper dilution and chill
Fresh lemon juice only — bottled is noticeably worse
A few drops of Angostura on the foam looks and tastes great
Bourbon works best; rye makes it drier and spicier
Bonus TriviaOne of the oldest sour cocktails on record — the template appears in bartending guides from the 1860s. The egg white version is sometimes called a Boston Sour.
Boulevardier
Stirred · On the Rocks Spirit-Forward · Rich
Serve on the rocks · Stir until cold
Ingredients
1.5 Parts Bourbon or Rye
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth
Garnish Expressed Orange Peel
Ice Large cube preferred
Tips
Think of it as a Negroni with whiskey instead of gin
Bourbon makes it sweeter; rye makes it drier and spicier
Stir for at least 30 seconds — it needs proper dilution
Carpano Antica adds a wonderful vanilla richness
Try it up (no ice) in a coupe for a more elegant serve
Bonus TriviaCreated in Paris in the 1920s by Erskine Gwynne, an American expat who published a magazine called The Boulevardier. A whiskey Negroni by another name — and arguably better.