Our Favourite Cocktail Recipes
As your can imagine, we drink more than a few cocktails… after all, we created a whole website dedicated to figuring out what cocktail your can make based on the ingredients you have. We made this site in order to learn more about cocktails and, through that, have better understood the general structure of cocktails, what goes together, and, generally, what makes cocktails tick. Through all of our cocktailing (if that’s a word; cocktail is a verb now), we, of course, have come across a few favourites. It’s been hard to narrow down! There’s just so many great cocktails out there. We’re going to do our best to keep this list to a reasonable number, but no promises here.
If you like what you’re seeing here and want to see more, why not take a look at our other cocktail lists. If you’re stuck and don’t know where to start, we have a great engine that let’s you see what cocktail you can make with your ingredients; just dial in what you have and we’ll tell you what you can make. If you have ingredients at home but don’t know where to start, try the cocktail generator.
Well, it was hard enough to narrow things down to our favourites, so we’re not putting these in order…
Beachcomber Cocktail
The Beachcomber has a lot of elements of a Daiquiri but adds a little bit more for better balance and flavour. The cocktail is made from White Rum, Triple Sec, Maraschino Liqueur, and Lime Juice. Meanwhile a Classic Daiquiri is White Rum, Lime Juice, and Sugar Syrup.
The addition of the extra ingredients in the Beachcomber and the subtraction of the Simple Syrup give this drink a better kind of sweetness while also removing the overly tart elements of the Lime Juice. It’s a nice improvement on a classic recipe that really works!
If you want to up your Daiquiri game while having something fun and just a little bit tropical, try a Beachcomber.
Gin Sling
A Gin Sling uses Gin, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters, Tonic Water, and Club Soda to create a refreshing long drink that both looks and tastes great.
Having a mixture of Tonic Water and Soda is an interesting choice, but it really works. It dilutes the Lemon Juice while also making sure no one flavour totally takes over.
You can make this recipe with a standard London Dry Gin, but we also like it with something very floral; it combines well with the bitters. However, don’t stress too much. Just use the Gin you have on hand.
Classic Margarita
Who doesn’t like a Margarita? All you need is Tequila, Triple Sec, and Lime Juice and you’re good to go. While extremely easy to make, the Margarita is a classic for a reason. And of course it’s one of our all time favourite cocktails.
Fog Cutter
Probably our favourite Tiki style cocktail, the Fog Cutter has a slightly long list of ingredients, but it’s worth it. Combine White Rum, Gin, Brandy, Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Orgeat, and Sherry to creat something that is full of flavour while also packing a very big punch! Approach this cocktail with caution as it has more than just a little bit of booze in it.
We love this cocktail.
Caipiroska
At first glance a cocktail made with Vodka, Sugar, and Lime sounds very boring, but it actually works extremely well. An added bonus is that, since it has so few ingredients, it’s also very easy to make. Don’t discount this drink too quickly. You’ll thank us later.
Caribbean Old Fashioned
While we love the classic Whiskey Old Fashioned, this spin is actually a personal favourite with us. The recipe calls for Golden Rum, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters, Orange Bitters, and some juice from a cherry jar. This creates something that still has the vibe of an Old Fashioned, but just a little bit more. In a lot of ways there are similar flavours to a Sazerac, but the recipe is just a bit simpler. So if you’re a Sazerac drinker, it’s worth giving one of these a try.
Yes, this cocktail recipe is a little surprising, especially considering many of our other favourites are centre around the classics, but here we are…
Whiskey Sour
We’re probably not unique by putting a Whiskey Sour down on a list of favourite cocktails. Everybody loves a Whiskey Sour! The cocktail is made up of Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Egg White, and Angostura Bitters.
Although you can make a sour from almost any base alcohol, the Whiskey Sour is pretty much the standard. And it’s the standard for a reason.
Manhattan
A Manhattan is another simple cocktail, but it’s so well balanced it’s hard not to like it. All you need is some Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Angostura Bitters, and Orange Bitters. Some won’t do the Orange Bitters, but it’s well worth it. It’s only a dash but it changes the cocktail completely!
The Manhattan is one of the older and more well known cocktails, and it’s so well known for a reason. Quite simply, it’s just a great cocktail. In a lot of ways, like a Martini or other simple cocktails, it just goes to show how far simplicity can take you. Yes, there are some great mixed drinks out there with a lot of different ingredients, but sometimes, simple it best.
Sazerac
A Sazerac uses Rye, Cognac, Simple Syrup, Peychaud’s Bitters, Angostura Bitters, and Absinthe. Some recipes remove the Rye and only use Cognac, while others do the revers and don’t use Cognac at all. Either way, there are elements of an Old Fashioned in this cocktail, but it’s really in a league of its own. Coming to us from New Orleans, the Sazerac has a long and fun history. It’s a cocktail you really should get familiar with.
Boulevardier Cocktail
While some would prefer a Negroni, we prefer a Boulevardier. Combine Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, and Campari. Yep, it’s pretty much a Negroni but with Bourbon. We think the Bourbon brings a little extra sweetness to the drink that makes it just a little bit more balanced.
If you’re a Negroni lover, give the Boulevardier a go to see what you think of it. You won’t be sorry!