The 10 Most Cocktails You Don't Want to Miss
A drink for every season, for every reason
10. Screwdriver (Vodka and orange juice)
Variations
- Slow (Sloe) Screw: Two parts Sloe Gin filled with orange juice
- Slow Comfortable Screw: Two parts Sloe Gin and one part of Southern Comfort, filled with orange juice
- Slow Comfortable Screw Up Against the Wall: One part of Sloe Gin, one part Southern Comfort and one part Galliano, filled with orange juice
- Harvey Wallbanger: Two parts vodka, four parts orange juice, and one part Galliano
9. Piña Colada (White rum, pineapple juice and coconut milk or cream)
Variations
- Amaretto colada: Replace rum with amaretto
- Kahlúa Colada: Replace rum with Kahlúa
- Iguana Colada: Piña colada with Midori
- Kiwi Colada: Replace pineapple juice kiwifruit (fruit and syrup)
- Soda Colada: Use soda instead of coconut milk
8. Long Island Iced Tea (Tequila, vodka, light rum, triple sec, gin and cola)
Variations
- 3 Mile Long Island Iced Tea: Gin, rum, triple sec, vodka, Coca-Cola, sweet/sour mix and Blackstrap bitters
- The AMF / Adios Motherf**ker: Vodka, rum, tequila, gin, Blue Curacao, sour mix and citrus soda
- One Night Stand Long Island Iced Tea: Vodka, gin, white rum, tequila (silver), Peach Schnapps, sour mix, Malibu, orange juice and Grenadine
- California Iced Tea: Replace tequila and triple sec with Amaretto; top with equal parts cranberry and pineapple juices
7. Old Fashioned (Bourbon or rye whiskey, bitters, sugar cubes and water)
Variations
- Brandy Old Fashioned: Replace whiskey with a smooth, stiff cognac
- American Trilogy: Use equal parts rye and applejack, along with orange bitters
- Demerara Old Fashioned: Use simple syrup made with demerara sugar
- White Rum Old Fashioned: Replace whiskey with white rum and use orange bitters
6. Daiquiri ( White rum, simple syrup and lime juice)
Variations
- Mulata Daiquiri: Creme de Cacao, aged rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup
- Hemingway Daiquiri: White rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino and simple syrup
- Strawberry Daiquiri: Muddle a strawberry with the simple syrup
- Pineapple Daiquiri: Use pineapple juice or muddle a few chunks of fresh pineapple with the simple syrup
5. Caipirinha (Cachaca or white rum, brown sugar and lime juice)
Variations
- Caipiríssima: Use rum instead of cachaça
- Caipiroska: Use vodka instead of cachaça
- Caipisake: Replace cachaça with sake
- Imperial Caipirinha: Add ginger liqueur, tarragon and lychee nuts
4. Margarita (Tequila, triple sec and lime)
Variations
- Mango Margarita: Add mango purée and lime juice
- Muddled Orange Margarita: Add muddled orange and Herradura Silver
- Grapefruit and Chilli Margarita: Add grapefruit juice and chili infused sugar syrup
- Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Perfect Margarita: Gold tequila (Cuervo 1800), tequila (Cuervo white), triple sec (Bols), orange Curacao (Bols), Rose’s lime juice, crushed ice and lime wedges
3. Manhattan (Whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters)
Variations
- West Hollywood: Laird’s Apple brandy, Noilly Ambre vermouth, Ferrand Dry Curacao, Angostura bitters and a Calvados-soaked miniature apple
- Zacapa Perfect Manhattan: Zacapa 23 rum, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, bitters and honey syrup
- Employees Only Manhattan: Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier and Angostura bitters
- Mexican Manhattan: Casa Noble Reposado, Maurin Red vermouth, Licor 43, Bitter Truth orange bitters, Angostura bitters, Bitter Truth Chocolate Mole bitters, grapefruit peel
2. Mojito (White rum, lime juice, soda water, sugar and mint)
Variations
- Mojitolada: Add muddled cane sugar, mint leaves, pineapple chunks and lemon slice to rum; top with pineapple juice and crushed ice
- Mojito Diablo: White tequila, creme de cassis, brown sugar, lime wedges, fresh mint and soda water
- Mojito Nihongo: Squeezed lime, brown sugar, fresh shiso leaves, sweet sake rice wine and lemon soda
- Basil Lychee Mojito: Gin, palm sugar, sugar syrup, lychee juice, quartered lime and fresh basil leaves
1. Martini (Gin and vermouth)
Variations
- Dry Martini: Use lesser dry vermouth than usual
- Upside Down Martini: Use more dry vermouth than gin
- 50-50 Martini: Use equal parts dry vermouth and gin
- Gibson: Dry martini garnished with cocktail onions replacing olives
That's that!
Those were the top 10 cocktails according to me. Mention your favorites in the comments section below.