28 Classic Cocktails You Should Know How to Make

From a flawless French 75 to a "no notes" Negroni, these classic cocktails never go out of style.

By

Oset Babür-Winter

Updated on July 25, 2024

Gin Fizz — Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

With so many trends in the food and beverage spaces seemingly materializing and disappearing at the speed of a TikTok clip, there's something incredibly comforting about walking into your neighborhood watering hole and ordering a Negroni or an Old Fashioned.

Even if the bartender wants to get a bit creative with garnishes or glassware, you'll generally know what to expect — stability, perfectly harmonious flavors that have stood the test of time, and, well, booze. Once you've stocked up a basic home bar with some of your favorite spirits, a good vermouth or two, and a bottle of bitters, you've got everything you need to nail the classic cocktail at home — read on for 28 iconic recipes that every bartender wants you to add to your repertoire.

01 of 28

Tom Collins

Tom Collins — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

Served in a vessel aptly named for the cocktail, the 19th century Tom Collins is a towering, icy drink served in a thin-walled Collins glass.

With likeness to a Gin Sling or Gin Fizz, the Tom Collins is a refreshing cocktail made with gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. It's thirst-quenching and refreshing, with balanced sweet and sour flavors along with an enticing, fizzy finish.

02 of 28

French 75

French 75 — Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele

Named after a rifle commonly used by French and American soldiers during World War I, the French 75 is a fizzy, celebratory cocktail that's perfect for special occasions.

While legend has it that early versions of the drink called for gin, lemon, grenadine, and applejack brandy, the modern recipe is much more streamlined.

03 of 28

Gin Fizz

Gin Fizz — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

A frothy cousin of the Tom Collins, the Gin Fizz can trace its roots back to the 1870s, when a recipe first appeared in Jerry Thomas' The Bar-tenders Guide.

The Gin Fizz enjoyed a particular moment in the spotlight during the early 20th century when cocktails like the Ramos Gin Fizz were especially in vogue.

04 of 28

Margarita

Classic Margarita — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

Most historians believe that this iconic tequila drink is a descendant of a family of cocktails called the Daisy, which call for citrus juice and orange liqueur along with tequila, vodka, or gin.

Over the years, bartenders have riffed on this cocktail in delicious ways. Our favorite Margarita recipes include fruity takes like the Pomegranate Margarita, and the Meyer Lemon Margarita, as well as the ubiquitous Spicy Margarita.

05 of 28

Daiquiri

Daiquiri — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

A celebration of rum, this sour cocktail was thought to have been invited in the late 19th century, in a Cuban mining village.

With just three ingredients, the Daiquiri is all about finding the balance between citrus, spirit, and sweetener. Popular modern-day riffs include the Hemingway Daiquiri, named after author Ernest Hemingway.

06 of 28

Negroni

Negroni — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

The Negroni's roots date to 1919. Many believe that the drink is named after Count Camillo Negroni, who had a penchant for Americano cocktails. One afternoon, he asked the bartender to punch up his Americano with gin instead of soda water — and thus, the modern recipe was born.

Nowadays, bartenders can't stop riffing on this spirit-forward cocktail. Our favorite variations include the Cold Brew Negroni and the Sour Cherry Negroni.

07 of 28

Manhattan

Manhattan Cocktail — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

The Manhattan is one of the most famous whiskey cocktails of all time. Though its origins remain hotly contested, it's longevity and place in cocktail history is not.

The drink is traditionally made with rye whiskey, but some bartenders prefer to use bourbon. You can add a splash of juice from the jar of maraschino cherries if you'd like to add fruity sweetness to the drink, or alternatively, garnish with an orange peel.

08 of 28

Bloody Mary

Classic Bloody Mary — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

The Bloody Mary is an iconic, vodka-based brunch cocktail that has sparked many riffs since its invention in the mid-1930s, when it was first made by a bartender at King Cole Bar at the St. Regis hotel in New York City.

If you love tequila, try a Bloody Maria. More of a gin drinker? The Red Snapper is for you.

09 of 28

Sazerac

Sazerac cocktail recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

A cocktail with its own state senate bill declaring it the official cocktail for the city of New Orleans, the Sazerac packs a boozy punch thanks to a combination of rye whiskey, absinthe, and and Cognac.

While some historians say that the drink was invented by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, creator of Peychaud’s Bitters (which are part of the recipe), others believe that the drink was born in the 20th century at Sazerac House, a saloon that visitors can still experience today.

10 of 28

Sidecar

Classic Sidecar Cocktail Recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross / Styling by Lucy Simon

With a sugar rim and plenty of citrus flavor, the Sidecar is a tart treat.

Historians generally agree that the Sidecar was born sometime around World War I, but its name is up for debate. Some believe that it refers to the motorcycle attachment, while others (like bar legend Dale DeGroff) say the drink’s name references the mixture left behind in the cocktail shaker after straining, which is typically served in a shot glass on the side.

11 of 28

Gimlet

Classic gin gimlet — Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Another cocktail with roots dating to the 19th century, the Gimlet rose to fame out of necessity. Sailors in the British navy fighting against scurvy (a malady that impacted much of the crew) found themselves relying on citrus as an antidote and were eventually given rations of Sicilian lemon juice.

When a Scottish provisioner named Lachlan Rose created a shelf-stable product using lime juice concentrate and sugar to act as a preservative, it became clear that mixing lime juice cordial with navy strength gin made for an especially tasty cocktail.

12 of 28

Martini

Maison Premiere Classic Martini — Matt Taylor-Gross

It's tricky to figure out who mixed the world's first Martini. One fact most historians are certain of is that the drink was initially made with sweet as opposed to dry vermouth.

The traditional Martini is meant to be prepared stirred, not shaken, and garnished with a lemon twist. Nowadays, bartenders can't stop twisting the classic into different forms, from a Caprese Martini to a Dirty Pasta Water Martini.

13 of 28

Old Fashioned

Gin Old Fashioned — Gin Old Fashioned.
Mpak ART studio / Ilarion Ananiev / Getty Images

One of the most iconic whiskey cocktails out there, the Old Fashioned is simple, spirit-forward, and satisfying.

The Old Fashioned is a descendant of the Whiskey Cocktail, a Prohibition-era drink that called for a combination of whiskey and bitters. Over the years, bartenders have experimented with muddling fruit to add to the cocktail. Our recipe features the classic combination of spirit, sugar, and bitters.

14 of 28

Aviation

Aviation cocktail, pale purpose, in vintage Nick & Nora glass with single cherry, on white marble background — Tim Nusog

The Aviation cocktail dates to the early 20th century, when it was first mentioned in Recipes for Mixed Drinks, a book written by Hugo Ensslin, the head bartender of the Hotel Wallick in New York City.

With a name inspired by its sky-like blue and purple color, the Aviation's most iconic ingredient is créme de violette.

15 of 28

Whiskey Sour

Whiskey Sour — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

This Prohibition-era classic is one of the best-known examples of a classic sour cocktail, which calls for citrus, a distilled spirit, and a sweetening element.

Our go-to variation of the Whiskey Sour calls for a dry shake and egg white, in order to achieve a frothy head.

16 of 28

Moscow Mule

Moscow Mule — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

Legend has it that the Moscow Mule (which is still served using an iconic copper mug) was invented out of necessity.

A man named John Martin needed to push Smirnoff vodka in the United States, and bar owner Jack Morgan had an excess stash of ginger beer. The combination led to the cocktail's origin in the mid-20th century.

17 of 28

Paper Plane

Paper Plane — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

One of the most recent additions to the classic cocktail hall of fame, the Paper Plane is a riff on a Last Word cocktail.

Invented by legendary bartender Sam Ross in 2008, the Paper Plane was created for the menu at The Violet Hour in Chicago, and is named after rapper M.I.A's hit song, "Paper Planes."

18 of 28

Vieux Carré

Vieux Carre — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

New Orleans bartender Walter Bergeron was said to have created the Vieux Carré cocktail at the Hotel Monteleone in the mid-1930s. Today, you can still sip the cocktail inside the hotel at the Carousel Bar & Lounge.

This spirit-forward Prohibition-era hit is smooth, herbaceous, and typically served in a classic rocks glass.

19 of 28

Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter

Despite its current renaissance, the Espresso Martini has been on menus for quite some time.

English bartender Dick Bradsell came up with the beloved Espresso Martini in the 1980s, and while the original recipe called for two types of coffee liqueur (Kahlua in addition to Tia Maria), most versions you'll encounter today call for just one.

20 of 28

Mai Tai

Mai Tai Cocktail — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Undoubtedly one of the best-known Tiki drinks, the Mai Tai has been partying strong since the 1940s.

According to historians, the drink was invented by Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron, primarily to showcase the complexity of white and dark rum.

21 of 28

Pimm's Cup

Pimms Cup — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

This refreshing, low-alcohol cocktail was developed in the mid-1800s to showcase Pimms No. 1, a gin-based digestif with fruity, herbaceous, and spicy notes.

Over the years, the Pimms Cup has become a popular choice of drink at Wimbledon and is also particularly beloved across bars in New Orleans.

22 of 28

Last Word

The Last Word cocktail — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Legend has it that the Last Word was first created by Frank Fogarty, a bartender at the Detroit Athletic Club in 1915.

This pre-Prohibition era drink remains popular today and has led to modern-day riffs like the Paper Plane, which features equal parts bourbon, Aperol, amaro Nonino, and lemon juice.

23 of 28

Bee's Knees

Bees Knees — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Lucy Simon

This honey-sweetened Prohibition-era cocktail was created by Austrian bartender Frank Meier, who worked at the famous Ritz hotel in Paris in the 1920s.

Gin is the most important ingredient in this simple cocktail, and your choice makes a significant impact on the drink. For a more juniper-forward Bee's Knees, opt for a London Dry gin.

24 of 28

Mint Julep

Mint Julep — Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis

The Mint Julep has been the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, but for much of the 1800s, it was served as a brunch cocktail.

Traditionally enjoyed from a silver cup filled with crushed ice, the Julep is a Southern classic that is refreshing, sweet, and herbaceous.

25 of 28

Irish Coffee

Irish coffee — Brent Hofacker / Getty Images

Legend has it that this boozy coffee cocktail was first made by Joe Sheridan, the head chef of the restaurant at the Foynes Flying Boat terminal in County Limerick in the early 1940s.

Our recipe calls for strong, freshly brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, a little sweetener, and whipped cream.

26 of 28

Corpse Reviver

Corpse Reviver Cocktail — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

This pre-Prohibition era cocktail returned to fame in the 1930s, when famous bartender Harry Craddock included the recipe in The Savoy Cocktail Book.

Named after its power to figuratively rouse drinkers from the dead, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a potent classic that follows the traditional template for a sour cocktail.

27 of 28

Mojito

Mojito — Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset BabÃ¼r-Winter

Allegedly a descendent of El Draque, a 16th-century cocktail named after an English sea captain who explored Havana in the 1850s, the Mojito is one of the most popular rum cocktails today.

While it's unclear when the modern Mojito was developed, the recipe first appeared in Sloppy Joe’s Bar Cocktail Manual in 1932.

28 of 28

Pisco Sour

Artesano Pisco Sour Recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Many cocktail historians believe that the Pisco Sour was created in the 1920s by bartender Victor Vaughen Morris, at his namesake Morris’ Bar in Lima, Peru.

While the Pisco Sour follows the general template for a sour cocktail, it calls for the unexpected addition of Angostura bitters, which sit on the frothy head of the drink to add a little extra color and fragrance as garnish.

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