Global Cocktail Recipes

A lush, nutty sour that balances sweet almond-flavoured amaretto with bright lemon juice. Chef Jeffrey Morgenthaler's version with egg white gives it a gorgeous, frothy head.

The granddaddy of the Negroni: Campari and sweet vermouth lengthened with a splash of soda. Ordered by James Bond before he upgraded to Negronis. Born in Milan's Caffè Campari in the 1860s.

Italy's golden aperitivo. Vivid orange, bittersweet Aperol with Prosecco and soda — the taste of a sunny Italian piazza.

A pre-Prohibition classic that earns its name from its stunning sky-blue colour — gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice create a floral, aromatic masterpiece.

Sun, sand and two kinds of rum. This tropical blender favourite combines dark and coconut rum with pineapple and orange juice for a drink that tastes like a Bahamian sunset tastes — golden, warm and a little bit magical.

A Prohibition-era speakeasy classic. Gin, honey syrup, and lemon juice in a Golden Age cocktail that proves simplicity is genius.

Born at Harry's Bar in Venice, the Bellini is a dreamy blend of fresh white peach purée and Prosecco that feels like summer in a glass.

A cheeky 1930s classic from Harry MacElhone's Bar in Paris — a Sidecar variation that swaps half the Cognac for white rum, making it lighter, fruitier, and dangerously drinkable.

Created in Brussels in 1949 by barman Gustave Tops for the US Ambassador, the Black Russian is a supremely simple two-ingredient classic — vodka and coffee liqueur.

Named after the 1922 Rudolph Valentino bullfighting film. Equal parts scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth and orange juice — one of the rare scotch cocktails that actually works, and works beautifully.

The legendary morning cocktail. Savory, spicy, and packed with umami — tomato juice meets vodka for the ultimate cure.

Created by Andy MacElhone at Harry's New York Bar, Paris, in 1960. Vodka, blue curaçao and lemonade — impossibly blue, tropical and unapologetically fun. The cocktail equivalent of a summer poster.

The bourbon-lover's Negroni: equal parts bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth stirred to silky perfection. Created in 1920s Paris by Erskine Gwynne.

Dick Bradsell's 1984 London masterpiece. Gin and lemon on crushed ice, with crème de mûre drizzled over the top to bleed through like a summer bramble bush in full fruit.

Brazil's national cocktail, built on cachaça — a sugarcane spirit. Simple, punchy, and refreshing with muddled lime and sugar.

Campari meets tonic water — an aperitivo that's more bitter and complex than a Spritz, more effervescent than an Americano. The quinine in the tonic amplifies Campari's herbal bitterness beautifully. Two ingredients, maximum impact.

A pre-Prohibition pink gem. Gin with fresh raspberries, lemon, and egg white creates a silky, rosy cocktail of rare elegance.

Harry Craddock's legendary hangover cure from the Savoy Cocktail Book — equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and lemon, with an absinthe rinse that haunts every sip.

Made famous by Sex and the City, the Cosmopolitan is a sophisticated pink cocktail of citrus vodka, triple sec, cranberry, and lime.

Rum, cola and a squeeze of lime — one of the most ordered cocktails on Earth. Born during the Spanish-American War when American soldiers mixed their Coca-Cola with Cuban rum.

Ernest Hemingway's favorite. A minimalist masterpiece of white rum, lime juice, and sugar — clean, tart, and utterly refreshing.

Bermuda's signature drink. Dark rum floated over spicy ginger beer creates a dramatic, stormy appearance — bold and refreshing.

The pinnacle of cocktail craft — gin and a whisper of dry vermouth, stirred cold and served in a chilled glass. Deceptively simple, endlessly debated.

The Devil. Tequila, crème de cassis, ginger beer, and lime in a gorgeous deep red cocktail that bites back just when you least expect it.

A Cuban classic from the Prohibition era, named for Cuban presidents. Aged rum, dry vermouth, orange curaçao and a hint of grenadine — stirred, amber-hued and deeply elegant.

A Tom Collins dressed in spring flowers. St-Germain elderflower liqueur adds a delicate floral sweetness that turns a classic highball into something truly gorgeous. Perfect for a garden party or warm afternoon.

Dick Bradsell's legendary cocktail from 1980s London. Rich espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur create a perfectly frothy, caffeine-powered classic.

Argentina's national drink — and no, it's not Malbec. Fernet-Branca mixed with Coca-Cola is the unofficial cocktail of Buenos Aires, drunk in enormous quantities at asados and football matches alike. Bitter, herbal and strangely addictive.

Named after a WWI artillery gun for its kick, this elegant gin and Champagne cocktail is bubbly, citrusy, and dangerously smooth.

Two ingredients, zero pretension. Campari and a huge pour of freshly squeezed, aggressively aerated orange juice. The trick is a fluffy, foamy OJ — bartender Naren Young made this the signature of Dante NYC, and it became a modern institution.

A classic British cocktail of gin and lime cordial — short, sharp, and clean. Simple to make but endlessly satisfying.

A British institution. Crisp, botanical gin meets the slight bitterness of tonic water for the ultimate aperitif.

One of the great classic long drinks: gin, fresh lemon juice and sugar, topped with soda water. Clean, bright and endlessly refreshing.

Named after the 1972 film, the Godfather is a brooding two-ingredient sipper — Scotch whisky softened with the sweet almond warmth of Disaronno amaretto.

A whiskey sour stripped back to its essentials — just bourbon, fresh lemon, and honey syrup. Created at Milk & Honey in New York City around 2000, it became a modern classic overnight.

A New Orleans dessert cocktail from Tujague's bar, 1918. Green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and cream — vibrantly green, minty-chocolate and utterly indulgent.

The first cocktail ever created by a woman for a major bar — Ada Coleman invented this at the Savoy's American Bar around 1903. Gin, sweet vermouth, and a bold dash of Fernet-Branca make it unforgettable.

A groovy 1970s icon: a Screwdriver topped with a float of Galliano herbal liqueur. Legend says it's named after a California surfer who kept bumping into walls after one too many.

Ernest Hemingway drank this at El Floridita in Havana — he asked the bartender to double the rum and skip the sugar. The result is a perfectly dry, citrus-forward daiquiri also known as the Papa Doble.

Born in the South Tyrol mountains of northern Italy, the Hugo is a delicate, floral alternative to the Aperol Spritz — elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, mint, and soda.

Invented at Foynes Airport in 1943 by chef Joe Sheridan to warm cold transatlantic passengers — hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and a thick float of cream.

Created at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in 1978, the Jungle Bird is a tropical bitter classic — dark rum meets Campari, pineapple, and lime in perfect harmony.

Named for Félix Kir, the mayor of Dijon, who popularised it after WWII. Dry white Burgundy wine with a splash of blackcurrant liqueur — the aperitif of France, deceptively simple.

A touch of blackcurrant liqueur transforms a flute of Champagne into an elegant, jewel-toned aperitif beloved across France.

A Detroit Prohibition-era gem revived in the 21st century. Equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino, and lime — complex, herbal, and alive.

A sweet and tart crowd-pleaser from 1970s San Francisco, the Lemon Drop Martini balances citrus vodka with fresh lemon and a sugared rim.

Italy's sunshine in a glass — limoncello's sweet lemon intensity paired with Prosecco and soda water creates a bright, zesty aperitivo perfect for warm evenings.

A Prohibition-era gem from the 1930s. Bourbon, lime and allspice dram (a Jamaican pimento liqueur) create a spiced sour that's exotic, warming and deeply complex — one of the great forgotten cocktails finally getting its due.

Five spirits in one glass, and it somehow tastes like iced tea. The Long Island is a legendary (and potent) American party cocktail.

A breezy three-ingredient sipper: vodka stretched with cranberry and orange juice. Cousin to the Sea Breeze, it's the drink that defined 1980s American bar culture.

Trader Vic's 1944 masterpiece. A complex tropical blend of aged rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and lime — pure Tiki magic.

A New York institution since the 1870s. Rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, stirred with bitters, create a deeply satisfying, spirit-forward classic.

Mexico's gift to the cocktail world. Tequila, triple sec, and lime juice in perfect harmony — best served on the rocks with a salted rim.

Swap gin for smoky mezcal in the classic Negroni and the result is extraordinary — the agave smoke weaves through sweet vermouth and Campari creating a drink of rare depth.

The ultimate brunch cocktail — equal parts fresh orange juice and chilled Champagne make for a bright, celebratory sip.

The official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1938, the Mint Julep is bourbon at its most graceful — muddled mint, crushed ice, and a generous pour of America's finest whiskey.

Cuba's most beloved export: a refreshing blend of white rum, fresh mint, and zesty lime that tastes like a Caribbean breeze.

Served in its famous copper mug, the Moscow Mule is a spicy, zingy mix of vodka, ginger beer, and lime that packs a punch.

A brilliant equal-parts modern classic by Joaquín Simó — mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, and fresh lime juice create a smoky, herbaceous, perfectly balanced drink.

Italy's most iconic cocktail — a perfectly balanced trinity of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Bitter, complex, and utterly sophisticated.

'Sbagliato' means mistaken in Italian — a bartender in Milan accidentally grabbed Prosecco instead of gin and created something wonderful. Lighter and more festive than the classic Negroni.

A Whiskey Sour dressed for a night out: the same tart, frothy base but with a dramatic float of dry red wine layered on top. The contrast of crimson wine against the pale foam makes it one of the most photogenic cocktails in the book.

Invented by Phil Ward at Death & Co in New York, this modern classic splits the spirit base between reposado tequila and smoky mezcal, with agave nectar instead of sugar — a beautiful evolution of the Old Fashioned.

The granddaddy of all cocktails. A simple, elegant mix of whiskey, bitters, and sugar that lets the spirit shine through.

Born at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke in the 1970s — this creamy, tropical punch of rum, pineapple, orange, and coconut cream is the drink of sailing holidays.

Mexico's most popular cocktail (more beloved there than the Margarita) — blanco tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, and fizzy water over ice with a salted rim.

Sam Ross's modern classic from 2007. Equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice — a perfectly balanced, bittersweet tour de force.

Invented by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey in New York in 2005, the Penicillin is a modern classic — blended Scotch with honey-ginger syrup, lemon juice, and a float of peaty Islay whisky.

Peru's pride. The national drink combines pisco brandy with lime juice and egg white for a frothy, tart, and deeply satisfying cocktail.

Puerto Rico's national cocktail. Creamy coconut, sweet pineapple, and white rum blended into tropical paradise in a glass.

The original Caribbean party drink — a generous rum punch built on the old bartender's rhyme: 'one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.' Traced back to Jamaica in the late 1800s.

Created by Douglas Ankrah in London, this cheeky passion fruit martini served with a shot of Prosecco on the side became one of the world's most ordered cocktails.

New Orleans legend, invented by Henry Ramos in 1888. Gin, cream, citrus, egg white and orange flower water — shaken for 12 minutes by Ramos's army of shaker boys. Impossibly silky.

The raspberry-forward cousin of the classic Clover Club — gin, fresh raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and egg white create a gorgeous pink, frothy pre-Prohibition sipper.

Scotland's answer to the Manhattan — created at the Waldorf Astoria in 1894 to celebrate a Rob Roy opera premiere. Scotch whisky and sweet vermouth, stirred with a dash of Angostura.

The Old Fashioned template applied to aged rum — molasses sweetness, vanilla, tropical oak. What bourbon does for America, aged rum does for the Caribbean. Richer, warmer, more exotic.

One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak — the Caribbean's simple ratio punch formula makes a balanced, fruity, perfectly refreshing rum drink every time.

A mid-century Rat Pack favourite — Scotch whisky sweetened and mellowed with Drambuie, the Scottish honey and whisky liqueur. Stirred, rocks, no fuss.

A Greyhound with a salted rim — vodka and grapefruit juice where the salt rim transforms every sip. The salt brings out the grapefruit's natural sweetness while cutting through the bitterness. Simple, honest and quietly brilliant.

The ultimate beach cocktail: vodka with tart cranberry and fresh grapefruit juice. Popularised in the 1980s, it's the drink that tastes exactly like its name — salty air, sunshine and the sound of waves.

A fruity 1980s crowd-pleaser. Vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry, and orange juice in a vibrant, sunny cocktail that's all fun and no pretense.

A 1920s Parisian classic. Cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice shaken to a perfectly balanced citrus sophistication.

Created at Raffles Hotel in 1915. A flamboyant tropical sling of gin, cherry liqueur, Bénédictine, and pineapple juice — complex and unforgettable.

Autumnal British hedgerows in a glass. Sloe gin — made from sloe berries steeped in gin — brings a tart, plummy sweetness that dances with fresh lemon in this simple fizz. A countryside classic.

A Prohibition-era favourite from Chicago's South Side, the Southside is essentially a Gin Mojito — shaken gin with fresh mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup for a bright, refreshing result.

The Margarita's fiery sibling — fresh jalapeño muddled with tequila and lime juice turns a classic into a bold, heat-forward adventure with a salted rim.

A Gilded Age classic — brandy and white crème de menthe, stirred or shaken. Winston Churchill reputedly drank one nightly. The original after-dinner cocktail: warming, minty, surprisingly sophisticated.

Visually stunning and deliciously smooth. Tequila and orange juice with a dramatic grenadine sunrise — looks as good as it tastes.

The national drink of Martinique — a tiny but mighty punch built on agricole rhum, cane syrup, and a squeeze of lime. No ice is traditional; the spirit speaks for itself.

A refreshing gin Collins topped with soda — light, lemony, and perfect for warm days. The original "fizz" cocktail.

Invented by Julio Bermejo at Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, this agave-focused reinterpretation replaces triple sec with agave nectar, letting the tequila shine.

Created by Giuseppe González at Clover Club, NYC, 2009. The only cocktail where Angostura bitters is the primary spirit — 1.5 cl of it. Rye, orgeat, lemon: deeply complex, spicy-sweet, unmissable.

A forgotten Gilded Age martini variation from the Tuxedo Club, New York, circa 1890. Gin, dry sherry, maraschino and orange bitters — more complex, more interesting than a Martini.

James Bond's own creation, named for Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (1953). Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half of Kina Lillet — shaken, not stirred.

Born in 1938 at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans — 'Vieux Carré' is French for the French Quarter. This stirred five-ingredient beauty marries rye, cognac, sweet vermouth and Bénédictine in perfect New Orleans harmony.

The perfect balance of sweet and sour. Bourbon, lemon juice, and sugar shake into a silky, satisfying classic.

A 1930s Harry Craddock creation from the Savoy Hotel, the White Lady is a sophisticated gin sour — silky from egg white, bright from lemon, with Cointreau's orange lifting it beautifully.

The Dude's drink of choice. Vodka and coffee liqueur topped with heavy cream — indulgent, boozy, and completely satisfying.

A cheeky 1980s bar staple: vodka and peach schnapps stretched with cranberry juice. It's sweet, peachy and unapologetically fun — exactly the kind of drink that gets a party started.

Don the Beachcomber's legendary 1934 creation — so potent it was limited to two per customer. A tiki powerhouse of three rums, tropical juices, and Falernum, with a 151-rum float.