Updated at: 09-05-2026 - By: John Lau

There is something deeply satisfying about wrapping your hands around a perfectly chilled glass, watching the golden light catch the shimmer of a well-crafted drink, and taking that first, deliberate sip. Classic cocktails have a way of doing that to you. They slow time down. They make an ordinary Tuesday feel like an event and a Saturday feel legendary.

Whether you are hosting a dinner party, heading out to a rooftop bar, or simply treating yourself after a long week, knowing your way around a lineup of classic cocktails is one of those quietly powerful skills that never goes out of style. These drinks are not just beverages. They are stories in a glass, traditions passed between generations of bartenders, and a celebration of flavor done right.

This guide is your invitation to explore the world of classic cocktails through 20 stunning, must-try recipes. Each one is a masterpiece in its own right, with its own history, its own personality, and its own moment to shine. Pull up a stool, pour yourself something beautiful, and let’s get into it.


The Timeless Allure: What Makes Classic Cocktails So Irresistible

The word “cocktail” itself has a surprisingly documented origin. The first documented definition of the word “cocktail” appeared on May 13, 1806, in an issue of The Balance and Columbian Repository, describing the drink as a “potent concoction of spirits, bitters, water and sugar.” From that single sentence in a small-town newspaper, an entire culture was born.

Classic cocktails are defined not by age alone, but by their enduring balance. They are built on a philosophy of simplicity and precision: the right spirit, the right amount of sweetness or bitterness, and the right citrus to pull it all together. The best classics are the ones that taste exactly as they should every single time, whether you are drinking them in a glamorous New York cocktail lounge or mixing them at home on a Friday night.

Historically, classic cocktails reflect the eras that birthed them. The Old Fashioned traces its roots to the early 1800s, originally referred to as a “whisky cocktail,” following the classic formula of spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. As bartenders began to experiment with more elaborate techniques and ingredients, old-school drinkers pushed back and asked for the original style, which is how the drink earned its now-iconic name.

The rise of cocktail culture in the 19th and early 20th centuries was closely tied to the emergence of sophisticated bar culture in cities like New York, New Orleans, London, and Havana. The Manhattan, one of the most enduring classic cocktails, has its origins dating back to the late 1800s, with the most popular story crediting its invention to a bartender at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1870s.

Prohibition in the United States during the 1920s, rather than killing cocktail culture, actually pushed it underground and made it more creative. Bartenders fled to Paris, Havana, and London, taking their recipes with them and absorbing new influences. The Sidecar, for instance, is widely believed to have emerged from this era. The most famous claim says a U.S. Army captain who rode in the sidecar of his friend’s motorcycle invented it in a bar in Paris and named it after his chosen mode of transportation.

Culturally, classic cocktails have always been tied to identity, glamour, and self-expression. The Cosmopolitan became the drink of empowered, sophisticated women in the late 1990s thanks to its iconic presence in Sex and the City. After fading in the post-Sex and the City era, the Cosmo roared back into fashion with industry observers noticing a vibrant comeback in 2024, with bars reporting soaring demand from both nostalgic older fans and curious Gen Z newcomers.

Today, the love affair with classic cocktails shows no sign of fading. According to Drinks International, as of the 2025 Cocktail Report, the top nine classic cocktails at the world’s best bars remained the same for another year running, a testament to how deeply these drinks are embedded in drinking culture worldwide. At the same time, Tastewise reported over 8% year-on-year growth in social media discussion about cocktails, proving that these drinks are very much part of the modern lifestyle conversation.

What makes a classic cocktail special is not just how it tastes. It is how it makes you feel: seen, intentional, and absolutely in the moment. Now, here are 20 of the most iconic, must-try classics to add to your repertoire.


20 Best Classic Cocktails List

Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is the drink that started it all, a quiet, confident pour that has never needed to raise its voice to be heard. Served in a thick-bottomed rocks glass over a large, clear ice cube, it glows a rich amber with an orange peel curled elegantly over the rim. This is the cocktail you order when you want people to know you mean business, and you know exactly what you like.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 1 sugar cube (or 1/2 tsp simple syrup)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • Orange peel, for garnish
  • 1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish
  • Large ice cube

Instructions:

  • Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass and saturate it with both bitters.
  • Add a splash of water and muddle until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the whiskey and stir gently to combine.
  • Place a large ice cube in the glass and stir again for about 30 seconds.
  • Express the orange peel over the glass, run it around the rim, and drop it in.
  • Garnish with a cherry and serve immediately.

Manhattan

Manhattan

The Manhattan is the Old Fashioned’s more romantic, moody cousin. It arrives in a chilled coupe glass, a deep ruby-mahogany beauty garnished with a single maraschino cherry sinking like a jewel at the bottom. The Manhattan has its earliest written history from the Sunday Morning Herald in Olean, New York in 1882, and its classic ingredients include whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, often garnished with a cherry. This is the drink of candlelit bars and whispered conversations.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz rye whiskey or bourbon
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine whiskey, sweet vermouth, and both bitters in a mixing glass.
  • Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir for about 30 seconds until well chilled.
  • Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
  • Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and serve.

Classic Dry Martini

Classic Dry Martini

Few drinks carry the cultural weight of the Martini. Crystal clear, piercing cold, and bracingly elegant, it arrives in a long-stemmed martini glass with either a fat green olive or a lemon twist resting at the surface. The Martini continues to reign supreme as a testament to simplicity and sophistication, and as of 2024 it has stood the test of time as one of the most enduring classic cocktails in the world. Order one and you instantly become the most interesting person in the room.

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 oz gin (London Dry style)
  • 0.5 oz dry vermouth
  • Lemon twist or green olive, for garnish
  • Ice, for stirring

Instructions:

  • Chill a martini glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink.
  • Combine gin and dry vermouth in a mixing glass filled with ice.
  • Stir for 30 to 40 seconds until the mixture is very cold and slightly diluted.
  • Discard the ice from the martini glass and strain the cocktail into it.
  • Garnish with a lemon twist or a skewered olive.

Negroni

Negroni

The Negroni is bold, bitter, and completely unapologetic about it, which is exactly why so many women love it. Served over a large ice cube in a rocks glass with an orange peel twist, it glows like a sunset: deep terracotta with hints of ruby. The Negroni is said to be born in Florence, Italy, in 1919, after an Italian nobleman requested that his server strengthen an Americano cocktail by replacing the soda water with gin and swapping the lemon slice for an orange peel. One sip and you are instantly transported to an Italian aperitivo bar at golden hour.

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz gin
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • Orange peel, for garnish
  • Large ice cube

Instructions:

  • Add gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice.
  • Stir for 30 seconds until well chilled.
  • Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
  • Express the orange peel over the glass, run it along the rim, and place it in as garnish.

Classic Daiquiri

Classic Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is pure, simple joy: tart, bright, slightly sweet, and devastatingly refreshing. Served in a chilled coupe, it is a pale, golden-green beauty that deserves far more credit than its frozen, blended versions have given it. Despite its spring break affiliations, the Daiquiri’s origins nod to the working stiff: this simple drink of rum, lime, and sugar was first enjoyed by Cuban sailors in the 19th century and introduced to Americans after the Spanish-American War. Light, clean, and utterly delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz white rum
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • Lime wheel or lime twist, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine rum, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
  • Add ice and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a lime wheel or twist and serve immediately.

Mojito

Mojito

The Mojito is summer in a glass: herbaceous, bright, and fizzy with just the right amount of sweetness. Served tall in a highball glass packed with crushed ice and a generous bundle of fresh mint, it is visually gorgeous and dangerously easy to drink. The Mojito dates back to 16th-century Cuba, where it was initially known as “El Draque,” named after English pirate Sir Francis Drake, and the original version used a precursor to rum along with lime, mint, sugar, and water. Refreshing, lively, and endlessly crowd-pleasing.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz white rum
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves
  • 2 to 3 oz club soda
  • Crushed ice
  • Mint sprig and lime wedge, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Place mint leaves and simple syrup in a highball glass and gently muddle to release the mint oils. Do not shred the leaves.
  • Add lime juice and rum and stir to combine.
  • Fill the glass with crushed ice and top with club soda.
  • Stir briefly from the bottom up.
  • Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge.

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan

The Cosmopolitan is glamour in liquid form: pink, shimmering, and served in a long-stemmed martini glass with a flamed orange peel for garnish. It is the drink that turned a generation of women into cocktail lovers, and it is making a magnificent comeback right now. By summer 2025, glossies were declaring the Cosmo the “it-girl drink” of the season, proving that some icons never truly go out of fashion. Sip one and feel like you own every room you walk into.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz citrus vodka
  • 0.5 oz triple sec or Cointreau
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 oz cranberry juice
  • Orange peel, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
  • Flame an orange peel over the drink to release its citrus oils, then drop it in or perch it on the rim.

Margarita

Margarita

The Margarita is the undisputed queen of the classic cocktail world: bold, citrusy, and completely satisfying whether sipped on the rocks or straight up. The salt rim adds a savory contrast that elevates every sip. As 2024 became the year of tequila and mezcal, it was no surprise that the Margarita emerged as a top contender, dominating menus especially in Mexican-inspired venues, and remaining a perennial favorite whether served frozen or on the rocks.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz Cointreau or triple sec
  • Kosher salt, for the rim
  • Lime wedge, for garnish
  • Ice

Instructions:

  • Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass and dip it in kosher salt to coat.
  • Combine tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake well for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Strain over fresh ice in the prepared rocks glass.
  • Garnish with a lime wedge.

Whiskey Sour

Whiskey Sour

The Whiskey Sour is the cocktail equivalent of a cozy cashmere sweater: warm, comforting, and effortlessly stylish. Served in a rocks glass over ice with a frothy egg white foam on top and a cherry and orange slice as garnish, it is as beautiful to look at as it is to drink. The Whiskey Sour is believed to have originated in the mid-1800s, with the first written recipe appearing in Jerry Thomas’s 1862 Bartender’s Guide. A classic that earns its place on every bar cart.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz bourbon whiskey
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • 1 egg white (optional but recommended)
  • Angostura bitters, for garnish
  • Luxardo cherry and orange slice, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to a shaker without ice.
  • Dry shake (no ice) vigorously for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white.
  • Add ice and shake again for another 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  • Dot a few drops of Angostura bitters on the foam and use a toothpick to create a design.
  • Garnish with a cherry and orange slice.

Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is the cocktail that turned aperitivo hour into a global lifestyle phenomenon. Tall, bright orange, and fizzing with prosecco bubbles in a large wine glass, it arrives with a fat orange slice and ice that clinks satisfyingly as you lift it. The Spritz was one of the 10 best-selling cocktails at bars and restaurants in the U.S. in 2024 and is increasing in popularity faster than other top-10 drinks, according to NIQ. Light, bittersweet, and perfect for golden-hour sipping.

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz prosecco
  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 1 oz club soda or sparkling water
  • Orange slice, for garnish
  • Ice

Instructions:

  • Fill a large wine glass with ice cubes.
  • Pour in the prosecco first, then add the Aperol.
  • Top with a splash of club soda.
  • Stir very gently once or twice.
  • Garnish with a fresh orange slice.

French 75

French 75

The French 75 is pure celebration: bright, sparkling, and tinged with lemon and gin before being topped with Champagne. Served in a Champagne flute with a lemon twist curling above the rim, it looks like something you would drink at a rooftop party in Paris. It is the cocktail for big moments, toasts, and occasions that call for a little extra sparkle.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz gin (or cognac for a classic variation)
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • 2 oz dry Champagne or sparkling wine
  • Lemon twist, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake well for 10 seconds until cold.
  • Strain into a chilled Champagne flute.
  • Top gently with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine.
  • Garnish with a long lemon twist.

Tom Collins

Tom Collins

The Tom Collins is a tall, sparkling, sun-drenched delight that belongs on a patio on a warm afternoon. Served in a Collins glass over ice with a lemon slice and cherry, it is pale golden and generously bubbly. The origins of the Tom Collins actually came about after a practical joke swept New York in 1874, where individuals would tell their friends that a fake, made-up man called Tom Collins was insulting them in a nearby bar, prompting people to storm into bars demanding to confront him. The drink outlasted the prank by about 150 years.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz London Dry gin
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • 3 oz club soda
  • Lemon slice and Luxardo cherry, for garnish
  • Ice

Instructions:

  • Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake well for about 10 seconds.
  • Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice.
  • Top with club soda and stir once gently from the bottom up.
  • Garnish with a lemon slice and cherry.

Sidecar

Sidecar

The Sidecar is one of the most elegant cocktails ever created: a golden, jewel-toned beauty served in a coupe glass with a sugared rim that catches the light. Cognac, lemon, and orange liqueur come together in a combination that is sophisticated yet approachable. The Sidecar’s classic ingredients are cognac, lemon juice, and triple sec, with its origin story involving a U.S. Army captain in Paris who named it after his chosen mode of transportation. A drink for women who appreciate the finer things.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz cognac
  • 0.75 oz Cointreau or triple sec
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • Sugar, for the rim
  • Lemon twist, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Moisten the rim of a coupe glass with a lemon wedge and dip it in sugar to coat halfway around the rim.
  • Combine cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into the prepared coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gimlet

Gimlet

The Gimlet is sharp, clean, and beautifully minimal: a pale green cocktail served in a coupe or martini glass with a lime wheel or twist as the only adornment. Gin and lime juice are its soul, and when made well, it is one of the most refreshing things you will ever drink. It is the cocktail for women who know exactly what they want and do not need a lot of extras to prove it.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz gin
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup (or 0.5 oz if you prefer it tart)
  • Lime wheel or twist, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine gin, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake well for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
  • Garnish with a lime wheel or twist.

Mint Julep

Mint Julep

The Mint Julep is a drink with deep Southern roots and an atmosphere all its own: crushed ice packed into a silver or pewter cup, a blizzard of mint, and the smell of bourbon rising in the summer heat. The first mention of the mint julep in print occurred in London in 1803, where it was noted that the drink originated from Virginia. Since 1938, the mint julep has been the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. Festive, cooling, and undeniably charming.

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 oz bourbon
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
  • Crushed ice
  • Powdered sugar (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

  • Place mint leaves and simple syrup in a julep cup or rocks glass.
  • Gently muddle the mint leaves just enough to bruise them and release their oils. Do not over-muddle.
  • Add bourbon and stir to combine.
  • Pack the glass firmly with crushed ice.
  • Stir until the cup becomes frosty on the outside.
  • Garnish with a generous mint sprig, tuck it close to the straw so the drinker gets the aroma with every sip.
  • Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini

The Espresso Martini is the cocktail that does double duty: glamorous enough for a night out and powerful enough to keep you going all evening. Dark, glossy, and served in a martini glass with a trio of coffee beans floating on a mocha foam top, it is visually stunning. Classic espresso martinis reigned supreme in 2026, inspiring a variety of other dessert cocktail trends like spiked affogatos and frozen espresso martinis. A drink for women who refuse to choose between coffee and cocktails.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 1 oz fresh espresso (cooled slightly)
  • 0.5 oz coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)
  • 0.25 oz simple syrup (optional, adjust to taste)
  • 3 coffee beans, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Pull a fresh shot of espresso and let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Combine vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
  • Add ice and shake very vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds (the ice chips help create the foam).
  • Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
  • The foam will naturally settle on top. Place three coffee beans in the center of the foam as garnish.

Last Word

Last Word

The Last Word is a cult classic from the Prohibition era that deserves far more attention than it gets outside of craft cocktail circles. Pale chartreuse-green and served in a coupe, it is an equal-parts drink with an herbal, citrusy, and slightly sweet complexity that unfolds beautifully with every sip. Originally created at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1920s, a Last Word uses equal parts gin, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and Chartreuse, and was perfectly suited for the rotgut bathtub gin of the era.

Ingredients:

  • 0.75 oz gin
  • 0.75 oz green Chartreuse
  • 0.75 oz maraschino liqueur (such as Luxardo)
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine all four ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

Boulevardier

Boulevardier

The Boulevardier is the bourbon drinker’s answer to the Negroni, and frankly, it may be even more satisfying. Deep amber-red and served over ice in a rocks glass or straight up in a coupe, it is warming, complex, and beautifully balanced between bourbon’s vanilla richness and Campari’s bold bitterness. The Boulevardier appears to be nothing more than a Negroni with the gin swapped for bourbon, but rather than the similarities, it is the differences from the Negroni that make it special. The perfect drink for a cold evening.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz bourbon
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz sweet vermouth
  • Orange peel or cherry, for garnish
  • Large ice cube (if serving on the rocks)

Instructions:

  • Combine bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice.
  • Stir for 30 seconds until well chilled.
  • Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube, or into a chilled coupe if serving up.
  • Garnish with an expressed orange peel or a cherry.

Aviation

Aviation

The Aviation is one of the most visually stunning cocktails in existence: a gorgeous pale violet-lavender hue that comes from crème de violette, served in a coupe glass with a cherry resting just below the surface. The Aviation first appeared in 1916, created by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, with its original recipe including gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice, giving it a distinct floral and citrus profile. A dreamy, romantic drink for women who appreciate beauty in everything.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz gin
  • 0.5 oz maraschino liqueur
  • 0.25 oz crème de violette
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Shake well for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  • The drink will display a beautiful lavender hue. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

Gin Fizz

Gin Fizz

The Gin Fizz is the lightest, most effervescent drink on this list: bright, frothy, and refreshingly simple. Served in a highball glass over ice with a lemon slice, its white foam top and pale yellow color make it look as fresh as it tastes. The Gin Fizz is one of the oldest recorded fizz-style cocktails, with the first written recipe appearing in the late 1800s, combining gin, lemon, sugar, and soda water. Perfect for brunch, garden parties, or any sunny afternoon that calls for something light and lovely.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz gin
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • 1 egg white (optional, for the classic Ramos-style froth)
  • 3 oz club soda
  • Lemon slice, for garnish

Instructions:

  • If using egg white, combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a shaker and dry shake for 15 seconds.
  • Add ice and shake again vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
  • If not using egg white, simply combine gin, lemon juice, and syrup with ice and shake.
  • Strain into a highball glass over ice.
  • Top with club soda and stir gently once.
  • Garnish with a lemon slice.

Clover Club

Clover Club

The Clover Club is a pre-Prohibition gem that deserves a permanent spot on every cocktail lover’s radar. Blush-pink and served in a coupe glass with a smooth, silky foam on top from the egg white, it is one of the prettiest cocktails you will ever make or order. Raspberry syrup gives it a delicate berry sweetness that is perfectly balanced by the tartness of lemon and the botanical edge of gin. This is the cocktail for slow Sunday mornings that turn into afternoon adventures.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz gin
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz raspberry syrup (or 4 to 5 fresh raspberries muddled with simple syrup)
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • 1 egg white
  • Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Instructions:

  • Combine gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.
  • Dry shake (no ice) for 15 seconds until the egg white is well emulsified.
  • Add ice and shake again vigorously for another 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  • Garnish with two or three fresh raspberries placed gently on the foam.

Conclusion

Classic cocktails are more than just drinks. They are expressions of character, creativity, and culture distilled into a glass. Each one on this list carries centuries of history, a handful of brilliant ingredients, and an unmistakable sense of occasion that no other beverage quite manages to deliver.

Whether you are discovering your very first Old Fashioned or rediscovering the violet magic of an Aviation, the world of classic cocktails is endlessly rewarding. These recipes are your starting point, but the real joy is in making them your own. Adjust the sweetness, experiment with garnishes, swap the spirit, and see what happens. The best bartenders in history did exactly that, and look how well that turned out.

So gather your glasses, stock your bar cart, and raise one of these beautiful drinks to the women who inspired them, ordered them, made them famous, and continue to sip them with complete, unapologetic style. Cheers to that.