20 classic cocktails

Margarita

This tequila-based sour – made with just three ingredients – deserves its place in the classic cocktail canon. Punchy, citrussy and refreshing, it’s easy to make and open to many variations; it's also delicious made with mezcal for a smokier cocktail.

Old fashioned

Sultry, boozy and perfect for sipping slowly, an old fashioned is a classic whiskey cocktail. Bourbon or rye are the traditional whiskies to use here; use the former for a sweeter, buttery end result, or the latter for a spicier cocktail. An old fashioned is traditionally made with a sugar cube, but swapping this for sugar syrup shortens the mixing time considerably (and sugar syrup made with soft light brown sugar works beautifully with dark spirits).

Martini

A martini is just the ticket when what you crave is a slug of something deliciously icy and boozy. A mix of gin or vodka and dry vermouth, stirred over ice, strained and poured into an ice-cold cocktail glass, the variation in the drink comes in the proportion of spirit to vermouth. A 'dry' martini is around six parts gin to one part dry vermouth. Some bars will use even less vermouth – a tiny drop of it. A wet martini uses more vermouth – around a 3:1 ratio of spirit to vermouth – but you can increase this to 2:1 or even 1:1 if you prefer.

Manhattan

Rich and boozy, this is a classic cocktail that doesn’t pull punches, with spicy rye whiskey (use bourbon for a more mellow result), fruity sweet vermouth and bitters coming together in a dark, rich, intense drink. A manhattan is usally served with a cocktail sherry. Brands like Luxardo are the best ones to use – and adding a teaspoon of the sweet syrup from the jar will add a pleasing fruity note to the end result.

Espresso martini

The ultimate coffee cocktail, this recipe blends fresh espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur for a sweet, velvety drink that still packs a punch. Coffee is obviously the hero ingredient, and using hot, freshly made espresso is essential for that all-important creamy layer at the top of the drink.

Gimlet

This perfectly balanced cocktail delivers masses of zingy citrus flavour with fresh lime juice, lime syrup and mint. Rose's lime juice cordial is the traditional choice but we think making your own lime syrup really takes this drink to the next level.

Piña colada

Creamy, fruity and delightfully retro, this drink of coconut cream, white rum and pineapple is best drunk on holiday, ideally while lounging next to the pool. You’ll need a blender for this recipe – make sure you don’t use too much ice when blending as this will make the cocktail watery.

Mai tai

One of the world’s most famous tiki cocktails, the mai tai is a brilliantly balanced and fresh – if potent – cocktail, showcasing a blend of rums.

Tom collins

This classic gin cocktail is essentially a sour lengthened with sparkling water. Winningly simple to mix, it makes for a refreshing aperitif.

Caipirinha

The national drink of Brazil and made with the country's sugarcane spirit, cachaça, this is a zesty, light yet punchy cocktail, made with just three ingredients.

Sidecar

This classic cognac-based creation is winningly easy to make, with only three ingredients. Zingy and citrussy, it’s a great choice for those who like sour cocktails – if you enjoy drinking margaritas then you’ll love the sidecar.

Mint julep

If you find strong bourbon cocktails like an old fashioned a little too boozy then a mint julep might be just the ticket. The perfect whiskey cocktail for summer, it's seductively refreshing. Make sure you use crushed ice for this recipe as it dilutes more quickly, which is essential for the final taste of the cocktail.

Mojito

Whisk yourself away to Cuba with our easy, thirst-quenching mojito recipe. It's one of the most popular rum cocktails in the world; mix up for a party using lime, fresh mint, white rum, sugar, Angostura bitters and soda water.

Pisco sour

This classic brandy cocktail is made with pisco (a grape brandy originating from Peru and Chile), fresh lime juice and egg whites. A few drops of bitters are added to top the egg-white foam.

French 75

Raise a celebratory glass with our French 75 recipe. This classic champagne cocktail is simple to make but looks sophisticated, making it great for parties.

Daiquiri

One of the all-time great rum cocktails, this Cuban creation first came to fame in the 1920s, when Americans (including one of the daiquiri’s biggest fans, Ernest Hemingway) flocked to Cuba during Prohibition. Its simplicity is its strength: a carefully balanced blend of just lime juice, sugar and white rum.

Whisky sour

The sour is a foundational drink for many modern cocktails – from margaritas to daiquiris – but remains a classic in its own right. Bourbon is traditionally used here but blended scotch would also work well. Make sure you shake the drink vigorously in a cocktail shaker (10-15 seconds at least) to get a properly foamy top.

Cosmopolitan

This cocktail enjoyed its heyday in the late 1980s and 1990s and has since fallen somewhat out of favour – which is a shame, as this blush-pink, sweet-tart concoction is certainly worth revisiting. Use fresh cranberry juice, and not too much – we want to add a touch of tartness to the cocktail; anything more will dilute the drink.

Sazerac

This short, stiff drink is a classic New Orleans cocktail. A sazerac is traditionally made with cognac or rye, or a blend of both. Don't skip the Peychaud's bitters or absinthe rinse – they're crucial to the final flavour of the drink.