Learn how to make these surprisingly easy icons, with quick tips for acing them every time.
Party tricks are so underrated. But how many people can actually juggle like a circus star, launch into the perfect cartwheel or solve a Rubik’s cube in record time? (FYI, the real record stands at 3.05 seconds). Unless you have your own hidden talent, like pulling off an ear-piercing whistle on cue (props to you), we’re here to give you the best party trick of all. That is, the ability to whip up a classic bar-quality cocktail without even thinking. Casually mixing up a fancy drink is a seriously cool move and it’s not as hard as it might seem.
Some of the world’s most iconic cocktails have been around for well over 100 years and they’re here to stay. These are the classic drinks that appear on every bar’s list, no matter what city or venue you’re in, like the Margarita, Espresso Martini and Negroni, to name just three. With so many riffs on these age-old staples – and the potential for you to add your own twist – knowing how to make these cocktials opens up a world of delicious possibility. All it takes is a few key ingredients, a little practice and some taste-testing along the way, and you’ll have your own brilliant party trick in no time.
Here are 10 of the world’s classic cocktails, which are deceptively easy to make at home.
Made with just four ingredients, the surprisingly easy Margarita has been a hot favourite since its inception, which is believed to date back to the 1930s. This tart and tangy winner is a showcase for tequila, which gets shaken together with lime juice, Cointreau, sugar syrup and ice. Traditionally strained into a coupe glass with a salted rim, the classic Margarita is all about ratios and balance.
Pro tip: The right quantities are critical here, but it’s pretty easy to remember our tried-and-tested formula: 45mL, 20mL, 15mL and 5mL of tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and sugar syrup respectively.
As one of the age-old classics, the earliest forms of the Old Fashioned are said to have appeared in the 1800s, and it’s still getting riffed on and refined today. Another recipe that requires just three ingredients, this cocktail heroes bourbon, so try to make it a quality spirit – there’s nowhere for it to hide. Stirred in a mixing glass with sugar syrup, bitters and ice, and then strained into a fresh glass with a large cube, cocktails don’t come easier.
Pro tip: Aside from sticking to precise quantities (before tinkering to your own tastes), dilution is key, so keep an eye on this element. You can read more about nailing the balance in these tips from Melbourne venue Eau de Vie.
Keen to make the best Negroni at home? Proving once more that the classics are about a beautiful simplicity, the Negroni is the ultimate three-ingredient cocktail. Campari, sweet vermouth and gin are the trio in this spirit-forward Italian icon, and they’re mixed in equal parts – at 25mL each – so you don’t need to peek at the recipe for this one. The essentials here are quality gin, orange as garnish and a large ice cube.
Pro tip: With just three alcoholic ingredients, mastering the Negroni comes down to the stir with ice to nail dilution. Taste the mix after a 20-second stir, then you might like to stir for another 10 seconds to get the mix bang on.
Think the Classic Martini looks too fancy to try at home? Wrong! But because we love to make cocktails even easier, we highly recommend batching the Freezer Door Martini. This is the ultimate set-and-forget recipe that nails dilution by adding water to the mix. Stash it in your freezer for a rainy day, and you’ll feel super savvy pulling this out and pouring it around when friends pop by.
Pro tip: Don’t underestimate the importance of the chill here – frosty glasses are essential even though the cocktail’s been in the freezer. Also, when serving this up, put out some olive brine, pickled onion brine and a few garnishes so guests can mix and match.
The Whiskey Sour has spawned dozens of variations because this core recipe works so well with a whole range of other spirits. That’s before you even get to more creative takes, like our Bacon Washed Old Fashioned. But this classic is the perfect balance of sweet and sour, with egg white (or aquafaba from canned chickpeas or another vegan substitute if you’d prefer to hold the egg) bringing that all-important froth (trust us, it really does make all the difference) to the drinking experience.
Pro tip: Want froth? Take your time with the shake. Dry shaking first – without ice – for about 30 seconds is critical for the egg white to emulsify and combine with the other ingredients. A second shake, this time with ice, will bring it all together.
Vibrant, crisp and minty fresh, the Mojito is one of Cuba’s iconic cocktails, and yep, yet again it proves that a few simple ingredients can do extraordinary things. If you’ve ever wanted to make a classic Mojito at home, all you need is fresh mint, white rum, lime juice, sugar syrup and crushed ice. You might like a splash of soda water in there, or a dash or two of bitters might be up your alley, but work with our base recipe first, and then get creative.
Pro tip: It may not seem like a big deal, but crushed ice is the difference between a basic mixed drink and one that looks and tastes like you’re at a beachside bar. Make the effort by wrapping ice in a tea towel and banging it with a rolling pin to get what is arguably the most important element of this drink.
Three is the magic number of ingredients for the Manhattan – a sophisticated mix of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. Another contender for the most deceptively easy cocktail to make at home, the Manhattan has been around since the 1800s and has stood the test of time. Traditionally served in a coupe glass, it works just as well with or without food and will make you look like a total pro when you mix it up for friends.
Pro tip: Quality whiskey is the key to a next-level Manhattan because it does so much of the talking. And just like the Negroni, stirring with ice plays a critical dilution role, so don’t slack on the time you take swirling.
This spicy, tangy, tomatoey cocktail may have become a Sunday brunch favourite, but we think it’s worthy of way more than just a weekend showing. In our recipe, vodka is mixed with tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco, celery salt and pepper, and the garnishes go all out. There are countless ways to improvise, but it’s worth sticking with the ratios in our recipe because they’ve been tested (and tested) by our team to nail the balance.
Pro tip: If you don’t love overly savoury drinks, you might be surprised by what a little splash of sugar syrup can do in this tangy mix to balance all those sharp flavours and make it a little more friendly. Experiment away.
Is there a single bar anywhere that doesn’t serve an Espresso Martini? They can try, but people will still try to order this classic, the most popular cocktail of recent times. The Espresso Martini is a cracking choice for so many different moments and occasions, and that includes at home on the couch with friends. All you have to do is shake coffee liqueur together with vodka, sugar syrup and espresso coffee, and you’re done.
Pro tip: You could stir these same ingredients in a glass and get a tasty drink, but we think the best part of an Espresso Martini is that frothy texture. How to do it? Shake the tin hard for a decent amount of time. Like, up to 30 seconds. It’s worth it.
This is one of the more recent creations on this list, but it’s fast become a huge hit. With a distinctive sweet, nutty flavour from the amaretto, combining with lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg white – just like that Whiskey Sour above – the Amaretto Sour has a sour kick while being silky smooth. We reckon any bright, frothy drink will get the appropriate ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from guests, but this is an especially crowd-friendly – and easy – winner.
Pro tip: Like the Whiskey Sour, that initial dry shake is crucial for the best texture, so don’t skip it. You’ll also find the overall flavour changes quite a bit with your choice of amaretto, so sample a few first to see what you like best.
