“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”- Frank Sinatra.
Revered singer Frank Sinatra hit the nail on the head when he expressed his love for alcohol. I am sure a lot of us would even agree with him that alcoholic beverages often make our day…or evening. Alcohol can be enjoyed in many forms; neat, on the rocks, with cola, or a mix of drinks, known popularly as a cocktail. There are several options available to alcohol connoisseurs, but there are a few that make the mark as a drink of their choice. Whether you love attending parties, or prefer hosting them in the comfort of home, you surely have that one favorite drink that you swear by. Whether your idea of a fun weekend is pub-hopping, or a glass of your preferred drink shared with your loved one, there are many different types of beverages you could choose from. Some of the basic ones that are quite famous are beer, wine, rum, whiskey, vodka, and brandy. However, is your pick the same as the rest of the world? Let’s check with these 20 most popular alcoholic drinks.
1. Margarita
Margarita is probably one of the most popular cocktails in the world. With high-end bars as well as local pubs serving this refreshing drink, it undoubtedly has the ability to top this list. This drink is a blend of the extremely potent tequila with lime juice and the bartender’s choice of triple sec, which is usually the Cointreau. The cocktail tastes best when it’s served on the rocks, in the Margarita glass, with salt on the rim and a lime wedge.
Photo Credit
http://newsouthfoodcompany.com/pineapple-infused-margarita-cocktail-recipe/
2. Blind Russian
The White Russian is a popular drink in itself, with black coffee and vodka poured into an Old Fashioned Glass, topped with cream and ice. However, the twist to this classic cocktail, The Blind Russian, tastes even better, when the cream is substituted by the creamy, nutty, alcoholic Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Photo Credit
https://www.urgentcarelocations.com/urgent-care-101/blog/4-calorie-packed-cocktails-to-avoid
3. Long Island Iced Tea
This is an intoxicating cocktail, that doesn’t just make you a little tipsy. It looks innocent, just like any other iced tea, but it could give you a bad hangover if you don’t keep a check on how much of it you chug down. Warnings apart, this drink incorporates the robust flavors of vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and triple sec, blended in with a bit of cola, and tastes absolutely decadent.
Photo Credit
http://trilogy.in/magazine/whats-the-story-behind-your-favorite-cocktail/
4. Manhattan
Another classic drink, the Manhattan is a bartender’s pride if he knows how to make the perfect one. It uses spirits like sweet vermouth and any choice of whiskey, which are accompanied by Dash Angostura bitters. The Maraschino cherry is used for the garnish, and the end result is an absolute delight to enjoy at a party.
Photo Credit
http://localemagazine.com/oc-cocktail-week/
5. Daiquiri
The Daiquiri uses rum as the base alcoholic ingredient, and it is mixed well in a shaker along with lime juice and sugar. Though seemingly simple, it is so rich in flavor that it has made it to the classic book ‘The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks’, by David A. Embury’s. This cocktail is versatile, and there can be several variations, the most common being the frozen strawberry daiquiri and the mango daiquiri.
Photo Credit
http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/frozen-strawberry-daiquiris.html
6. French 75
If you love cocktails, then you definitely should try the French 75, which originated during the World War I. It is the most definitive of alcoholic mixes, using the expensive Champagne, along with a sweetener like sugar and lime juice to balance out the taste. Easy to whip up at home, next time you host a party, serve this in the champagne flute and your guests will be left wanting more.
Photo Credit
http://www.ringfingertanline.com/2012/12/20/french-75/edited-3973/
7. Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is a classic combination of tomato juice and vodka, blended with a variety of spices. Add to it a unique combination of sauces, like Tabasco or Worcestershire, top it up some bacon and prawns, and there you have it—“the world’s most complex cocktail”. To give it the authentic look, serve it in a beautiful highball glass.
Photo Credit
http://www.puravida.me/articles/our-sunday-bloody-marys
8. Irish Coffee
Bring down that beautiful Irish coffee mug and stir in hot coffee with Irish whiskey and brown sugar. Add thick cream that’s not whipped on top, and your steaming Irish Coffee is ready.
Photo Credit
http://3tags.org/article/irish-coffee-1
9. Whiskey Sour
One of the most popular whiskey drinks, the key alcohol in this is the Bourbon. Add to it a dash of lemon juice and sugar, shake it well in a shaker and serve it “on the rocks.” There are several variations to the classic cocktail; adding a bit of grass transforms it into the Boston Sour, while some other deviants use egg white on top. Garnish your drink with a slice of orange and a cherry, and you have one of the most invigorating cocktail ever.
Photo Credit
http://www.carolinaheritageco.com/history-of-whiskey/the-whiskey-sour/
10. Martini
“Shaken, not stirred”- James Bond.
Yes, the Martini is our favorite spy, James Bond’s preferred cocktail, and it uses gin and dry vermouth for its alcohol base. Drop in a whole olive, and the sinful Martini is ready. Not trying this cocktail the next time you’re at a pub, would definitely be labeled a crime.
Photo Credit
http://www.berceau-des-sens.ch/restaurant/vermouth-martini-bianco-2/
11. Sangria
About the Sangria, John Gay says, “From wine, what sudden friendship springs!” Using wine as its base alcohol, this drink that originated in Spain, gets its fruity and effervescent taste because of the exotic fruits that are added. These include almost anything under the sun, like mango, kiwifruit, orange, apple, pineapple and berries, that are chopped up, mixed with the wine along with some honey or sugar, and also a bit of brandy. This cocktail is best enjoyed after it has been chilled for a few days to allow all the flavors to infuse into the wine.
Photo Credit
http://www.coupondunia.in/blog/infographic-how-to-make-your-own-sangria/
12. Mai Tai
In 1944, restaurateur Victor J. Bergeron invented the Mai Tai using the Curaçao liqueur and dark rum as the key ingredients. He combined white rum with the liqueur and fresh lime juice, accompanied by a sweetener like the Orgeat syrup. After straining it into a highball glass, he topped it with dark rum that floats on the surface. This cocktail, since then has gained in popularity, becoming one of the most preferred cocktails across the globe.
Photo Credit
http://www.foodfotogallery.com/post-3521-holiday-mai-tai-.html
13. Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan lives up to its name for being one of the most sophisticated cocktails of all time. It takes the humble vodka to a completely new level, after it is blended with sweet lime and cranberry juice as well as a choice of triple sec. The wine-red drink wins millions of hearts when it’s garnished with a wedge of lime, and served in a cocktail glass.
Photo Credit
http://www.foodchannel.com/recipes/recipe/ginger-cosmopolitan/
14. Sex On The Beach
A whimsical name for a cocktail, Sex on the Beach is popular in all its various forms. It is usually prepared as a mix of vodka, orange juice, peach schnapps and cranberry juice, or a combination of vodka, melon liqueur, cranberry juice and pineapple juice. Drink it in a highball glass, or in shot glasses, this zesty cocktail is sure to give you a new high.
Photo Credit
http://weheartit.com/entry/group/13444699
15. Gin And Tonic
The Gin and Tonic is actually a humble fusion that can turn out to be quite exotic in its flavors. All you need to do is infuse gin with tonic water and pour it into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish it with some lime, and you have the most refreshing alcoholic drink on the planet.
Photo Credit
http://www.inmonova.com/blog/gintapa-calvia/
16. Sleepy Hollow
Absinthe is one of those formidable herbal alcoholic drinks that was banned across the world for many years. Yet, it did not fail to woo several creative geniuses like Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce, Vincent Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde. Using the absinthe, various cocktails have been developed, one of them being the Sleepy Hollow. Almost picture perfect when it’s made, this drink uses a combination of absinthe, and a similar herbal spirit called mezcal, and is garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
Photo Credit
http://www.thejewelsofny.com/recipe/2014/10/21/sleepy-hollow-cocktail
17. Mojito
Cuban by origin, the Mojito packs in a punch with the robust flavors of white rum, lime juice, and spearmint, mixed with sugar and water. The mint is mashed into the lime juice and sugar, and then topped with white rum, ice cubes and soda, to create the perfect world-favorite Mojito.
Photo Credit
http://lindawagner.net/blog/2011/05/how-to-make-a-mojito-cocktail
18. Pina Colada
Literally, “Piña colada” means “strained pineapple”. Yes, this cocktail is an amalgamation of exhilarating tastes and textures of elements like pineapple juice and coconut cream. When served in a coconut shell with a cherry and pineapple wedge as the garnish, it adds the quintessential aesthetics to this full-bodied drink.
Photo Credit
http://www.scienceofdrink.com/2010/07/langswitch_lang/en/
19. Screwdriver
Concocted out of vodka and orange juice, as well as orange soda occasionally, the Screwdriver has earned the prestigious title of the International Bartender Association Official Cocktail. Garnish this gem with a slice of orange and pour it into a highball glass to do justice to its reputation.
Photo Credit
http://ca2.thebar.com/en/drink-recipe/screwdriver
20. Jack Rose
The Jack Rose is a brandy classic that featured in the famous book, ‘The Sun Also Rises’ by Ernest Hemingway, and made its way to the Cocktail Hall of Fame. Brandy is combined with a cider alcoholic beverage called the Applejack, lime juice and the Grenadine bar syrup. A good shake and an apple slice with cherry to finish it; the Jack Rose is the ultimate cocktail to try out.
Photo Credit
http://cafelynnylu.blogspot.in/2010/12/six-classic-cocktails-week-two-jack.html
