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The cocktail business is ripe with trends. Depending on the week (and time of year) another unique, exotic ingredient is trending. For a while, bartenders were exploring the use of activated charcoal in cocktails. The trend was so prevalent that if you ask most bartenders about it now, they’ll shudder and roll their eyes. But, even though trends like activated charcoal, pumpkin spice (and its horrifically cloying flavor), and cocktails that take 15 minutes to make, have come and gone, classic cocktails are always in fashion.
Like telling Alexa to play Creedence Clearwater Revival, bartenders never get sick of the hits. And by hits, we mean classic mixed drinks that have been around since the inception of cocktailing as we know it. Eight bartenders chimed in and gave us their choices for the best, most important, delicious classic cocktails.
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Classic Cocktails Bartenders Live By
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Negroni
“I basically just love Campari. I love it with soda, I love it in cocktails, but I especially love it with gin and sweet vermouth in a Negroni. It’s one of the simplest drinks that exist, but when produced with quality ingredients and precise technique, it’s my favorite drink in the world.” – Adam Weisblatt, CEO of Last Word Hospitality in Los Angeles
Photo: Natasha Breen (Getty Images)
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Highball
“Right now I love the whole highball category. Specifically, I've had a lot of fun playing with various permutations of the Scotch and soda. It's a fun platform to work from when developing new drinks.” – Will Benedetto, director of bars at In Good Company Hospitality in New York City
Photo: imagenavi (Getty Images)
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Margarita
“Margaritas all day. Usually when I’m drinking, I tend to go for a single malt Japanese whiskey or Scotch on the rocks. But if I’m going for a cocktail, I usually want something fruity and refreshing side, and what’s fruitier and refreshing than a margarita? Preferably one made with a small batch 100 percent agave tequila.” – August O'Mahoney, bar director at Baltaire in Los Angeles
Photo: Spencer Jones (Getty Images)
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Vieux Carré
“Vieux Carré and daquiri are extremely different but cover all bases. With the daquiri, you can’t taste any one thing. You don’t taste the rum or lime on their own. Vieux Carré can pick up nuances from the whiskey, brandy, and Benedictine that change from the first drink to the last.” – Jack Keane, general manager at Sundry and Vice in Cincinnati
Photo: Maxim Fesenko (Getty Images)
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Boulevardier
“Boulevardier. This perfect balance of sweet and bitter is something I can enjoy time and time again. However, I do prefer it to be whiskey forward; instead of the classic 3/4 ounce build, I do 1 1/4 ounces whiskey to 3/4 ounce Campari and sweet vermouth (Dolin Rouge is my go-to).” – Benjamin Rouse, bar lead at Henley in Nashville
Photo: Luiz Henrique Mendes (Getty Images)
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Rusty Nail
“The rusty nail is my favorite classic cocktail, and provides an excellent opportunity to use my go-to budget Scotch, Bank Note 5-year! This one doesn’t go back too far, just to the middle of the last century when it was made with equal parts Scotch and Drambuie. I use a slightly different variation. This makes all the difference for me, taking it from being more of an after-dinner/desert sipper to something that I definitely want more than one of. Combine 2 ounces of Scotch, 1 ounce of Drambuie, and 1 dash of Angostura bitters. Stir up on a nice big rock that isn’t going to melt too much.” – Sarah Mengoni, bartender at Double Take in Los Angeles
Photo: TrushD (Getty Images)
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Martini
“The martini — a cocktail that is fit for any occasion and mood, is easily replicable, but is also often butchered. Use a high-quality spirit, a chilled glass, and make it as cold as you can. Never shake. Never add olive brine. Twist lemon over glass and discard. Garnish with olive if desired.” – Rus Yessenov, lead bartender at Honey Salt at Parq Vancouver
Photo: Imstepf Studios Llc (Getty Images)
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Whiskey Sour
“Sours are my favorite to make because I like working with the eggs and changing the consistency of the drink. They also look great when garnished creatively. I swear I was the first to use cornflowers. Old fashioneds are hands down my favorite cocktail to order. When done right, they are just a few subtle steps away from a great whiskey on the rocks, and they bring you, immediately, to the present. Ah, the citrus of the peel rising from the glass.” – Josh Cameron, head bartender at Boulton & Watt in New York City
Photo: Maximilian Stock Ltd. (Getty Images)
