top of page
birdyslade

Who Invented Which Cocktail - History of Cocktails

Updated: Feb 18, 2024


image showing 5 different cocktails in differently shaped glasses
Who invented what cocktail?The History of Cocktails

Singapore Sling: The Singapore Sling was created in the early 20th century at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. It's a fruity and refreshing cocktail made with gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine, garnished with a cherry and a slice of pineapple.

 

Negroni: The Negroni is said to have originated in Florence, Italy, in the early 20th century when Count Camillo Negroni asked for a stronger version of his favourite cocktail, the Americano. The bartender replaced the soda water with gin, and thus, the Negroni was born. This classic cocktail comprises equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, usually garnished with an orange peel.

 

Whiskey Sour: The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail with a disputed history, but it is believed to have been popularized in the United States in the mid-19th century. It typically consists of whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and strained into a rocks glass, often garnished with a maraschino cherry or orange slice.

 

Cosmopolitan: The Cosmopolitan gained popularity in the 1990s and is often associated with bartender Toby Cecchini, who claims to have created the modern version at The Odeon in Manhattan. It is a stylish cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice, typically served in a martini glass.

 

Bloody Mary: The origins of the Bloody Mary are debated, but one popular theory is that it was created by Fernand "Pete" Petiot, a bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s. The cocktail is a savory mix of vodka, tomato juice, various spices, and flavorings, typically garnished with celery, olives, or other vegetables.

 

Daiquiri: The Daiquiri hails from Cuba and is believed to have been created by an American engineer, Jennings Cox, in the late 19th century. Cox mixed local rum with lime juice and sugar, creating a refreshing classic cocktail that has stood the test of time.

 

Manhattan: The Manhattan cocktail's origins are often attributed to a banquet hosted by Winston Churchill's mother in New York City in the 1870s. The cocktail features rye or bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, typically garnished with a cherry.

 

Sloe Gin Fizz: The Sloe Gin Fizz is a British creation that gained popularity in the early 20th century. It incorporates sloe gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, often topped with soda water, resulting in a fruity and effervescent cocktail.

 

White Russian: The White Russian is a variation of the Black Russian and gained notoriety from the movie "The Big Lebowski." While the exact origin is unclear, it is known for its blend of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream or milk.

 

Pisco Sour: The Pisco Sour has Peruvian and Chilean origins, with both countries claiming its invention. It's believed to have been created in the early 20th century and combines pisco (a South American grape brandy), lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Angostura bitters.

 

Moscow Mule: The Moscow Mule's creation is credited to John G. Martin, Jack Morgan, and Sophie Berezinski in Los Angeles in the 1940s. It features vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, typically served in a copper mug.

 

Tom Collins: The Tom Collins is a classic gin cocktail that dates back to the 19th century. It is said to have originated in London but gained popularity in the United States. The cocktail comprises gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water.

 

Salty Dog: The Salty Dog is a variation of the Greyhound cocktail, known for its combination of vodka or gin and grapefruit juice. It's typically served in a highball glass with a salted rim.

 

French 75: The French 75 has disputed origins but is named after a French artillery piece from World War I. It gained popularity at Harry's New York Bar in Paris and consists of gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and sugar.

 

Pimm's Cup: The Pimm's Cup cocktail was created by James Pimm, a London oyster bar owner, in the mid-19th century. It combines Pimm's No. 1, a gin-based liqueur, with lemonade or ginger ale, garnished with fruits and herbs. It's a popular summer drink in the United Kingdom.

 

Planter's Punch: The exact origins of the Planter's Punch are debated, but it's believed to have been popularized in the 19th century in the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica. The cocktail typically includes dark rum, fruit juices, grenadine syrup, and bitters.

 

Rusty Nail: The Rusty Nail cocktail is said to have originated in Scotland, combining Scotch whisky and Drambuie, a honey and herb liqueur. Its origins date back to the 1930s, and it's often served over ice in an old-fashioned glass.

 

Aviation: The Aviation cocktail is thought to have been created in the early 20th century, with its first published recipe appearing in Hugo Ensslin's cocktail book in 1916. It includes gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice.

 

Vodka Martini: The Vodka Martini is a variation of the classic Martini and gained popularity in the mid-20th century. It simply substitutes vodka for gin and is served in a martini glass with an olive or lemon twist.

 

Boulevardier: The Boulevardier cocktail is similar to a Negroni but replaces gin with bourbon or rye whiskey. It was created in the 1920s by Harry McElhone, a bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris.

 

Rob Roy: The Rob Roy cocktail is a Scotch whisky variation of the Manhattan. It is named after Robert Roy MacGregor, a Scottish folk hero. The cocktail typically contains Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters.

 

Zombie: The Zombie cocktail is associated with Donn Beach (Donn the Beachcomber), a legendary tiki bar owner in the 1930s. It's a complex tiki drink with various rums, fruit juices, and exotic syrups, known for its strong and fruity flavours.

 

Whiskey Smash: The Whiskey Smash has roots dating back to the 19th century and is known for its refreshing qualities. It combines whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and mint leaves, often served over crushed ice.

 

Aperol Spritz: The Aperol Spritz is an Italian cocktail that gained international popularity in recent years. It features Aperol, Prosecco, and a splash of soda water, served over ice with a slice of orange. Its origins date back to the 1950s in Padua, Italy.

 

Bramble: The Bramble cocktail was created by Dick Bradsell, a British bartender, in the 1980s at Fred's Club in London's Soho. It combines gin, blackberry liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup, often garnished with fresh blackberries and a slice of lemon.

 

Singapore Sling: The Singapore Sling was created in the early 20th century at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. It's a fruity and refreshing cocktail made with gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine, garnished with a cherry and a slice of pineapple.

 

Negroni: The Negroni is said to have originated in Florence, Italy, in the early 20th century when Count Camillo Negroni asked for a stronger version of his favourite cocktail, the Americano. The bartender replaced the soda water with gin, and thus, the Negroni was born. This classic cocktail comprises equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, usually garnished with an orange peel.

 

Whiskey Sour: The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail with a disputed history, but it is believed to have been popularized in the United States in the mid-19th century. It typically consists of whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and strained into a rocks glass, often garnished with a maraschino cherry or orange slice.

 

Cosmopolitan: The Cosmopolitan gained popularity in the 1990s and is often associated with bartender Toby Cecchini, who claims to have created the modern version at The Odeon in Manhattan. It is a stylish cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice, typically served in a martini glass.

 

Bloody Mary: The origins of the Bloody Mary are debated, but one popular theory is that it was created by Fernand "Pete" Petiot, a bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s. The cocktail is a savory mix of vodka, tomato juice, various spices, and flavorings, typically garnished with celery, olives, or other vegetables.

 

Daiquiri: The Daiquiri hails from Cuba and is believed to have been created by an American engineer, Jennings Cox, in the late 19th century. Cox mixed local rum with lime juice and sugar, creating a refreshing classic cocktail that has stood the test of time.

 

Manhattan: The Manhattan cocktail's origins are often attributed to a banquet hosted by Winston Churchill's mother in New York City in the 1870s. The cocktail features rye or bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, typically garnished with a cherry.

 

Sloe Gin Fizz: The Sloe Gin Fizz is a British creation that gained popularity in the early 20th century. It incorporates sloe gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, often topped with soda water, resulting in a fruity and effervescent cocktail.

 

White Russian: The White Russian is a variation of the Black Russian and gained notoriety from the movie "The Big Lebowski." While the exact origin is unclear, it is known for its blend of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream or milk.

 

Pisco Sour: The Pisco Sour has Peruvian and Chilean origins, with both countries claiming its invention. It's believed to have been created in the early 20th century and combines pisco (a South American grape brandy), lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Angostura bitters.

 

Moscow Mule: The Moscow Mule's creation is credited to John G. Martin, Jack Morgan, and Sophie Berezinski in Los Angeles in the 1940s. It features vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, typically served in a copper mug.

 

Tom Collins: The Tom Collins is a classic gin cocktail that dates back to the 19th century. It is said to have originated in London but gained popularity in the United States. The cocktail comprises gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water.

 


6 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Комментарии


bottom of page