The world’s 30 greatest cocktails (and where to drink them)
A chilled glass, a wedge of pineapple, and a tiny umbrella. Few moments say “your holiday has begun” quite like the sight of a bartender deftly plonking your Piña Colada down on the bar, all coconut-cream froth, smooth rum and the promise of sun on your skin.
But the holiday cocktail is far more than a welcome signal that, finally, it’s time to relax; it’s also an incontrovertible statement of place. Whether it’s an Aperol spritz, sipped as you people-watch on a sunny piazza, an Irish coffee ordered on a cold night in Cork, a dry Martini quaffed in a smart London hotel bar, or a frozen daiquiri to cut through Havana’s midday heat – the world’s great cocktails are inexorably suffused with the spirit of our favourite destinations.
So, as this year’s winner is crowned at the World’s 50 Best Bars awards in Madrid (Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, if you’re wondering), and in celebration of the crucial role played by the humble holiday cocktail, we delve into the weird, wonderful and occasionally outrageous backstories of 30 cocktails which have well and truly left their mark.
Skip to your favourite tipple:
1. Manhattan: New York City, USA
2. Singapore sling: Singapore
3. Pisco sour: Lima, Peru
4. Daiquiri: Santiago De Cuba, Cuba
5. Caipirinha: São Paulo, Brazil
6. Espresso martini: London, UK
7. Mai tai: California, USA
8. Old fashioned: Kentucky, USA
9. Vesper martini: London, Uk
10. Bloody Mary: Paris, France
11. Cosmopolitan: Florida, USA
12. Irish coffee: County Clare, Ireland
13. Grasshopper: New Orleans, USA
14. Margarita: Tequila, Mexico
15. Negroni sbagliato: Milan, Italy
16. Negroni: Florence, Italy
17. Sazerac: New Orleans, USA
18. Hanky panky: London, Uk
19. Mojito: Havana, Cuba
20. Mint julep: The Deep South, USA
21. Bellini: Venice, Italy
22. Penicillin: New York, USA
23. Aperol spritz: Veneto Region, Italy
24. Painkiller: British Virgin Islands
25. French 75: Paris, France
26. Whisky highball: Japan
27. Piña colada: Puerto Rico
28. Vieux carre: New Orleans, USA
29. Ferroviario: Buenos Aires, Argentina
30. Jungle bird: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1. Manhattan: New York City, USA
What’s in it?
American whiskey, vermouth
The story
The origins of the Manhattan are heavily disputed – though a persistent myth claims it was created in the 1870s at New York’s Manhattan Club, for a banquet hosted by Churchill’s mother. Whatever its beginnings, it has succeeded in becoming one of the world’s quintessential dark-spirit drinks.
Drink it
The Manhattan Club was dissolved in 1979 – but the bar at 60th-floor Manhatta in NYC’s Financial District serves as an excellent understudy, with spectacular views across lower Manhattan (manhattarestaurant.com; $23/£17.60).
Stay
The Beekman has doubles from £648.
Find more cocktail inspiration in our expert guide to the best bars in New York.
2. Singapore sling: Singapore
What’s in it?
Gin, Benedictine, cherry liqueur, dry curacao, grenadine, pineapple and lime juice, bitters
The story
Created around 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in the original Raffles Hotel, this rosy, visually juice-like concoction was intended to fool critics at a time when it was considered unladylike to be seen consuming classic alcoholic beverages in public.
Drink it
The Long Bar at Raffles has been known to sell as many as 1,200 Singapore Slings a day, so they’re obviously doing something right (raffles.com; £23).
Stay
Raffles Singapore has doubles from £884.
3. Pisco sour: Lima, Peru
What’s in it?
Pisco, lime juice, egg whites, sugar syrup, aromatic bitters
The story
Peru and Chile both claim to be the Pisco Sour’s true birthplace, though officially the drink – a twist on the classic whiskey sour – was invented by American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris in Peru in 1904, after local festivities caused a whiskey shortage.
Drink it
Country Club Lima Hotel’s English Bar is almost unanimously considered the home of Lima’s best Pisco Sour.
Stay
Country Club Lima Hotel has doubles from £237.
4. Daiquiri: Santiago De Cuba, Cuba
What’s in it?
Rum, lime juice, sugar
The story
Another cocktail of disputed origin, most can agree the Daiquiri was named after an iron mine near Santiago de Cuba, and invented at the end of the 1800s. It was in the 1940s, however, when rationing made whiskey and vodka scarce, that the cocktail – and rum in general – came into its own.
Drink it
Havana’s historic Floridita is where the frozen daiquiri was born, and where Ernest Hemingway dreamed up his boozier take, the Papa Doble ($6.25/£4.80).
Stay
Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana has doubles from £295.
5. Caipirinha: São Paulo, Brazil
What’s in it?
Cachaça, sugar, lime
The story
It was 19th-century farmers near São Paulo who first combined the locally abundant sugarcane and galeguinho (a small lemon-like fruit) with Cachaça, the country’s most common distilled spirit, to create what would become their national drink. It was once used to treat the Spanish flu, and is still a popular home remedy for the common cold.
Drink it
São Paulo’s Bar Veloso is known for its Caipirinhas and delicious coxinhas (Brazilian chicken croquettes) (£2.75).
Stay
Hotel Emiliano has doubles from £458.
6. Espresso martini: London, UK
What’s in it?
Vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, sugar
The story
A London drink through and through, it started as the “Vodka Espresso”, served short over ice, with its trademarked three-coffee bean garnish. It was created by British mixologist Dick Bradsell at the Soho Brasserie in 1983 – reportedly after a supermodel requested a drink that would “wake me up and f - - k me up”.
Drink it
While the Soho Brasserie no longer exists, you’ll find both the venue’s old sign and an excellent take on this modern classic at neighbouring Bar Swift (£14).
Stay
Kettner’s has doubles from £285.
Discover where to have a drink in London with our guide to the best bars and pubs in the city.
7. Mai Tai: California, USA
What’s in it?
A blend of rums, dry curacao, orgeat syrup, lime juice, sugar syrup
The story
This quintessential Tiki drink was catapulted to stardom by the (now legendary) Polynesian-themed Trader Vic’s restaurants during the Tiki bar-boom of the 1940s and 50s (an on-screen turn in Elvis’s 1961 Blue Hawaii also didn’t hurt). It remains the drink of choice for fans of the strong and sweet.
Drink it
Though many of Trader Vic’s iconic outposts (including one at London’s Hilton Park Lane) are no longer around, Athens’s tiki haven Baba Au Rum serves what’s widely considered Europe’s finest Mai Tai, using Trader Vic’s Original specs and an award-winning selection of spirits – consumed under the watchful gaze of Mr Presley himself – in poster form, at least (€11/£9.20).
Stay
NEW Hotel in Athens has doubles from £186
8. Old Fashioned: Kentucky, USA
What’s in it?
American whiskey, sugar, Angostura bitters
The story
There are many claims to this one, too, though most fitting is that of a bartender at gentlemen’s club the Pendennis in Louisville, Kentucky, who supposedly concocted it in the 1890s at the behest of grand old Kentucky bourbon distiller Colonel James E Pepper, who later brought the recipe to New York. Whether it’s true or not, of course, depends who you ask.
Drink it
NYC heavyweight Death & Co makes one of the best – and with two books on the art of classic cocktails to its name, so it should ($17/£13).
Stay
The Mercer has doubles from £815.
9. Vesper martini: London, UK
What’s in it?
Gin, vodka, Kina Lillet
The story
The classic 007 drink features in Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale (“shaken, not stirred”, naturally), said to have been inspired by the author’s trips to Dukes Bar in London.
Drink it
Dukes Bar still serves the Vesper, albeit a more potent, unshaken version, poured near-frozen and without dilution. It’s not for the faint-hearted (£25).
Stay
Dukes London has doubles from £414.
10. Bloody Mary: Paris, France
What’s in it?
Vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Tabasco, salt and pepper
The story
A popular 1920s hangout for freedom-seeking US expats (who brought canned tomato juice) and revolution-fleeing Russians (who brought vodka), it’s only natural that Harry’s New York Bar in Paris would be the birthplace of this quintessential brunch cocktail.
Drink it
Head straight to the source at Harry’s New York Bar (€14/£11.70).
Stay
Ritz Paris has doubles from £1,720.
Find more of the best drinks in Paris with our expert guide to the city’s best cafes and bars.
11. Cosmopolitan: Florida, USA
What’s in it?
Citron vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, lime juice
The story
The Cosmo has a surprisingly multi-threaded backstory, including a peak in the 1970s, in both the gay communities of Massachusetts and preppy singles bars of San Francisco, and a revival in the late 90s, thanks to patronage from Madonna and Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw. But it was Cheryl Cook, bartender at the Strand Restaurant in Miami’s South Beach, who put it in a Martini glass (because “people ordered Martinis just to be seen with a Martini glass in their hand”), so in our book, it’s hers.
Drink it
The Strand no longer exists, so instead, embrace your inner celebrity and head to Miami’s Carbone ($22/£17).
Stay
The Setai, Miami Beach has doubles from £688.
12. Irish Coffee: County Clare, Ireland
What’s in it?
Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar, cream
The story
Though similar drinks were being served in central-European coffee houses through the mid-1800s, it was in 1943, when a chef at Foynes Air Base flying boat terminal (near present-day Shannon Airport) began adding whiskey to the coffee of tired, chilly disembarking passengers that it became a hit.
Drink it
By the 1950s, the Irish coffee had found its spiritual home in the United States– where New York cocktail-pub The Dead Rabbit now makes arguably the world’s best ($16/£12).
Stay
33 Hotel New York City Seaport has doubles from £428.
13. Grasshopper: New Orleans, USA
What’s in it?
Crème de menthe, crème de cacao
The story
This vivid green dessert drink has its roots in NOLA’s Creole culture, though its official invention in 1918 is attributed to Philip Guichet, owner of Tujague’s restaurant in the city’s French Quarter. By the 1960s, it had become a favourite across the American South and is now a retro staple on menus the world over.
Drink it
Tujague’s is still a NOLA icon, and the Grasshopper remains its bestseller ($12/£9.20).
Stay
The Windsor Court has doubles from £378.
14. Margarita: Tequila, Mexico
What’s in it?
Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sugar
The story
The origin of the world’s most famous tequila drink is tricky to pin down, though some sources suggest it’s the work of Carlos “Danny” Herrera, who was tasked with creating a tequila-based drink for Ziegfeld Follies legend Marjorie King (who was allergic to most other spirits) at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria, near Tequila, in 1938.
Drink it
It’s been reinvented more often than Madonna, but for something special, try Mexico City bar Licorería Limantour’s Margarita al Pastor, which combines tequila, triple sec, lime and a “taco mix” blend of pineapple, coriander and chilies (£5).
Stay
Hotel Geneve Mexico City has doubles from £93.
15. Negroni sbagliato: Milan, Italy
What’s in it?
Campari, vermouth, Prosecco
The story
This drink’s slightly tongue-in-cheek name (meaning “mistake”) is a nod to its creation – when, in 1972, Bar Basso bartender Mirko Stochetto was making a Negroni and accidentally grabbed a bottle of Prosecco instead of gin. The result was a lighter, longer and more refreshing drink which punters loved. It was originally served in a comically large wine glass, which you can still request.
Drink it
Now run by his son, Maurizio, Bar Basso still proudly serves its finest mistake (€10/£8.40).
Stay
Château Montfort has doubles from £451.
Discover more of the best bars in Milan with our expert guide to the best nightlife in the city.
16. Negroni: Florence, Italy
What’s in it?
Gin, Campari, vermouth
The story
Arguably one of the most famous cocktails of all time, this Italian classic was likely invented at Florence’s Caffè Casoni in 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli to replace the soda in his Americano with gin, creating a shorter, stronger serve.
Drink it
In the century since the Negroni’s invention, Caffè Casoni has evolved into Caffè Giacosa, where the drink occupies an almost sacred status (0039 055 202 1617; €15/£12.50).
Stay
Hotel La Gemma has doubles from £628.
For more Florence inspiration, see our expert guide to the best bars and nightlife.
17. Sazerac, New Orleans, USA
What’s in it?
American whiskey/cognac, absinthe, sugar, Peychaud’s bitters
The story
The official cocktail of New Orleans (and often considered America’s oldest), this boozy antebellum concoction was originally made with cognac, apparently devised by French Quarter pharmacist Antoine Amédée Peychaud in the mid-1800s. After the phylloxera epidemic of the 1880s devastated vineyards, the cognac was substituted for whiskey, and a true classic was born.
Drink it
The Roosevelt Hotel’s Sazerac Bar played a crucial role in the city’s drinking history, becoming the first NOLA watering hole to serve women after a group of ladies stormed the bar in 1949 ($22/£17).
Stay
The Roosevelt Hotel has doubles from £388.
18. Hanky panky: London, UK
What’s in it?
Gin, vermouth, Fernet Branca
The story
This one is down to Ada Coleman (head bartender at the Savoy’s American Bar in 1903; no mean feat – then or now – in a heavily male-dominated industry), who made it for one of her regulars, Sir Charles Hawtrey, an actor and cocktail connoisseur. According to Coleman, Hawtrey drained the glass and exclaimed “By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky”, thereby christening her creation.
Drink it
The American Bar remains the best place to order Ada’s masterpiece (£20).
Stay
The Savoy has doubles from £900.
19. Mojito: Havana, Cuba
What’s in it?
Rum, lime juice, mint, sugar, soda
The story
Some sources say we’ve none other than Sir Francis Drake to thank for this one – or at least, its 16th-century brandy-based precursor, the “El Draque”. Lime juice on its own was known to be an effective deterrent for scurvy and dysentery, though we suspect the addition of alcohol helped ensure its popularity amongst his crew. With all its ingredients indigenous to Cuba, the drink has become one of the country’s core cultural icons.
Drink it
La Bodeguita del Medio (another favourite of Hemingway) in Havana is considered the Mojito’s official birthplace (0053 7 8671374; £4).
Stay
Hotel Nacional de Cuba has doubles from £102.
20. Mint Julep: The Deep South, USA
What’s in it?
Bourbon, sugar, mint
The story
Once used for medicinal purposes in the Middle East (the name comes from the Persian “gulab”, meaning flower water), this mint-and-bourbon mix originated in the American South, served in punch bowls at social gatherings during the 18th century. It wasn’t until the 1930s, when it became the Kentucky Derby’s official drink, that it was put into its now traditional metal tumbler (with plenty of crushed ice).
Drink it
With its own ties to the Kentucky Derby, Louisville’s Brown Hotel is a popular spot for this heat-busting beverage (; $14/£11).
Stay
The Brown Hotel has doubles from £174.
21. Bellini: Venice, Italy
What’s in it?
Prosecco, peach puree
The story
Invented in the 1940s by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice, the name comes from the unique pink hue of the peach puree, which reminded Cipriani of one of 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini’s masterpieces (which one, though, is anyone’s guess).
Drink it
Harry’s Bar is still a Venice stalwart. The drink may now be an international hit, but it would be wrong to order it anywhere else (€22/£19).
Stay
Baglioni Hotel Luna has doubles from £801.
Read about the best bars in Venice in our guide to Venice nightlife.
22. Penicillin: New York, USA
What’s in it?
Blended Scotch, lemon juice, honey ginger syrup, single malt float
The story
Created by Sam Ross at New York bar Milk & Honey during the speakeasy resurgence of the mid-2000s, it is one of the few drinks created this side of the millennium which still features prominently on menus worldwide.
Drink it
The original Milk & Honey site is now home to the world-famous Attaboy bar, co-owned by Sam Ross, where the Penicillin is still one of the most popular orders ($20/£15.30).
Stay
citizenM New York Bowery has doubles from £121.
23. Aperol spritz: Veneto region, Italy
What’s in it?
Aperol, Prosecco, soda
The story
The spritz that took the world by storm (the name alone conjures its trademark orange) was far from a 21st-century invention. The Aperol brand was launched by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in 1919, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that this official spritz recipe was born – designed as a low-alcohol, pre-dinner tipple – and quickly caught on. Fast forward to a ubiquitous 2000s marketing campaign, and this pleasingly accessible bubbly-bitter drink had soon achieved its place in the cocktail stratosphere – and on sunny terraces the world over.
Drink it
Venice’s eponymous Terrazza Aperol serves the famous spritz all day long (€7/£6).
Stay
Hotel Villa Franceschi has doubles from £246.
24. Painkiller: British Virgin Islands
What’s in it?
Rum, coconut cream, orange and pineapple juice
The story
Built by George and Marie Myrick on Jost Van Dyke island in 1970, the Soggy Dollar Bar is a Caribbean institution (in the early days, punters had to wade ashore, hence the name). Its greatest achievement remains the invention of this ultimate desert-island drink – supposedly named after a local bush, rather than the numbing effects of its generous rum base.
Drink it
The Soggy Dollar still stands – and now accepts card, so your bank notes are safe ($9/£6.90).
Stay
The Hideout has doubles from £650 for two nights.
25. French 75: Paris, France
What’s in it?
Gin, lemon juice, sugar, Champagne
The story
Created at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1915, the elegant French 75 (or Soixante Quinze) takes its name – somewhat oddly – from the French 75mm field gun. Can’t see a connection? They both have quite a kick, you see.
Drink it
Harry’s New York Bar remains the finest place in Paris – or, indeed, the world – to order one (€16/£13).
Stay
Hôtel Fauchon has doubles from £449.
26. Whisky highball: Japan
What’s in it?
Japanese whisky, soda
The story
While Japan didn’t invent the whisky soda, a post-Second World War need for affordable, easy-to-replicate drinks – combined with a gentle push from whisky heavyweight, Suntory – soon saw bars selling highballs on draught, and shops stocking the drink in cans. It remains a cornerstone of Japan’s drinking culture.
Drink it
Available at almost every corner store in Japan, high-quality canned highballs are easy to come by. For something special, head to one of Star Bar’s four locations and marvel at their super-clear “Ninja Ice” version (starbar.jp; £12).
Stay
The Tokyo EDITION has doubles from £840.
27. Piña Colada: Puerto Rico
What’s in it?
Rum, coconut cream, fresh pineapple
The story
Stories of an 18th-century pirate creating the Piña Colada to motivate his crew are appealing, but the drink is officially attributed to bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, who in 1954 decided to create a drink that would convey “the true spirit of Puerto Rico” while working at the Caribe Hilton Hotel’s Beachcomber Bar.
Drink it
The hotel remains, but the bar does not. Instead, head for San Juan’s Barrachina, which also claims the cocktail as its own ($9/£6.90).
Stay
Caribe Hilton has doubles from £290.
28. Vieux carre: New Orleans, USA
What’s in it?
Rye whiskey, cognac, benedictine, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters, Peychaud’s bitters
The story
Created in 1937 by Walter Bergeron, head bartender at Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar, the drink is a love letter to its neighbourhood – from the name (meaning “old square”, a nod to the French Quarter itself), to the ingredients which pay tribute to the area’s melting pot of nationalities (cognac and benedictine for the French, rye whiskey for the Americans, sweet vermouth for the Italians, and bitters for those of Caribbean descent).
Drink it
Carousel Bar and Lounge still proudly serves this potent NOLA drink ($21/£16).
Stay
Hotel Monteleone has doubles from £321.
29. Ferroviario: Buenos Aires, Argentina
What’s in it?
Fernet, vermouth, soda
The story
A long-time staple of Argentinian drinking culture thanks to the prevalence of fernet (a bitter, aromatic Italian liqueur), this classic mix is available everywhere from humble all-day cantinas to high-end bars.
Drink it
You’ll find it all over Argentina, but Buenos Aires’ Tres Monos serves a particularly delicious take, incorporating strawberry, rosemary and thyme ($8/£6).
Stay
Mine Hotel has doubles from £119.
30. Jungle Bird: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
What’s in it?
Rum, Campari, pineapple juice, lime juice, sugar syrup
The story
Said to be the 1970s brainchild of Jeffrey Ong, a manager at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton’s Aviary Bar, the name was a nod to the vividly coloured tropical birds strutting about by the hotel pool which the venue overlooks.
Drink it
The Aviary Bar is still going strong – and its Jungle Bird still packs a punch (£12).
Stay
Hilton Kuala Lumpur has doubles from £325.
