Shaken, not stirred. The art of cocktail making may require a steady hand, but if you think like Ian Fleming, Dean Martin, and James Bond, one fine drink can say much more about you than you think.
There is nothing like a good cocktail hitting the spot on a testosterone-fueled night with the guys. A Sex on the Beach may be the classic go-to party drink, but if you feel like it’s time for a change, starting to explore other mixed drinks can be intimidating, especially as a man.
Anyone who knows exactly what to pick gives them an edge in class. Many drink options will make you look good – and taste good simultaneously.
Here are five cocktails every modern gentleman should consider:
The Vesper Martini
James Bond created this drink on a whim in the 1953 book Casino Royale while showing off to Felix Leiter and the rest of the casino floor that he was a wily, Jamaican, trust-fund playboy. It’s not clear who the Vesper’s inventor was. But a properly made martini is a dry gin with some dry vermouth and ice.
All three should be placed into a cocktail shaker, but rather than shaking, they should be stirred to gently combine the ingredients and stirred with a wooden spoon rather than a metal one to reduce impacting the drink’s temperature.
A Couple Of Mixed Drinks Named Gibson
Try a classic martini variation called a Gibson for your second poison of choice. The next time you’re in Hollywood or the French Quarter, swing by Musso & Frank or Galatoire’s, respectively, and have a Gibson. If you can’t make it out, mix it at home and prepare yourself for a high-end experience.
For a liquid lunch of yesteryear or a pre-dinner libation. It’s not a drink for beginners, but if made well, it is excellent. It’s crisp, bold and, of course, very gin-forward. The Gibson is a classic. It’s like the lesser-known sibling of a celebrity. In this case, it’s living in the shadow of the Martini. It’s a drink that fell out of favour in the era of margarita mixes and cotton candy-flavoured vodkas. This is a drink that comes from a different time and place.
It’s the drink Cary Grant swills on the train when he’s run from the cops in North By Northwest. It’s a favourite of Roger Sterling on Mad Men. It’s the drink that Bette Davis slams in a single gulp before declaring the now-famous line, “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.”
The Classic Margarita
A Margarita is a simple combination of Tequila, Cointreau (Triple Sec), Lime Juice and, optionally, salt; it makes up arguably the most popular cocktail in the world. The drink was, of course, bastardised in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s no wonder people get killer hangovers from them and have to swear off Tequila for life.
And while it’s plausible that the Brandy was swapped out for Tequila, the lemon was swapped for lime and the sugar for salt. It wouldn’t explain how the drink seemed to pop up all over the place around the same time. The true origin and the basis for its popularity is ultimately something of a mystery. Whatever the story, it’s a classic for a reason. It’s a great combination of flavours and a real easy sipper.
A Cheeky Manhattan
The Manhattan is a staple of the cocktail world. It’s like a jazz standard, everyone knows it, and it’s always excellent. It’s a classic for a reason, and, as with most classics, the origin of this one is a mystery. However it happened, it is one of the best cocktails and the inspiration for many drinks.
A Few Mixed Drinks Called Whiskey Sour
The final mixed drinks option is the whiskey sour. Make sure to pour this cocktail of sunshine into a top-notch glass. Rye whisky, Bourbon whiskey, or Irish Whiskey are all perfectly acceptable whiskeys for this cocktail. A ‘sour’ is a category of cocktails hijacked by pre-packaged zinger mixers that sap the flavour right out of the drink. This is the right way to do it. It makes all the difference in the world. The egg white might be a little scary, but give it a try. It creates a unique creamy texture that doesn’t change the flavour.