Classic Cocktails

Classic cocktails span more than a century of cocktail history, from the drinks of the 1800s and early 1900s to the Prohibition era in the United States from 1920 to 1933, and the many influential classics that followed through the 1970s. This collection explores the cocktails that helped shape modern cocktail culture — drinks that have survived changing tastes, generations of bartenders and countless variations.

The category includes some of the most iconic classic cocktail recipes ever created. Discover legendary gin cocktails such as the Martini, Negroni and other timeless gin-based drinks. Explore whiskey classics including the Manhattan and Rusty Nail, as well as cocktails that demonstrate the depth and versatility of American and European spirits. Cognac also plays an important role in cocktail history, with drinks such as the Brandy Crusta showing how sophisticated and distinctive early cocktail recipes could be.

From elegant pre-Prohibition cocktails and Prohibition-era drinks to post-war classics of the mid-20th century, these recipes offer a journey through the evolution of the classic cocktail. Each drink has its own history, character and place in cocktail culture — making these classic cocktails not only recipes to mix, but a way to discover the traditions and techniques that continue to influence bartenders today.