16 Classic Cocktails That Don’t Disappoint

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Discover 16 classic cocktails that don’t disappoint. They may be old but they’re also cool, classy and fun to drink.

1. Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned with Ice Cube
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The Old Fashioned is one of the most classic of classic cocktails. Plus, its easy to craft the iconic bourbon cocktail at home.

Old Fashioned Recipe

2. Hanky Panky

Hanky Panky Cocktail with Black Background from Above
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Despite its giggle-inducing name, the Hanky Panky is serious. The classic cocktail’s easy recipe takes the gin martini to exciting levels with two magical dashes of Fernet-Branca.

Hanky Panky Recipe

3. Whiskey Sour

Sipping a Whiskey Sour
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The Whiskey Sour ranks as one of the most popular drinks in the world. And why not? This vintage cocktail is a pleasure to drink and a breeze to craft at home.

Whiskey Sour Recipe

4. Manhatttan

Bourbon Manhattan with 3 Cherries
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Crafting a Manhattan at home is both easy and rewarding. When you follow its easy recipe, you’ll feel like you’re at your favorite bar at 1am but without the drama.

Manhattan Recipe

5. Negroni

Negroni on Lisbon Street Close Up
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The original Negroni is a sophisticated Italian cocktail crafted with just five ingredients including ice. Unique for its deep red color and acerbic flavor, the Campari cocktail packs a punch with equal parts of bitter Campari, dry gin and sweet vermouth.

Negroni Recipe

6. Brandy Crusta

Brandy Crusta from Above with White Background
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Named after it’s main ingredient and its crunchy, sugary rim, the Brandy Crusta is a timeless New Orleans cocktail. It’s also sweet, sour and sophisticated.

Brandy Crusta Recipe

7. Gin Sour

Gin Sour Cocktail with Black Background
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The Gin Sour tickles the tongue with clean flavors that are simultaneously sweet and sour. The classic gin cocktail is also super easy to craft at home in just a few minutes.

Gin Sour Recipe

8. Sazerac

Sazerac Cocktail with Black Background 2
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The Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails in America. Despite its age, the classic New Orleans drink is as relevant today as ever.

Sazerac Recipe

9. Boulevardier

Boulevardier on Lisbon Street with Tram
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A Boulevardier cocktail is a Negroni crafted with bourbon instead of gin. It’s also a fantastic French cocktail that’s easy to craft at home.

Boulevardier Recipe

10. Daiquiri

Bacardi Daiquiri on Ledge
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Leave any preconceptions about the Daiquiri behind when you craft a Daiquiri. The classic rum cocktail is a sophisticated summer sipper made with just three ingredients that you probably already have at home.

Daiquiri Recipe

11. Whiskey Highball

Whiskey Highball with Red Background Close Up
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The Whiskey Highball is timeless yet modern. It’s a two-ingredient cocktail that’s been around for centuries but tastes as fresh as ever.

Whiskey Highball Recipe

12. Tom Collins

Tom Collins Cocktail from Above
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Simultaneously sweet and tart, the Tom Collins cocktail is a delightful drink that tastes like spiked lemonade. It’s also super simple to craft at home with just a few ingredients.

Tom Collins Recipe

13. Bee’s Knees

Bees Knees Cocktail with Ingredients on Window Sill
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The Bee’s Knees is the cat’s meow when it comes to classic cocktails. The three-ingredient gin lemon cocktail is both sophisticated to sip and super easy to craft at home.

Bee’s Knees Recipe

14. Brooklyn

Brooklyn Cocktail with White Background
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Brooklyn isn’t just the most populated borough in New York City. It’s also a pre-prohibition cocktail that sips like a dream. When you sip a Brooklyn cocktail, you’ll forget about the other four boroughs before you get to the bottom of the glass.

Brooklyn Recipe

15. Martinez

Martinez Cocktail Next to Colored Tiles
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You probably aren’t familiar with the Martinez unless you’re either a cocktail connoisseur or a history buff. However once you try this classic gin drink, you’ll surely be a fan.

Martinez Recipe

16. Gimlet

Gin Gimlet on Green Marble
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The Gimlet cocktail is one of the easiest classic cocktails to craft at home. It’s also one of the classiest.

Gimlet Recipe

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.