27 Classic Cocktails You Should Know How to Make

From a flawless French 75 to a "no notes" Negroni, these classic cocktails never go out of style.

With so many trends in the food and beverage spaces seemingly materializing and disappearing at the speed of a sped up TikTok tune, there's something incredibly comforting about walking into your neighborhood watering hole and ordering a Negroni or an Old Fashioned. Even if the bartender wants to get a bit creative with garnishes or glassware, you'll generally know what to expect — stability, perfectly harmonious flavors that have stood the test of time, and, well, booze. Once you've stocked up a basic home bar with some of your favorite spirits, a good vermouth or two, and a bottle of bitters, you've got everything you need to nail the classic cocktail at home — read on for 27 iconic recipes that every bartender wants you to add to your repertoire.

Gin & Tonic

The herbaceous, juniper-forward flavor of botanical London Dry Gin is perfectly carried by tonic water's sweetness.

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White Russian

While a White Russian can be made with milk or half and half, heavy cream adds unmatched flavor and texture in this simple cocktail.

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Paper Plane

The Paper Plane has just enough sweetness to counteract its bitter and sour notes, and its signature orange hue comes from Aperol.

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Aviation

This gorgeous, light-purple-hued gin cocktail actually tastes as good as it looks. Served in an elegant coupe glass, this cocktail dates all the way back to the early 20th century, where it was first mentioned in Recipes for Mixed Drinks, a book written by Hugo Ensslin, the head bartender of the Hotel Wallick in New York City. 

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Vieux Carré

Channel the decadence and debauchery of Prohibition-era New Orleans with a classic Vieux Carré recipe from Neal Bodenheimer.

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Negroni

Despite the Negroni's endless capacity for shape-shifting, this recipe is for the most classic version of the cocktail — think of it an ode to its comforting simplicity. Made with vibrant red Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin, the drink is balanced with a combination earthy, bitter, and botanical flavors.

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Aperol Spritz

Typically served in a stemmed wine glass filled with ice along with an orange wedge garnish, it's best to use brut (or dry) prosecco for this drink, which already has plenty of sweetness from its eponymous ingredient.

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Moscow Mule

Since a Moscow Mule contains just a few ingredients, it's important to reach for the highest quality when you can. Use sharp, spicy ginger beer for a full-flavored experience. And, as with nearly all cocktails, use lime juice from fresh, whole limes in lieu of the bottled stuff.

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Espresso Martini

This recipe from Simon Sebbah, beverage director at NYC's American Bar, gets you a perfectly frothy, caffeinated cocktail every time.

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Mai Tai

If the only Mai Tai you've ever had was pink, then you've never had a Mai Tai.

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Pimm's Cup

This low-alcohol cocktail with show-stopping garnishes is a delicious summer staple for a reason.

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Last Word

This Prohibition-era cocktail comes together with just a few ingredients and manages to pack a seriously boozy punch while maintaining balance.

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Spicy Margarita

How do you make a great classic cocktail even better? Add a jalapeño pepper.

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Milk Punch

Grab your spirit of choice and make this classic, creamy milk punch.

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Grasshopper

Bright green, boozy, and creamy, it's impossible to miss a bright green Grasshopper cocktail.

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Manhattan

The Manhattan is one of the most popular whiskey cocktails, and has been enjoyed for over a century. The drink is traditionally made with rye whiskey, but some bartenders prefer to use bourbon. You can add a splash of juice from the jar of maraschino cherries if you'd like to add fruity sweetness to the drink, or alternatively, garnish with a lemon peel.

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Penicillin

Smoky Scotch meets bracing ginger and sweet honey in a classic Penicillin cocktail.

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Tom Collins

Served in a vessel aptly named after the inventor of the cocktail, the Tom Collins is a towering, icy drink served in a thin-walled Collins glass. With likeness to a Gin Sling or Gin Fizz, the Tom Collins is a refreshing cocktail made with gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a bit of sugar, and carbonated water. It's thirst-quenching and refreshing, with balanced sweet and sour flavors along with an enticing, fizzy finish.

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Bee's Knees

This honey-sweetened Prohibition-era cocktail makes Lynnette Marrero think of spring: “It’s simple, clean and refreshing — like a winter toddy that’s gotten a spring makeover,” she says.

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Old Fashioned

Don't be fooled by the inherent simplicity of the drink — there is room for creativity and personalization when it comes to making an Old Fashioned.

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Long Island Iced Tea

With four spirits and one liqeuer, the Long Island Iced Tea is not a cocktail for the faint of heart.

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Mint Julep

The Mint Julep has been the iconic drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1939, but references to the cocktail go as far back as the year 900, when it was sipped for medicinal purposes. When New Orleans bartender Chris McMillian was at Bar UnCommon, he recited an ode while mixing Mint Juleps, written in the 1890s by a Kentucky newspaperman, that calls the bourbon and mint cocktail "the very dream of drinks."

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French 75

This luxurious, delicious combination of gin and Champagne can be easily scaled up for a crowd.

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Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee, like so many St. Patrick's Day culinary standbys, is more Irish-American than Irish. The original cocktail features aged, frothed cream, two sugar cubes, hot coffee, and Irish whiskey, but as the drink spread, different formulations took hold. Our recipe calls for strong, freshly brewed coffee, Irish whiskey, a little sweetener, and whipped cream.

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Corpse Reviver

Like many Prohibition and pre-Prohibition cocktails, the Corpse Reviver is composed of mostly spirits that are artfully paired together in harmony. While just a dash is used, absinthe gives this cocktail an extra hit of herbaceous aroma

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Daiquiri

What makes the three-ingredient classic Daiquiri so delicious and enduring is ultimately its simplicity.

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Mojito

The simplicity of the Mojito allows high-quality ingredients to shine. Choose a high quality rum and pair it with freshly squeezed lime juice, and all-natural simple syrup to elevate this drink. Plus, a splash of bubbly water to top off the drink helps keep this highball a bit less boozy, making it a great contender for an afternoon sipping.

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