No. 032 · Cocktail · IBA
Alexander
Cognac, brown crème de cacao and fresh cream shaken and dusted with nutmeg.
The Bar
Cocktails
Our cocktail recipes follow the official specifications of the International Bartenders Association (IBA) wherever one exists, with quantities exactly as the IBA gives them. A handful of other classics, such as the G&T and Hot Toddy, are our own house recipes and say so.
64 entries · alcoholic drinks for adults aged 18+
By spirit: Gin · Whisky & whiskey · Vodka · Rum · Tequila · Sparkling wine · Brandy & cognac · Wine · Liqueurs · Vermouth & aperitifs · Pisco · Cachaça
No. 031 · Cocktail · IBA
Americano
Campari and sweet vermouth over ice with a splash of soda: a lighter, lower-strength bitter aperitif.
Photo: Conrad and Peter, CC BY 2.0
No. 024 · Cocktail · IBA
Aviation
Gin, maraschino, lemon and a barspoon of crème de violette, shaken and served up.
No. 064 · Cocktail · IBA
Bee's Knees
Dry gin with honey syrup, lemon and orange juice, shaken and served up.
Photo: Will Shenton, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 036 · Cocktail · IBA
Bellini
White peach purée and Prosecco gently stirred and poured into a chilled flute.
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 056 · Cocktail · IBA
Black Russian
Vodka and coffee liqueur over ice. Float cream on top and it becomes a White Russian.
No. 037 · Cocktail · IBA
Bloody Mary
Vodka, tomato juice, lemon and Worcestershire sauce, seasoned to taste and stirred.
Photo: William Clifford (williac), CC BY 2.0
No. 025 · Cocktail · IBA
Boulevardier
Bourbon or rye with Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred: a richer, warmer cousin of the Negroni.
Photo: Edsel Little, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 058 · Cocktail · IBA
Bramble
A gin sour over crushed ice with crème de mûre drizzled through it. Created in 1980s London.
No. 038 · Cocktail · IBA
Caipirinha
Lime wedges muddled with sugar, then cachaça over cracked ice: Brazil's national cocktail.
Photo: Weetjesman, Public domain
No. 039 · Cocktail · IBA
Champagne Cocktail
A bitters-soaked sugar cube and a little cognac, topped with chilled Champagne.
No. 026 · Cocktail · IBA
Clover Club
Gin, raspberry syrup, lemon and a little egg white shaken to a pink, foamy sour.
Photo: Ralf Roletschek, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 067 · Cocktail · IBA
Corpse Reviver #2
Equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc and lemon with a dash of absinthe.
Photo: Farther Along, CC BY 2.0
No. 040 · Cocktail · IBA
Cosmopolitan
Citrus vodka, Cointreau, lime and cranberry shaken to a tart, pink sour.
Photo: Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 041 · Cocktail · IBA
Cuba Libre
White rum, cola and fresh lime built over ice in a highball glass.
Photo: Martin Belam (currybet), CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 016 · Cocktail · IBA
Daiquiri
White rum, fresh lime and fine sugar shaken hard: a three-ingredient sour that rewards precise measuring.
No. 059 · Cocktail · IBA
Dark 'n' Stormy
Ginger beer over ice with dark rum floated on top.
Photo: Ralf Roletschek, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 017 · Cocktail · IBA
Dry Martini
Gin and a little dry vermouth stirred until ice-cold, finished with lemon oils or an olive.
No. 057 · Cocktail · IBA
Espresso Martini
Vodka, coffee liqueur, sugar syrup and fresh espresso shaken hard for a creamy foam. Contains caffeine.
No. 042 · Cocktail · IBA
French 75
Gin, lemon and sugar syrup shaken, strained into a flute and topped with Champagne.
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/people/garyjwood/, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 070 · Cocktail · IBA
French Martini
Vodka, raspberry liqueur and fresh pineapple juice shaken to a light foam.
No. 011 · Cocktail
Gin and Tonic
Gin and tonic water poured over plenty of ice with a wedge of lime. Our house ratio is one part gin to three of tonic.
Photo: NotFromUtrecht, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 027 · Cocktail · IBA
Gin Fizz
Gin, lemon and sugar syrup shaken, then lengthened with a splash of soda and served without ice.
No. 068 · Cocktail · IBA
Grasshopper
White crème de cacao, green crème de menthe and cream shaken: a minty, chocolatey after-dinner drink.
Photo: TexasDex, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 074 · Cocktail · IBA
Hemingway Special
Rum, grapefruit, maraschino and lime shaken and served in a large cocktail glass.
No. 069 · Cocktail · IBA
Horse's Neck
Cognac and ginger ale over ice with a long spiral of lemon peel draped from the rim.
Photo: Cocktailmarler, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 012 · Cocktail
Hot Toddy
Whisky, honey and lemon topped with hot water and lightly spiced. A house recipe for a cold evening.
Photo: Patrick Truby, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 043 · Cocktail · IBA
Irish Coffee
Hot coffee, Irish whiskey and sugar, topped with a float of chilled cream. Contains caffeine and alcohol.
Photo: jules / stone soup, CC BY 2.0
No. 028 · Cocktail · IBA
John Collins
Gin, lemon, sugar syrup and soda built over ice in a tall glass. Use Old Tom gin and it's a Tom Collins.
Photo: cyclonebill, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 044 · Cocktail · IBA
Kir
Crème de cassis topped with dry white wine. Use Champagne and it becomes a Kir Royal.
No. 029 · Cocktail · IBA
Last Word
Equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino and lime: herbal, sharp and intensely aromatic.
Photo: Kent Wang, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 045 · Cocktail · IBA
Long Island Iced Tea
Five spirits, lemon, sugar syrup and a top of cola. Contains no tea and a lot of alcohol: take it slowly.
Photo: Alisdair McDiarmid from Glasgow, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
No. 046 · Cocktail · IBA
Mai Tai
Two rums, orange curaçao, orgeat and fresh lime shaken and poured over ice: the tiki benchmark.
Photo: Achim Schleuning (E-Mail: comander02_de@yahoo.de), CC BY-SA 3.0 de
No. 018 · Cocktail · IBA
Manhattan
Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and a dash of Angostura stirred and served up with a cherry.
Photo: Evaengler, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 047 · Cocktail · IBA
Margarita
100% agave tequila, triple sec and fresh lime shaken and served up, with an optional half salt rim.
Photo: Akke Monasso, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 030 · Cocktail · IBA
Martinez
London dry gin and sweet vermouth in equal measure, with maraschino and orange bitters.
Photo: Ralf Roletschek, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 048 · Cocktail · IBA
Mimosa
Equal parts fresh orange juice and Prosecco in a flute. The IBA notes it's also known as Buck's Fizz.
Photo: John Knox, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 049 · Cocktail · IBA
Mint Julep
Bourbon over cracked ice with gently muddled mint and sugar, stirred until the cup frosts.
No. 050 · Cocktail · IBA
Mojito
White rum, lime, sugar and mint lengthened with soda water over ice.
Photo: Alkemieug, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 051 · Cocktail · IBA
Moscow Mule
Vodka, ginger beer and fresh lime in a copper mug over ice.
Photo: Will Shenton, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 013 · Cocktail
Mulled Wine
Red wine gently warmed with orange, sugar and whole spices: a house recipe for six.
Photo: Wheeler Cowperthwaite, CC BY 2.0
No. 019 · Cocktail · IBA
Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth built over ice: bitter, sweet and bracing.
No. 020 · Cocktail · IBA
Old Fashioned
A sugar cube, bitters and a splash of water muddled, then whiskey over ice: slow, aromatic and strong.
No. 060 · Cocktail · IBA
Paloma
Tequila, a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt topped with pink grapefruit soda.
Photo: Erich Wagner, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 066 · Cocktail · IBA
Paper Plane
Equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon, shaken and served up.
No. 063 · Cocktail · IBA
Penicillin
Blended Scotch, lemon, honey and fresh ginger, with a smoky Islay whisky float.
Photo: Edsel Little, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 053 · Cocktail · IBA
Pisco Sour
Pisco, lemon, sugar syrup and a whole egg white shaken to a thick foam, scented with bitters.
No. 052 · Cocktail · IBA
Piña Colada
White rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice blended with ice and served with straws.
Photo: Martin Asche, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
No. 035 · Cocktail · IBA
Rusty Nail
Scotch whisky and Drambuie stirred over ice: honeyed and warming.
Photo: Brian Child, CC BY-SA 2.0
No. 023 · Cocktail · IBA
Sazerac
Cognac, sugar and Peychaud's bitters stirred into an absinthe-rinsed glass.
Photo: Will Shenton, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 072 · Cocktail · IBA
Sea Breeze
Vodka with cranberry and grapefruit juice built over ice.
No. 022 · Cocktail · IBA
Sidecar
Cognac, triple sec and lemon shaken and served up: a dry, citrusy brandy sour.
No. 055 · Cocktail · IBA
Singapore Sling
Gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Bénédictine, pineapple, lime and grenadine shaken long.
Photo: Achim Schleuning, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
No. 014 · Cocktail
Snowball
Advocaat and fizzy lemonade in roughly equal parts, with a squeeze of lime. Advocaat contains egg.
Photo: Tobias R. – Metoc, CC BY-SA 2.5
No. 065 · Cocktail · IBA
South Side
London dry gin, lemon, sugar syrup and mint leaves shaken and double-strained.
No. 061 · Cocktail · IBA
Spritz
Prosecco and Aperol with a splash of soda over ice in a wine glass.
Photo: Geolina163, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 054 · Cocktail · IBA
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila and orange juice over ice with grenadine poured in to sink, creating the sunrise effect.
Photo: Nicor, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 062 · Cocktail · IBA
Tommy's Margarita
Tequila, lime and agave nectar shaken and served over ice.
No. 071 · Cocktail · IBA
Vesper
Gin, vodka and Lillet Blanc shaken and served very cold with a lemon zest.
Photo: TabascoMan77, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 034 · Cocktail · IBA
Vieux Carré
Rye, cognac and sweet vermouth with Bénédictine and Peychaud's: a layered New Orleans stirred drink.
Photo: CocktailStevee, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 021 · Cocktail · IBA
Whiskey Sour
Bourbon, lemon and sugar syrup shaken, with optional egg white for a soft foam.
Photo: Martin Asche, CC BY-SA 3.0
No. 015 · Cocktail
Whisky Highball
Whisky lengthened with ice-cold soda water in a tall glass: simple, dry and refreshing.
No. 033 · Cocktail · IBA
White Lady
Gin, triple sec and lemon juice shaken and served up: crisp, dry and citrusy.
Photo: Cocktailmarler, CC BY-SA 4.0
No. 073 · Cocktail · IBA
Zombie
Three rums, lime, falernum, Donn's Mix, grenadine, bitters and Pernod flash-blended. Very strong: one is plenty.
Photo: Matthias Friedlein, CC BY-SA 4.0
Guides for this shelf
- Drinking responsibly: the UK guidelines The UK Chief Medical Officers' low-risk drinking guidelines, what a unit is, alcohol and young people, and where to get help.
- Cocktail techniques: shake, stir, build and more When to shake and when to stir, plus building, muddling, double straining, layering, blending, rinsing and working with egg white.
- Ice: the most important cocktail ingredient Cubes, large blocks, cracked and crushed ice: which to use for which drink, how to make crushed ice at home, and keeping ice fresh.
- Garnishes: twists, wheels, rims and more How to cut a citrus twist and express its oils, salt and sugar rims, herbs, spices and the classic garnishes in IBA specifications.
- Home bar basics: kit, measures, syrups and bottles The essential tools, UK spirit measures, how to make sugar and honey syrups, fresh citrus, and a sensible starter set of bottles.
- Glassware: which glass for which drink Coupes, martini glasses, rocks, highballs and flutes; nonic pints, tulips and weizen glasses; Irish coffee glasses, and how to look after them.
Most-used kit
- Jigger Search Amazon.co.uk for Jigger (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Bar spoon Search Amazon.co.uk for Bar spoon (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Cocktail shaker Search Amazon.co.uk for Cocktail shaker (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Hawthorne strainer Search Amazon.co.uk for Hawthorne strainer (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Coupe glass Search Amazon.co.uk for Coupe glass (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Highball glass Search Amazon.co.uk for Highball glass (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Rocks (old fashioned) glass Search Amazon.co.uk for Rocks (old fashioned) glass (opens Amazon in a new tab)
- Mixing glass Search Amazon.co.uk for Mixing glass (opens Amazon in a new tab)
Amazon links search Amazon.co.uk, so you can compare options yourself. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.