Esquire Recommends: The 10 Best Cocktails That Will Make Your Day Better
We'll be the first ones to say it: we miss bars. The experience of sitting down after a long day, grabbing a drink with friends, and perhaps trying out new tipples and cocktails is just pure magic. But one thing the pandemic has surely taught many of us is how to mix our own cocktails. After years of putting it off, you've probably learned the basics, but there's always room for more in your cocktail repertoire.
So, gather your tools, bring out all your liquor and mix up these cocktail classics, under-the-radar favorites, and more. For Esquire Philippines' 10th anniversary, we've listed down 10 of our favorite cocktails for you to enjoy (perfect for unwinding after a hard day of Zoom meetings). Remember: practice makes perfect. Happy mixing and cheers!
Highball
A spirit and soda cocktail is one that's familiar to all of us. So, it's only right to start here. Don't be fooled, though, the Highball is top-notch.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. whisky
- 4 oz. club soda
Directions
Add whisky to Collins glass. Fill with large ice cubes and pour club soda. Garnish with lemon peel (or orange peel).
Dry Martini
The martini is, undoubtedly, one of the most iconic cocktails. Here at Esquire, we like it dry—bone dry, to be exact.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. gin
- 1/4 oz. extra dry vermouth
- Olives
Directions
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with olive.
Old Fashioned
In the mood for a classic? Well, the Old Fashioned is a classic if there ever was one.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. bourbon or rye whisky
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 sugar cube or 1 tsp. sugar
Directions
Put sugar in glass. Wet it down with Angostura bitters until sugar dissolves. Fill with ice and whisky. Garnish with orange twist.
Manhattan
Created around the mid-1800s, the boozy drink is perfect for any whisky drinker.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. rye whisky
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
Stir rye whisky, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters well in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist (or maraschino cherry).
French 75
The French 75 was created during the First World War. According to legend, the bubbly cocktail was so-named as it felt like being shelled with a French 75mm field gun.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. gin
- 2 dashes syrup
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 5 oz. Champagne
Directions
Shake gin, syrup, and lemon juice with ice until combined and chilled. Strain into a Collins glass or Champagne flute. Top with Champagne.
White Russian
Of course, we didn't forget about you coffee liqueur enthusiasts.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz. vodka
- 3/4 oz. Kahlúa
- 3/4 oz. heavy cream
Directions
Add all ingredients in a mixing glass with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice.
Vesper
We'd like to salute Ian Fleming for giving us James Bond and the Vesper. The drink's recipe famously appeared in his 1953 novel Casino Royale and is named as an homage to Bond girl Vesper Lynd.
Ingredients
- 3 oz. gin
- 1 oz. vodka
- 1/2 oz. Lillet blanc
Directions
Combine gin, vodka, and Lillet blanc in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well until chilled. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Negroni
The Negroni is the closest we have to a perfect cocktail. And, it's pretty easy to make, too. What more could you ask for? Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 oz. gin
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
Directions
Add equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari in a cocktail shaker. Stir until well mixed. Strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist.
Gimlet
Betty Draper's drink of choice is an easy-to-make classic. In fact, all you need is gin and lime juice.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. gin or vodka
- 2/3 oz. lime juice
Directions
Shake ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Dark and Stormy
Created in Bermuda, the Dark and Stormy is a combination of British sailors' favorites: rum and ginger beer.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. dark rum
- 3 oz. ginger beer
Directions
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add rum, then pour ginger beer to top. Garnish with lime wedge.
