Celebrate This World Cocktail Day With The 7 Classic Cocktails

Whether you prefer something creamy, citrusy, fizzy, or spirit-forward, cocktails today go far beyond the standard bar menu classics. From the nostalgic Butterbeer inspired by Harry Potter to the clean simplicity of a Whiskey Highball, there is a drink here for every kind of mood and occasion. World Cocktail Day also feels like the perfect excuse to experiment a little at home instead of ordering the same thing for the hundredth time.

These 7 cocktails are easy to make, packed with flavour, and varied enough that at least one of them will probably become your new go-to drink.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream soda

• 1 cup soda water

• 1 cup beer

• 1 cup crushed ice

• 2 tablespoons butterscotch syrup

• 2 tablespoons whipped cream

• 2 tablespoons salted caramel syrup

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

• 1/4 tsp clove powder

• 2 tbsp rum or whiskey

(we suggest IDAAYA rum or Maker's Mark Bourbon 100cl for the caramel and vanilla notes).

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter made Butterbeer famous, so if you’re a fan, what better option to makwe on World Cocktail Day than this?. Mix the cream soda, soda water, butterscotch syrup, salted caramel syrup, brown sugar, butter, ginger, nutmeg, clove powder, and rum or whiskey in a bowl until combined properly. Fill a beer glass halfway with crushed ice and pour in the mixture. Top it with chilled beer and finish with whipped cream before serving cold.

Ingredients

• 60 ml vodka (we recommend Tito's Handmade Vodka for the clean, neutral feel; Citron if you are feeling adventurous)

• Crushed ice

• Orange juice

The Screwdriver remains popular because it is simple, quick to make, and surprisingly easy to get wrong when the balance is off. Fill a glass with crushed ice. Pour the vodka over it and top the drink with chilled orange juice. Stir lightly so the flavours combine without hampering the freshness of the juice. Garnish with mint leaves or any garnish of your choice before serving.

Ingredients

• Hard seltzer

• Tequila or vodka (try Maya Pistola Agavepura Reposado, or the reliable Absolut)

• Citrus juice

• Fresh herbs

• Fruit infusions

• Ice

Hard seltzer cocktails became popular because people wanted lighter drinks that weren’t too sweet. Fill a tall glass with ice, add your choice of tequila or vodka, and then add citrus juice, fresh fruit and herbs. Top the drink with chilled hard seltzer and stir gently to keep the carbonation intact. The result is crisp, refreshing, and built for long evenings rather than one heavy drink that knocks you out halfway through dinner.

Ingredients

• 50 gms dark chocolate grated

• chocolate syrup to rim the glass

• 60 ml coffee-flavoured liqueur

• 60 ml vodka

• 60 ml Irish cream liqueur (who better than Bailey's)

• 60 ml heavy cream or whipped cream

• 1 cup crushed ice

The Mudslide works as both a cocktail and a dessert because of its creamy texture and strong chocolate-coffee flavour. Add crushed ice, vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, and heavy cream into a blender and blend until smooth. Drizzle chocolate syrup around the inside of a serving glass and pour the mixture into it. Finish with whipped cream and grated dark chocolate on top.

Ingredients

• 60 ml whiskey (Japanese whiskies like Suntory Toki is the gold standard here)

• Chilled soda water

• Large ice cubes

The Whiskey Highball looks simple on paper, but the drink is rather sensitive to factors like balance, temperature, and carbonation. Fill a chilled glass with large ice cubes and pour in the whiskey before topping it carefully with cold soda water. Stir lightly so the carbonation stays sharp instead of going flat immediately.

Ingredients

• 30 ml vodka

• Lychee liqueur

• Blue Curacao (from Blutler Blue)

• Violet liqueur

• Ice

• Edible flowers

The Lotus Flower Martini stands out because of its floral flavour profile and vibrant colour. To make, add vodka, lychee liqueur, Blue Curacao, and violet liqueur into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled properly. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish with edible flowers before serving. It works well as a lighter party cocktail that still feels visually striking on the table.

Ingredients

• 40 ml whisky (try Chivas Regal Crystalgold)

• 20 ml coconut cream

• 60 ml pineapple juice

• 10 ml lime juice

The Monkey Colada takes inspiration from a piña colada but swaps rum for whisky, which gives the drink a deeper and slightly smokier edge. To repare this drink, blend the whisky with coconut cream, pineapple juice, lime juice, and ice until smooth and creamy. Pour the drink into a tall glass and garnish with pineapple before serving cold.