Cocktail Menu Inspo: 10 Cocktails Worth Sipping On

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What would your dream cocktail menu look like? Here are 10 must-try cocktails from all around the world.

I don’t know about you, but the minute the sun starts shining, all I want to do is head to a rooftop cocktail bar with my nearest and dearest, sipping on summery concoctions as we bask in the golden rays.

Sadly, my local cocktails bars have served their last orders for the time being, as UK pubs and bars remain closed as part of the lockdown. However, while I can’t hit the bars with my friends at the moment, I can have a go at recreating my favourite drinks from the comfort of my own kitchen. In fact, I’m saving so much money by pouring my own cocktails at home, I’ll probably be spending more nights-in playing bartender once lockdown has been lifted. I may as well create my very own at-home cocktail menu; this way, I don’t have to worry about stumbling home at the end of the night either!

Read on to discover 10 of my favourite cocktails from all around the world.

10 Cocktails That Should Be On Any Cocktail Menu

1) Cuba: Mojito

Zesty and refreshing, the traditional Cuban Mojito is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. No cocktail menu would be complete without it!

Made using freshly squeezed lime juice, white rum, fresh mint, soda water, sugar (traditionally, sugar cane juice) and ice, this is the perfect summer cocktail to cool you down on a hot day.

2) Grenada: Rum Punch

A bold concoction of rum (light, dark or coconut) mixed with fruit juice and grenadine, Rum Punch is popular throughout the Caribbean, but each island puts its on unique twist on this classic cocktail.

In Grenada – the so-called Island of Spice – no rum punch is complete without a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg on top. I’ve had so many rum punches in Grenada, I could write a whole post about my favourite ones. This vibrant version from Petite Anse Boutique Hotel in Sauteurs, St. Patrick’s would definitely be on the list; it certainly lived up to its name!

3) Venice: Bellini

A fruity mix of pureed white peached and Italian sparkling Prosecco, the Venetian Bellini was made with summertime drinking in mind. Traditionally, the peaches are marinated in wine and an authentic peach Bellini will often have a reddish-pink tint, owing to the cherry or raspberry juice.

Apparently, the Bellini was invented sometime between 1934 and 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, the owner of Venice’s famous Harry’s Bar.

4) Brazil: Caipirinha

The national cocktail of Brazil, the Caipirinha is a citrusy infusion of cachaça, sugar and lime.

While everyone tends to put their own twist on this classic south American cocktail, the method used is similar to that followed to make a traditional Cuban mojito. The only difference is that, after muddling the sugar and fruit together to make a Caipirinha cocktail, you add cachaça – the Brazilian version of rum – which is distilled from fresh sugar cane juice, rather than molasses.

Feeling Thirsty? Here Are 10 Top Cocktails From All Around The World via @therarewelshbit Click to Tweet

5) Mexico: Margarita

If you walk into a bar and you can’t spot a Margarita on the cocktail menu, turn around, walk straight back out and go and find yourself a decent cocktail bar to drink in!

A potent potion of Mexican tequila paired with fresh lime juice, natural syrup and triple sec (some use Cointreau instead) and garnished with fresh lemon or lime, the Margarita is Mexico’s most popular cocktail. The rim of the glass is brushed with lime juice before being sprinkled with salt, making for an irresistible salty-sweet contrast.

6) Spain: Sangria

This popular Spanish wine cocktail is a big hit among tourists visiting Spain, although it’s not actually drunk very often among the locals and many have questioned whether Sangria is actually a Spanish creation.

While most cantinas have their own unique recipes for this fruity tipple, the staple ingredients are usually wine (red or white), brandy, oranges, lemons and cinnamon. Some versions also include sugar, apple, peaches or apricots and soda water.

7) London: John Collins

Rumoured to have been created in the late 19th century by bartender, John Collins at the Limmer’s Old House on Conduit Street in Mayfair, London, a traditional John Collins cocktail consists of gin (or, sometimes, Bourbon whiskey) with lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water.

One of several cocktails within the Collins family, the John Collins gets its name from the tall ‘collins’ glass tumbler the drink is traditionally served in, garnished with a fresh lemon and Maraschino cherry for a pretty finishing touch.

A variation on the John Collins is the Tom Collins, created by American cocktail connoisseur, Jerry Thomas in New York City. The only difference is the kind of gin used; while a traditional John Collins calls for London Dry Gin, the Tom Collins uses Old Tom Gin. Both are popular choices for any contemporary cocktail menu.

8) New York City: Moscow Mule

Established in NYC in the 1940s, the Moscow Mule is a refreshingly fizzy cocktail of vodka, ginger beer and fresh lime. You may also hear it being referred to as a Vodka Buck, as the addition of ginger beer makes it a Buck. Traditionally, it’s served on the rocks in a copper mug, garnished with fresh lime.

The Moscow Mule gets its name from vodka’s Russian roots, with ‘mule’ thought to have been added because of the ginger beer flavouring.

9) Singapore: Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling was developed by Hainanese bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon at Long Bar at the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore, just before 1915. A sweet blend of gin, cherry brandy, Benedictine, Angostura bitters, pineapple, lime juice and soda water, this cherished cocktail is usually topped with a fresh lemon slice and a Maraschino cherry.

Originally designed with the ladies in mind, the Singapore Sling has a pretty pink hue – although today, it’s equally popular among men and women alike!

10) Paris: Death in the Afternoon

This dramatically named cocktail also goes by the name of ‘Hemingway’ or the ‘Hemingway Champagne’. A mixture of absinthe and Champagne, Death in the Afternoon is normally served in a martini glass and while it might seem fairly innocent to look at, believe me, it really lives up to its name!

So, there you have it – my top tipples from all around the world! If you’re looking for further inspiration, take a look at the impressive range of cookbooks available from The Works. At the moment, they have a variety of cocktail recipe books available to suit all budgets – a great place to start planning your at-home cocktail menu!

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Here are some similar posts you might want to take a look at before you head off:

• How to Make Dirty Martini’s Red Dragon Cocktail
• Casual Eats and Cocktails in Bristol, UK
• Classy Cocktails & Flavoursome Food at Mocka Lounge, Cardiff

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