Modern Classic Cocktails

From Chanticleer Society

The list of Classic Cocktails are those drinks which have been around for countless decades, if not centuries, and are well recognized the world over. Is it necessary however for a recipe to be decades old, with a history that is mostly forgotten, in order for it to be considered a "Classic"?

With new recipes regularly appearing in the repertoire of bartenders around the world, there is room for some of them to be considered a "Modern Classic". It is important to note however that such a designation is not one that can be attributed simply because the drink is currently popular, created by a notable individual, or being promoted in one way or another by somebody. The process of a drink being considered a "Modern Classic" is one that needs to happen organically, and over time.

The Rules

For a drink to be considered a "Classic", it should have the following attributes:

  1. It needs to be delicious
  2. It needs to be a recipe that most bartenders know how to make
  3. It needs to be a drink that customers know to order
  4. It needs to be made from ingredients that most bars have on hand

As an example of how NOT to do a Modern Classic list, you can check out Liquor.com's list of cocktails which they have "tagged" as a Modern Classic. There are currently nearly 29 full pages, which at 50 drinks per page is over 1,400 recipes. While there are some on their list which could/should be considered as "Modern Classics", the vast majority of them should not, by any stretch of the imagination.

Possible Contenders

The following drinks are those that many may point to as deserving as being considered a "Modern Classic":

External Links