Classic Cocktail Recipes: Mojito, Negroni & More

The oldest cocktail on this list and arguably the most important one to get right. The Old Fashioned is three ingredients and a lot of technique, and the people who drink it will absolutely notice if you cut corners.

How to make an Old Fashioned cocktail

The Mojito is the cocktail that looks easy-peasy and tastes like a holiday. It is also the cocktail that exposes every shortcut: bottled lime juice, wilted mint, not enough sugar, too much sugar... Knowing how to make a Mojito properly is one of those skills that pays off every single time. The secret is in the muddling. Gentle enough to release the mint oils, firm enough to mean it.

Bacardi White Rum is the one to reach for here. Smooth and clean enough to let the lime and mint do their thing without getting in the way.

Yes, Sex and the City made it famous. No, that doesn't make it any less of a proper classic cocktail. The Cosmo is sharp, citrusy, and deceptively strong, and when it's made well, it's genuinely one of the most popular cocktails of all time.

Absolut Vodka is the backbone here. Crafted in Sweden, from winter wheat with a clean, supple character and subtle notes of fresh grain, it's neutral enough to let the cranberry and citrus shine in all their glory.

The Negroni is the cocktail for people who are serious about cocktails. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice, served over a single large cube with an orange peel. It is bitter, it is beautiful, and it is one of those drinks that you either love immediately or come around to after the third one. Either way, you come around.

How to make a Negroni

The most debated classic cocktail in history. Shaken or stirred? Gin or vodka? How dry is dry? How you make a Martini is something everyone has an opinion on, and nobody is entirely wrong. What I will say is this: the quality of the spirit is everything, and the Dry Martini has nowhere to hide.

The Gardener Gin is the spirit of choice here. A beautifully crafted London Dry with a botanical profile that does all the talking, it makes for a Dry Martini that is elegant, aromatic, and worth every second of the stir. This is the classic version, and it is the right version.