42 Cocktail Types

Let's explore the history of mixed drinks, from ancient Greece to the modern era. We'll break down the definition of a cocktail and then dive deep into a comprehensive classification of 42 different cocktail types, grouped into 10 main categories. Collins, Sour, Highball, Martini, Aperitif, Tiki and many more.

Long Drinks

Highball: The simplest form, combining a spirit with a larger portion of a carbonated mixer (e.g., Whiskey & Soda, Gin & Tonic).
Fizz, Collins, Rickey: A family built on spirit, citrus, sugar, and soda. Fizzes often include egg white for a foamy head (Ramos Gin Fizz), a Collins is a specific recipe served in its namesake glass (Tom Collins), and a Rickey is typically tarter, often omitting sugar (Gin Rickey).
Buck: A drink made with a spirit, lime juice, and ginger ale or ginger beer (e.g., Moscow Mule, also known as a Vodka Buck).
Tea: A surprisingly potent long drink made with multiple spirits, citrus, sugar, and a splash of soda (Long Island Iced Tea).

Sweet-Sour Cocktails

Sour: The quintessential example, combining a spirit, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It's often shaken with egg white for a silky texture (Whiskey Sour).
Daisy: A sour that uses an orange liqueur like Triple Sec or Cointreau as its sweetening agent (Margarita).
Crusta: An old-fashioned style distinguished by its elaborate garnish and a wide, crusted sugar rim on the glass (Brandy Crusta).
Fix: A simple mix of a spirit, lemon juice, and a fruit syrup (like raspberry), served over crushed ice.

Fruity and Tropical Cocktails

Colada: A creamy, sweet drink featuring a spirit with fruit juice, most famously coconut and pineapple (Piña Colada).
Tiki Cocktails: A complex and potent sub-genre created by Don the Beachcomber, involving multiple rums, exotic syrups (like orgeat), spices, and various fruit juices (Mai Tai, Zombie).
Cobbler: A drink built on a base of wine or spirit with sugar and fresh fruit, served over crushed ice and heavily garnished (Bramble).
Shrub: A unique cocktail that incorporates a "shrub"—a sweetened, vinegar-based fruit syrup—for a tangy and complex flavor profile.

Minty Cocktails

Julep: A classic American drink featuring an aged spirit (traditionally bourbon), sugar, and mint, served over crushed ice in a signature metal cup (Mint Julep).
Smash: Similar to a Julep but often includes muddled citrus along with the mint, and is served with regular ice cubes rather than crushed (Gin Basil Smash).
Mojito: Can be considered a close relative, essentially a rum smash or julep lengthened with soda water.

Hot Cocktails

Toddy: A simple and soothing mix of a spirit, hot water, sugar (often honey), and spices like cinnamon or cloves (Scotch Toddy).
Mulled Wine: Wine (usually red) that is gently heated with spices, citrus, and sugar. It's a winter holiday staple known as Glühwein in German-speaking countries.
Posset: An ancient, medieval drink made from hot milk or cream curdled with wine or ale, sweetened and spiced to be eaten like a dessert.

Egg Cocktails

Egg Nog: A classic holiday beverage made with a spirit, milk or cream, sugar, and eggs, often topped with grated nutmeg.
Flip: A historic category of drink made with a spirit or fortified wine, sugar, and a whole egg or egg yolk, served either hot or cold (Absinthe Brandy Flip).

Wine Cocktails

Martini: The iconic cocktail of gin or vodka stirred or shaken with dry vermouth (Dry Martini, Dirty Martini).
Alternatini / Neo-Martini: A modern family of cocktails served in a Martini glass, often vodka-based and featuring bold flavours like coffee, fruit, or citrus (Espresso Martini, Cosmopolitan).
Aperitif / Negroni Family: Drinks built around the combination of vermouth and a bitter liqueur (like Campari), designed to be enjoyed before a meal (Negroni, Americano).
Spritz: A light and bubbly aperitif made with sparkling wine (like Prosecco), a bitter liqueur, and a splash of soda (Aperol Spritz).

Strong Cocktails

Old Fashioned family: The original definition of a cocktail: a spirit seasoned with sugar, bitters, and water (from melted ice). The family includes the Old Fashioned itself, the Sazerac, and the Manhattan.
Scaffa: An old-school style of cocktail consisting of a spirit, liqueur, and bitters, served at room temperature without any ice.
Shot/Shooter: A small-volume cocktail designed to be drunk quickly, often layered for visual effect (B-52).
Pousse Cafe: A type of shooter that is meticulously layered using liqueurs of different densities to create colorful stripes in the glass.

Icy Cocktails

Frappe: Any drink served over a mound of finely crushed or shaved ice (Absinthe Frappe).
Frozen: Any cocktail blended with ice in a high-speed blender until it reaches a smooth, sorbet-like texture (Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri).

Other Historical Types

Punch: One of the oldest styles, originally a large-format drink for sharing, made with a base of five ingredients: spirit, sugar, citrus, water, and spice.
Sling: A simple, historic drink of spirit, citrus, sugar, and water or soda (Singapore Sling).
Cream / Dessert Cocktails: Sweet, rich cocktails often containing cream, cream liqueurs, or other dessert-like ingredients (White Russian, Brandy Alexander).
Mocktails: A modern and important category of non-alcoholic cocktails that mimic the complexity and craft of their alcoholic counterparts (Shirley Temple).