Reinvented Classic Cocktails

By Food & Wine
Updated January 11, 2017
From deliciously light cucumber Cosmopolitans to decadent Manhattan ice cream floats, these brilliant recipes take the classic cocktail to another level.
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The Savoy Daisy

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Erik Lorincz updates the classic Daisy cocktail by using muscovado, an unrefined brown sugar with a very moist texture and a strong molasses flavor.

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Cucumber Cosmopolitan

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This spin on a Cosmopolitan uses Hendrick's, a Scottish gin that's infused with both cucumber and rose petals.

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Carrot Colada

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A Thai curry of carrots with coconut milk gave Todd Thrasher the idea for this drink.

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Sazerac Reborn

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Mango Margarita

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Bartender David Yan coats the rim of the glass with citrusy Tajin-brand chile powder, but any powdered chile will give the drink a fun kick.

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Lychee Gimlet

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Lychee nectar balances the tartness of fresh lime juice in this Asian-Peruvian take on the gimlet.

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The Un-Usual Suspect

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Bartender Kai Braaten offers the Un-Usual Suspect as an alternative to the Negroni, another pleasantly bitter aperitif cocktail. Both drinks use Italian bitters, but Braaten prefers Fernet-Branca's herbal complexity to the Campari in Negronis for this drink.

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Grilled Citrus and Grape Sangria

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This delicious sangria features grilled lemons, oranges and grapes in either red wine or rosé it’s the perfect drink for an outdoor party.

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The Palomaesque Cocktail

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The Paloma is a classic Mexican cocktail made with lime juice, tequila and grapefruit soda. Scott Baird makes his version with smoky mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice and Cocchi Americano, the sweet Italian aperitif wine.

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Manhattan Ice Cream Float

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Gabriel Frasca makes his own bourbon ice cream and cherry syrup for this clever riff on a Manhattan. For his superquick version, he blends vanilla ice cream with bourbon and uses a high-quality black cherry soda like Stewart’s or IBC.

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Champagne Mojitos

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This puckery drink is prepared with rum and fresh mint like a classic mojito, but New Orleans chef John Besh makes it holiday-worthy by topping it with a splash of Champagne.

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XXX Martini

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Even Duggan McDonnell's wackiest drinks—like his vodka martini that's spiked with a generous shot of black squid ink—have the sublime balance of a classic cocktail.

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