What Is a Cocktail and How Does It Differ From a Mixed Drink?

Asking ten bartenders for their thoughts on what differentiates cocktails and mixed drinks is bound to elicit multiple distinct responses. There are no absolute laws when it comes to cocktail mixology. The majority of bartenders, however, agree that one is much more sophisticated and requires more time and work than the other. 

A cocktail is a carefully crafted beverage that takes more time and effort than a standard mixed drink since it uses more ingredients, usually fresher ones. In simpler terms, it demands a greater amount of effort and time. It is a delicate balance of complexity.

Cocktails can contain various components, from fresh fruit and juice to soft drinks, syrups, and bitters. You can also make cocktails with no alcohol, though this often demands some disclaimer, like calling it a “virgin,” “mock,” or “non-alcoholic” cocktail. However, given the appropriate assortment of ingredients and level of preparation, such beverages meet most bartenders’ description of a cocktail. Conversely, a mixed drink contains alcohol and another ingredient, usually juice or soda. 

So You Think You Can Make a Cocktail?

Like any craft, mixology is always evolving and advancing, with bartenders and amateur cocktail mixologists experimenting with various ingredients to create new cocktail recipes. Here are the recipes for a few classic cocktails that have stood the test of time and are easy to make regardless of the expertise level.

The Classic Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is believed to have been created in the early 1800s, making it one of the oldest whiskey cocktails recorded in contemporary history. Like with many classics, there are bound to be modifications; two examples include the Wisconsin Old Fashioned and the Bonfire Old Fashioned. This classic cocktail blends whiskey (typically bourbon or rye), sugar, and bitters. Despite complex origin myths and historical bartender strutting, the Old Fashioned is still one of the simplest three-ingredient cocktails in the contemporary cocktail repertoire.

Classic Old-Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ounces of rye or bourbon whiskey
• One cube of sugar
• 2 to 3 bitters dashes
• Orange or lemon peel as a decorative element

Directions

• Add a sugar cube to the rocks’ glass. 
• Mix one teaspoon of water with the bitters, adding more if desired. 
• Use the muddler to break up the sugar cube, then crush it until it completely dissolves into a paste-like consistency. 
• After adding the whiskey, stir the mixture for about five seconds. 
• Fill the glass with ice to further chill the drink, then whisk it for another 10–15 seconds.

The Manhattan

The Manhattan is a legendary drink in the realm of traditional cocktails. This strong beverage is a favorite of whiskey fans worldwide because it possesses a robust flavor and a touch of bitterness that provides a sense of harmony. While rye whiskey is traditionally used to make Manhattans due to its spicy flavors, bourbon may also be used. This results in a more flavorful, almost caramel-like Manhattan. Although the Manhattan cocktail has a well-deserved place in the repertoire of classic cocktails, little is known concerning how it came to be. Nonetheless, this robust and tasty drink will always be prominent on the drink menus of reputable bars worldwide. 

How to Make a Classic Manhattan

Ingredients

• Rye whiskey, 2 oz.
• Sweet vermouth, 1 ounce
• 1-2 bitters dashes
• Cherry-brandied garnish

Directions

• Pour ice into a mixing glass. Mix in the sweet vermouth and bitters with the rye.
• Mix thoroughly until the beverage is chilled. Strain it into a coupe glass. Put a cherry on top (optional).
• Replace the sweet vermouth in the Black Manhattan recipe with an Italian amaro, preferably Averna, if you have it on hand. This is a twisted version of the classic cocktail.

The Classic Martini

Does the phrase “Martini, shaken, not stirred” sound familiar? We don’t need more evidence to call the martini a classic cocktail of the finest caliber than those legendary words of the fictitious spy James Bond. It has long been a favorite for several reasons: 

1) Its crisp, refreshing flavor is distinct

2) It gave rise to a timeless glass design

3) Its crystal-clear beauty shouts sophistication. A martini may seem like a simple cocktail, but it has many layers.

Nobody can dispute the martini’s legendary status, especially given its multiple varieties and prominent place in the James Bond films. Here is a simple recipe for the classic gin martini.

How to Make a Classic Gin Martini 

Ingredients

• 2 ½ oz. London dry gin
• ½ oz. dry vermouth
• You can use a green olive or a lemon twist as a garnish.

Directions

• Blend the gin and vermouth in a cocktail shaker full of ice. 
• After giving it a good stir for about 20 to 30 seconds, serve it into a martini glass that has been chilled. 
• Garnish with an olive or lemon twist.  
• Note: Classic martinis are stirred, not shaken.  

The Pimm’s Cup Cocktail

Most sports activities have their trademark cocktail. The Kentucky Derby, for instance, has its mint julep. Black-Eyed Susan is a popular beverage served during the Preakness Stakes. Champagne drinking is a tradition at the Durban Derby in South Africa. If you’re fortunate enough to score tickets at Wimbledon, you’ll almost certainly find yourself downing a few glasses of the alluring Pimm’s Cup. 

This mildly spicy and delightfully tangy drink is worth experiencing this summer, whether or not you are a tennis fan or plan to watch the tournament on television. Here is a look at all you need to know about this drink and how to properly make a Pimm’s Cup.

Recipe for a Pimm’s Cup Cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 oz. of Pimm’s No. 1
• Four oz. of traditional English lemonade/lemon-lime soda
• For decoration, a mint leaf, a slice of cucumber, a slice of cherry, and a slice of apple.

Directions

• Put ice in a large glass that has been previously chilled. 
• Add Pimm’s and lemonade or lemon-lime seltzer to the glass. 
• Gently stir, then garnish with a sprig of mint, a slice of cucumber, a slice of strawberry, and a slice of apple.

The Classic Mojito

There’s nothing quite like a mojito to lighten the mood. There may be no other drink that customers love to order as much as this one, yet bartenders despise preparing it. It’s a wonderful, well-balanced, and refreshing beverage. It takes a long time, makes a huge mess, and is tedious because of all the crushing and mixing. If you serve mojitos often enough, your bar sink will eventually become clogged with mint, and bits of mint will make their way into the next cocktails you prepare. It’s a surefire bet that the next few consumers that see the mojito will all want to purchase one, too. Mojitos may seem complicated, but they’re fairly simple to create. Here’s how to prepare a proper, easy, and energizing mojito. When muddling the ingredients, be careful not to rip the mint into bits, and prioritize the lime over the sugar.

Recipe for a Mojito

Ingredients

• 2 oz. White rum 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 6–8 generously sized mint sprigs
• Top with soda water
• Mint leaf (for decoration)

Directions

• Add the first three ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 
• After aggressively shaking for ten seconds to ensure the ingredients are properly chilled, pour the mixture into a highball glass. 
• To extract the oils from mint, gather some in the palm of one hand and slap it roughly with the other. Put some mint in the glass.
• Top the glass with crushed ice. In the absence of crushed ice, mix ice cubes briefly or utilize any remaining cracked ice from the cocktail shaker. 
• Fill the glass, leaving the ice at the bottom. Add a huge sprig of mint as a garnish and top with soda water.

New Dynamics in Cocktail Mixology

As the art of cocktail making evolves, so do the dynamics and demands of the consumers. These days, bartenders are experimenting with cannabidiol (CBD) infused cocktails to improve the quality of their beverages. CBD-infused cocktails are a great option for relaxation for those who want to unwind and let go of the day’s stress. They are also a great option for releasing tension in high-stress events like office parties since one of the main effects of CBD is anxiety alleviation. However, before you take a sip of a CBD-infused cocktail, it is important to understand how these new game changers affect your body and how alcohol metabolizes in your body. Since CBD is known to accelerate the intoxicating effects of alcohol, you could test your body’s cannabis tolerance by taking a few puffs of high-quality full spectrum CBD vape juice and exploring how your system takes up the substance.

The author of this article is Tia Moskalenko, a great fan of cocktails and a CBD enthusiast. Tia works as a blog contributor at AskGrowers, educating the public about the health benefits and properties of CBD and sharing her creative ideas for incorporating CBD into everyone’s daily routines.