10 Retro Cocktails That Definitely Deserve a Comeback
Some things are better left in the past (bolo ties, dial-up Internet and your high school prom photos). Others should never have gone away in the first place. Case in point, these delicious old-fashioned tipples that are totally due for a resurgence. Here’s how to make them at home this weekend.
1.
Sidecar
Invented after WWI and purportedly named after the motorcycle vehicle, this drink made with Cognac, Cointreau, lemon and sugar is a sour, boozy delight.
2.
Gin Rickey
For an ultra-refreshing sip, you can’t beat this gin, lime and soda water combo. No wonder F. Scott Fitzgerald was so fond of it. (Cheers, old sport.)
3.
Old Fashioned
This whisky cocktail may be Don Draper’s drink of choice, but its origins go back way before the Mad Men era—all the way to the 1880s.
4.
The Gimlet
Apparently this gin and lime cocktail came about in the 19th century after a naval doctor recommended sailors drink it to ward off scurvy. To your health!
5.
Amaretto Sour
This '70s classic gets a bad rap, but ditch the sour mix for simple syrup (it’s easy to make) and you’ve got a perfect mix of sweet and tart.
6.
French 75
Word to the wise—this Prohibition-era Champagne cocktail is more dangerous than it looks. (Hey, there’s a reason it’s named after the French 75mm gun.)
7.
Grasshopper
Crème de menthe gives this cocktail its green hue, while crème de cacao and cream make it taste like dessert. A 1920s boozy milkshake? Yes please.
8.
Tom Collins
Retro cocktails don’t come much better than this refreshingly sweet gin drink that dates back to 1876. Who was Tom Collins, you ask? Nobody knows.
9.
White Lady
This dry gin cocktail with Cointreau was first enjoyed in 1930s London, but we think it would make a perfect modern-day signature wedding drink.
10.
Brandy Alexander
When you can’t decide between dessert and a drink, give John Lennon’s favorite concoction of brandy, crème de cacao and cream a try. Yum.
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- Lifestyle editor focusing primarily on family, wellness and travel
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- Studied journalism at the University of Westminster in London, UK
