How’s Your Drink: Classic Cocktails are Hot

What’s all the buzz about cocktails these days? If you are one of those people who asks, “What buzz?” you might want to put down your hefty Cali Cab or the latest infused vodka for just a moment and read on.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a great cab from time to time. Sure, a pear, mango, or black cherry “martini” sounds appealing in the right setting. But I’ve observed too many times that people get into the habit of ordering the same drink, time after time. Your cocktail of choice defaults to the same thing you drank last time you went out. And the time before that. Do you order the same entrée everywhere you go?

There’s a universe of classic cocktails out there, waiting for you to discover. And not one of them includes Red Bull or a stick of Rock Candy to my knowledge.

Classic cocktails like the Blood and Sand, Negroni, and Sidecar are classic because they’re perfect—perfect because everything about them is in balance, which is the hallmark of a great drink.

So what, exactly, is a cocktail? The word “cocktail” dates to 1803, the first time it was used in print. An 1806 definition said a cocktail was simply a combination of spirit, bitters, sugar and water. Times have changed and so has the meaning of the word. If you are drinking anything other than pure spirit than it is safe to say that you are enjoying a cocktail. If all the flavors are in balance—sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and alcohol–then it’s a perfect cocktail

What makes a cocktail a “classic” is the test of time, a great story, and perfect craftsmanship.

Rick Turner is a Certified Specialist in Spirits  (Society of Wine Educators) and a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers). He writes about cocktails for EscapeHatchDallas. In his spare time, Turner is the general manager of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas.