Tuesday, May 13 2025, is the day to celebrate all things cocktail.
World Cocktail Day is a global celebration that marks the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail on May 13, 1806.
On that day, New York tabloid newsletter The Balance and Columbian Repository defined a cocktail as “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters”.
It was written by editor Harry Croswell in response to a reader’s inquiry asking what a cocktail was.
Croswell also referred to the style of drink as being “an excellent electioneering potion”, as anyone who swallows it “is ready to swallow anything else”.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word used to mean “a horse with a docked tail which sticks up” in 1750.
However, the term ‘cocktail’ is now defined in the dictionary as: ‘any alcoholic drink made by mixing a spirit or spirits with other ingredients such as a liqueur, fruit juice, etc’.
Drinks International lists the top five bestselling classic cocktails at the world’s best bars as…
Negroni (1): “Unapologetically bold, but with depth and complexity, it’s an undisputed classic, and easy to reproduce too, with its equal-parts combination of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari.”
Old Fashioned (2): “The uncomplicated beverages made to that earliest cocktail specification of spirit, sugar, water and bitters were starting to include such garish ingredients as maraschino liqueur or, heaven forbid, absinthe. As if in protest, these cocktail conservatives demanded their drinks be made the old-fashioned way, and the practice has continued.”
Margarita (3): “At its heart, this is a beautifully simple classic, much like the pre-Prohibition drink that likely inspired it, the Daisy, a combination of spirit, lime juice and orange liqueur or grenadine.”
Espresso Martini (4): “Deceptively simple classic that’s also become an excellent template for countless variations.”
Daiquiri (5): “When done right, there’s nothing quite like this seemingly-simple combination of rum, lime and sugar.”
How can the on-premise highlight World Cocktail Day?
- Craft a selection of special limited edition cocktails – think bold flavours, creative garnishes, or a modern twist on classics. Name them after historical cocktail moments or famous bartenders for an extra nod to the day’s origins.
- Extend happy hour just for World Cocktail Day. Include two-for-one deals, combo snacks, or a bartender’s choice surprise drink.
- Offer a free bar snack with every cocktail ordered. Easy, inexpensive, and keeps customers happy!
Make me: The Velvet Daiquiri
Rich, smooth, subtly sweet with a bright citrus finish.
Ingredients:
45 ml aged rum
20 ml fresh lime juice
15 ml vanilla bean syrup (or classic simple syrup with a dash of vanilla extract)
2 dashes orange bitters
Ice
Lime wheel, to garnish
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously until well chilled.
Fine strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass.
Garnish with lime wheel for a clean, elegant finish.
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