Five Cocktail Recipes to Celebrate World Cocktail Day

It’s not like we need a specific day, business trip, or vacation abroad to partake in some delectable beverages. But we are thrilled that World Cocktail Day has arrived, anyway!  It’s time to acknowledge all the different flavors the world has to offer.

May 13 marks the date of the first publication of the definition of a cocktail. So that’s the day each year on which we celebrate our favorite mixed drinks.  The Balance and Columbian Repository was a New York newspaper published between 1801 and 1807. It defines a cocktail as “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.”  These days, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a cocktail as “an iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients.”

Join us on a trip around the world to indulge in some unique cocktails!

Falling Water

Hailing from New Zealand, this quirky, refreshing aperitif will give your taste buds a little zing! 

You will need:

• 1 ½ oz. vodka (celebrate New Zealand by getting some 42 BELOW Feijoa vodka)
• 4 ounces CH’I Sparkling Herbal Mineral Water
• Cucumber slice (Telegraph)

Cut one long slice of cucumber, and rest it inside your glass.  Pour in 1 ½ oz of vodka. Fill the glass with cubed ice. Top with CH’I Sparkling Herbal mineral water and serve with cucumber as garnish.

(If you love herbal or infused water, you should check out our liquor infusers.)

Dr. Funk

Our favorite doctor from Samoa has arrived!  Bitter and sweet, this spritz beverage was created by Dr. Bernhard Funk while he was stationed in the South Pacific.  Ernest Gantt (aka Donn Beach) and Victor Bergeron (aka Trader Vic) put their own spin on the original drink.  They added rum to the original concoction.

• You will need:
• 1 ½ oz. white rum
• 1 tsp. absinthe
• ½ oz. grenadine
• ¾ oz. lime juice (fresh is best!)
• 1 oz. soda water
• Lime wheel or any other fancy garnish you can think of!
• Cocktail umbrella

Add all ingredients except the soda water to a shaker packed with ice. Shake and strain with a Hawthorne strainer into a glass.  Add fresh ice to the glass, top with soda and garnish lavishly. Really…go wild with your garnish! Don’t forget a coaster with this chilled drink!

Seapea Fizz

Vive la France! This seafoam green goodness was created by Frank Meier, a Paris bartender. He wrote the 1934 cocktail recipe book, The Artistry of Mixing Drinks.  Fun fact: One would believe the cocktail was named for its color, but alas, no. It was named for musician and composer Cole Porter.  If his initials are pronounced phonetically, voilà, Seapea!

You will need:

• 1 ½ oz. club soda
• 1 ½ oz. pastis (you can substitute with absinthe or sambuca)
• ¾ oz. lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best!)
• 1 egg white (optional)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake without ice. Add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a fizz glass or coupe. Top with soda water.

Karsk

One of the happiest countries in the world has whipped up one of the most fun drinks! Karsk comes from the beautiful country of Norway. According to Adrienne Stillman, author of cocktail recipe book Spirited, an experienced karsk drinker drops a copper coin to the bottom of the mug. Then, the mug is filled with coffee until the coin disappears. “Then you add alcohol until you can see it again.”  What a “kick” start to your day, huh?!

You will need:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 2 oz. hot coffee
• Sugar, to taste

Pour 2 ounces of hot brewed coffee into a lowball or mug of your choice. Add sugar to taste. Stir. Add 2 ounces of vodka on top.

Slocum Maple Smash

Sip this unique Canadian summer smash! This comes from New Brunswick and is delicious.

You will need:

• 1 ½  oz. moonshine or vodka
• ¾ oz. maple syrup
• 1 oz. lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best)
• 3-5 ice cubes
• Soda water (optional)

For an undiluted version, use a rock glass. If you’re adding soda water, use a tall glass. Pour in the spirit, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Stir until fully incorporated. Cool it down and cut the sweetness with 3-5 ice cubes, depending on the size of your glass. Serve it like a rock's martini or dilute it with soda water. Refreshing!

Need more ideas? Check out these great summer cocktail recipes or these great absinthe recipes. How are you going to celebrate World Cocktail Day?
We hope your palate has enjoyed some of the unique cocktails the world has to offer! What is your favorite and/or unique cocktail for World Cocktail Day? Let us know in the comments!