The Cocktail Everyone Was Obsessed With The Year You Were Born
Is it your favorite or your most hated?
1920: Negroni
Arguably one of the most well-known aperitifs, this classic was created by Count Camilo Negroni, who wanted to add extra kick (a.k.a gin) to a traditional Americano cocktail.
1925: Singapore Sling
Following a faux-Polynesian craze of the 1920s, this cocktail inspired by the "exotic East" consists of gin, grenadine, cherry brandy, and sour mix.
1930: Bloody Mary
Back in the day, this half-vodka half-tomato juice concoction was a standard morning pick-me-up. And its purpose still holds up today during weekend brunches everywhere.
1933: French 75
This upgrade to a standard glass of champagne was first invented during World War I, but became insanely popular once Prohibition was repealed in 1933, when everyone wanted to celebrate with a glass of bubbly.
1940: Daiquiri
Wartime rations made most booze hard to come by, bur rum remained plentiful thanks to President Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy, which encouraged trade with Latin America, Cuba and the Caribbean. What we know as a frozen, strawberry-flavored sip today, was a simple—and super popular—lime drink during World War II.
1950: Black Russian
Invented by a bartender in Brussels, this vodka-Kahlua combination was first served to American socialite Perle Mesta, who was serving as the ambassador to Luxembourg at the time.
1955: Vodka Martini
The ease, and subsequent boom, of gin manufacturing led to the rise of the martini during prohibition, but it took on a new identity and garnered immense popularity in the 1950s, when the U.S. began importing vodka from Russia.
1960: Whiskey Sour
Mid-century bars were totally ruled by whiskey. The Old Fashioned and Manhattan were top choices, but whiskey sours were the ultimate party drink—especially because sour mix was such a staple at the time.
1963: Tom Collins
Created by bartenders as a mockery of a man who'd been besmirching the names of hundreds of New Yorkers, this sweet-and-sour gin drink became a go-to thirst-quencher.
1967: Mai Tai
Soon after a tiki craze took over California, this fruity blend of aged rum, curacao, orgeat, and lime juice helped transport Americans to a far away island.
1970: Harvey Wallbanger
In an era dominated by clear spirits like vodka, an Italian liqueur called Galliano made its stateside debut in this orange juice drink.
1973: Tequila Sunrise
Apparently the Rolling Stones drank so many of these babies that Mick Jagger joked their 1972 tour was called "the cocaine and Tequila Sunrise tour." After that, it became so wildly popular that The Eagles wrote a song dedicated to the drink.
1980: Pi?a Colada
The more cocktail culture became mainstream, the more it was influenced by pop culture. So it only makes sense that the 1980s show Miami Vice and the song "Do You Like Pi?a Coladas?" skyrocketed the Pi?a Colada to enormous heights.
1983: Margarita
Sugary mixers totally took over the '80s, and margs were easy to whip up with bottled mixes and a cheap shot of tequila. Its popularity also sparked an overall resurgence in Mexican cocktails during this decade.
1986: Wine Cooler
Wine coolers, also known as spritzers, were a No. 1 with drinkers in the late 1980s—especially after bottled versions made their way to grocery stores and celebs like Bruce Willis plugged Seagrams.
1990: Boozy Milkshakes
No wonder '90s babies still have an affinity for nostalgia. This decade was all about Gen X childhood throwbacks in pop culture and food, of course, was no exception. In 1990, boozy milkshake emerged, teaming spirits like Kahlua, Crème de Cacao, and bourbon with fan-favorite scoops.
1992: Long Island Iced Tea
Loaded with liquor, the Long Island was named for the New York region it was concocted in—way back in 1976. But it didn't enter its prime until the 1990s, when people decided to throw back fun, tasty drinks that packed a serious punch.
1994: Bellini
While this refreshing wine cocktail was originally created in the 1940s, its popularity soared with the rise of brunch culture. Bright peach puree and bubbly Prosecco make for a perfectly pink drink to pair with any morning meal.
1996: Cable Car
This variant on a traditional 1920s Side Car was thought-up in 1996 by legendary mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim and contains only three ingredients:
spiced rum, orange cura?ao and homemade lemon sour. It became insanely hot once he introduced it to the crowds in Las Vegas.
1998: White Russian
This blend of Kahlua, vodka, and cream has been around for more than 50 years, but it was plagued with the reputation of "girly dessert drink." (Yeah, we're rolling our eyes, too.) But when the 1998 Cohen Brothers film The Big Lebowski hit theaters, the cocktail and the movie both became cult classics.
1999: Cosmopolitan
It comes as no surprise that the fame of this drink is entirely thanks to Sex and the City, which debuted in 1998. As the go-to sip for Carrie Bradshaw and her girl gang, it became an instant hit at bars across the country.
2000: Vodka Red Bull
Back before anyone knew about the sketchy effects of this mixture—aka the early 2000s, this was the most genius concoction to fuel a night out on the town.
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