The 30 best-selling cocktails in the world in 2018
30. Gimlet. Down 14 places since last year, this drink is essentially gin and juice — a 75/25 gin-to-lime-cordial ratio is what's most common.
29. Champagne Cocktail. There are variations of this drink, but they all aim to make fizz even more fancy. To make it, cover a sugar cube with bitters then pour Champagne over that.
28. French 75. Up two places since last year, this cocktail — made popular in Paris in the 20s — is made with London dry gin, lemon juice, sugar, and Champagne.
27. Aviation. This cocktail is gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice. It's a top seller in around 11% of the bars polled.
26. Cosmopolitan. Despite being in the top 10 at 13% of bars polled, you might struggle to find it on a menu, so know the ingredients — vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
25. Tom Collins. Whichever spirit you choose to use, the lemon is crucial to this drink, typically made with gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water.
24. Sidecar. The highest-ranking brandy-only drink on the list, the Sidecar is made with brandy, trip sec, and lemon, and can be sweetened to taste.
23. Blood & Sand. First made in 1922, the sweet drink has made it back into the top tier after two years out. It's made with scotch, cherry brandy (the blood), sweet vermouth, and orange juice (the sand).
22. Amaretto Sour. Up 19 places since last year, it's made with amaretto, lemon juice, simply syrup, a dash of egg white, a dash of Angostura bitters, and lemon zest.
21. Vodka Martini. One for the true vodka lovers, this is made up of vodka and vermouth only.
20. Dark ’n’ Stormy. The most popular drink in Bermuda along with the Rum Swizzle, the drink is made with ginger beer, Goslings rum, and lime.
19. Pisco Sour. Down one from 18th last year, the Peruvian cocktail is made up of lemon or lime juice, egg white, pisco (a type of brandy), and simple syrup.
18. Mai Tai. The perfect drink for a tropical vacation, a traditional Mai Tai is made with white rum, fresh lime juice, orange curaçao, dark rum, and orgeat syrup.
17. Vieux Carré. Named after New Orleans' French quarter, this strong Manhattan-style cocktail is made of brandy, American whiskey, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, Angostura, and Peychauds.
16. Gin Fizz. With gin, lime or lemon, sugar, soda, and optional egg, this drink is a classic in 17% of the world's best bars.
15. Penicillin. The first scotch cocktail on the list, the Penicillin uses blended scotch, lemon juice, honey-ginger syrup, and Islay scotch, garnished with candied ginger.
14. Bloody Mary. This hangover-friendly drink is among the top 10 best-selling cocktails in more than a quarter of bars polled. One bar's popular version uses Ketel One vodka, fresh tomato juice, a homemade spice mix, fresh lemon juice, and celery.
13. Sazerac. While purists use cognac, it's often replaced by — or added to— whiskey, includes a sugar cube and Peychaud's bitters, and is always rimmed with absinthe.
12. Boulevardier. Take the gin out of a negroni and replace with American whiskey and you have a boulevardier. One popular recipe uses bourbon, Cocchi sweet vermouth, Campari, and a cherry to garnish.
11. Aperol Spritz. It's simply prosecco, Aperol, and soda, but it's the perfect refreshing Italian drink, nearly hitting the top 10 this year.
10. Mojito. Bacardi and Havana Club were the main rum choices for this classic, combined with mint, soda water, fresh lime juice, and sugar.
9. Espresso Martini. The after-dinner favourite is rising up the charts, made with vodka, freshly brewed espresso, coffee liqueur, and ice.
8. Moscow Mule. A less adventurous cocktail made with vodka, lime, ginger, and soda, the copper mugs are almost as popular as the drink.
7. Manhattan. A simple classic, best made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, two dashes of Angosturra, and ice, garnished with brandied cherries.
6. Margarita. While the frozen version is a popular holiday go-to, the classic recipe is made with tequila, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup.
5. Daiquiri. The most-ordered rum drink in the world in 2018, it's mostly made with lime juice, white rum, and sugar syrup, shaken and served.
4. Dry Martini. The more popular martini, which gained two places this year, is made with gin instead of vodka.
3. Whiskey Sour. Up in the ranks from number 5 last year, the Whiskey Sour was in the top 10 at nearly 60% of the bars polled. It's make with bourbon, lemon juice, a teaspoon of sugar, and an optional egg white.
2. Negroni. Four years in a row as the runner-up, the Negroni is now a firm favourite. It's made with a third, a third, and a third of Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin.
1. Old Fashioned. The best-selling cocktail for the fourth year in a row, this is the number one drink in nearly 30% of the world's best bars. One good recipe: one sugar cube wetted with three dashes of Angostura bitters and a little soda, crushed, stirred with a large ice cube and two ounces of rye.
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