National Cocktail Day (May 24) is here and it provides imbibers a reason to celebrate with their favorite cocktails or discover new ones. To those in search of a new cocktail to kick off National Cocktail Day the right way, we’ve got some suggestions below.
The whole reason I began the Spirit.Ed column on CASSIUS was to get nerdy and wonky about the history, alchemy, and variety of cocktails. One of my hobbies is studying the cocktail books and recreating classics of old, along with new riffs. I’m now getting into creating a variety of cocktails, although I still have quite a lot to learn about the craft.
My entry for National Cocktail Day will be what I’m calling the Best Of Barbados Old Fashioned. I do not wish to claim I am the sole inventor of this cocktail but I haven’t seen it on any of the several dozen cocktail bar menus of establishments I’ve visited over the past 10 years since I picked up interest in the hobby.
The idea for the Best Of Barbados Old Fashioned was sparked after a recent visit to the island and engaging in both the famed Foursquare Distillery and the Mount Gay Visitor Centre tours, both of which would be the most recognizable of the four distilleries on the island.
The concept is simple. I used 1 oz each of Mount Gay’s Black Barrel and Foursquare’s Doorly’s 12 Year Old rums. I stuck with traditional Angostura bitters but I have made this cocktail with chocolate and orange bitters (one dash each) in times past. Depending on what you want to taste in your drink that day should direct your choice but there is no wrong way to go. I wanted to get super technical and use grapefruit bitters as the fruit is native to Barbados, but I think aged rums need the smokier, heartier bitters to bring out the best notes.
I appreciated the Black Barrel’s charred bourbon cask finish as someone who loves the Old Fashioned when it’s made with American whiskey. The Doorly’s expression is aged for at least six years and then finished in former Oloroso Sherry casks, imparting otherworldly flavor. Both rums clock in at 86 proof, which doesn’t get lost in the ice or mixers during the drink. Check out the recipe below.
The Best Of Barbados Old Fashioned by D.L. Chandler
Source: D.L. Chandler / DLC
Ingredients:
1 Oz Mount Gay Black Barrel
1 Oz Doorly’s 12 Year Old
Bar spoon or 1/4 oz of rich simple or demerara syrup.
2 dashes of Angostura bitters*
*For a different flavor profile, try out different bitters such as orange or chocolate.
Method:
In a rocks glass, build the drink over a large cube, or any good clear ice. Combine all ingredients over the ice and stir until mixed (around 20 seconds). Express the peel of an orange atop the glass and toss it into the drink. Enjoy!
If that drink doesn’t appeal to your tastes, I’m sure we’ve got something below among all the fantastic brands below. Have a safe and happy National Cocktail Day.
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Photo: Lorado / Getty
Spirit.Ed: Check Out Our Latest Roundup For National Cocktail Day 2025 was originally published on cassiuslife.com
1. 50/50 Martini
Source:Getty
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz Still G.I.N.
1.5 oz dry vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
METHOD:
Place your serving glass in the freezer to chill (ideally 10+ minutes before making drink).Add gin, vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass. Fill mixing glass with moderate size/up to 1”x1” cube ice cubes. Stir gently for 30-45 seconds (until very well chilled). Remove serving glass from freezer. Strain into the chilled Nick & Nora glass classic martini glass (4-6 oz. size ideal) using a julep strainer.
2. Bare Bottom Batanga
Source:Pantalones
Ingredients:
1.5 oz of Pantalones Organic Blanco
0.5 oz of Lime Juice
2 tsps of Luxardo Maraschino cherry syrup
4 oz of Mexican Coca-Cola
2 cherries and salt (for garnish)
Instructions:
Wet the rim of your highball glass with lime juice and dip your glass into salt to rim. Add ice. Add cherry syrup, lime juice, and Pantalones Organic Tequila to the glass. Add a pinch of salt for good measure. Fill your glass up with Mexican Coca-Cola and give it a stir with a paring knife. Garnish with cherries.
3. Carrot King
Source:Teremana
1 ½ oz Teremana Reposado
1 oz Fresh Carrot Juice
½ oz Ginger Syrup
2 dashes Hot Sauce
Pinch of Celery Salt
Build in a Collins glass (like a Bloody Maria). Add ice, then mix ingredients by “rolling” back and forth between Collins glass and the larger end of a shaker tin. Garnish with a carrot, celery, etc.
4. Cascade Celebration (George Dickel)
Source:George Dickel
.25 oz. Triple Sec
2 Dashes gentian bitters
2 Dashes aromatic bitters
2.5oz Champagne
Preparation:
Add George Dickel Bottled In Bond, triple sec, and bitters to a mixing glass, add ice and stir for 20 seconds or until well chilled. Strain into a champagne flute, top with 2.5oz champagne. Garnish with an orange twist.
5. Classic Margarita (Cuervo)
Source:WENN
1 oz Orange Liqueur
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Agave Nectar
Glassware: Rocks glass
Garnish: Lime wheel
Rim: Salt
6. Cristalino Clear Old Fashioned
Source:Milagro
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 parts Milagro Cristalino
1⁄2 part Drambuie
1⁄4 part dry vermouth
Grapefruit peel to garnish
Method: Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into martini glass and garnish with grapefruit peel.
7. Disaronno Fizz
Source:Disaronno
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Disaronno
5 oz Soda or sparkling water
Fresh lemon juice
Method: Pour Disaronno over ice, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and top with soda water. Stir and garnish with lemon zest.
8. Flower Fizz (METAXA)
Source:METAXA
Ingredients:
1.7 oz METAXA 5 Stars
0.8 oz Elderflower Liqueur
0.7 oz Lime Juice
2 oz top up Lemonade
Directions:
Pour METAXA 5 Stars, Elderflower Liqueur and lime juice into a wine glass with ice and stir well. Top up with Lemonade and garnish with a lemon wedge and an edible flower.
9. St-Rémy French Alexander
Source:St-Rémy
Ingredients:
1.5 oz St-Rémy Signature
0.7 oz Thick Cream
0.5 oz Cacao Cream
0.25 oz Simple Syrup or 1 tsp Fine Sugar
Directions:
Shake hard with ice, and fine strain into a coupe glass or glass coffee mug. Garnish with nutmeg all over the top.
10. Garden Party
Source:Aviation
1 oz Aviation American Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Marrionberry Syrup
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 barspoon Cynar
Garnish with Mint Sprig
*[Directions were missing in the pitch. We can assume this is a stirred drink over ice and strained into fresh ice based on the photo.]
11. Guavabuena
Source:Espolòn
INGREDIENTS
2 PARTS ESPOLÒN TEQUILA REPOSADO
2 PARTS GUAVA NECTAR
0.75 PART HONEY SYRUP*
0.75 PART LIME JUICE
3 PARTS CLUB SODA
5 FRESH MINT LEAVES
GARNISH: Mint bouquet, lime wheel, and citrus salt**
METHOD: Add all ingredients into a shaker except for the club soda and shake vigorously and quickly. Open the shaker and add club soda – do not shake again. Strain all contents into a highball over fresh ice.
GLASS: Highball
* 1:1 honey to water by volume dissolved
** Sea salt and lemon zest combined to your liking
12. Ginger Mint Lemonade
Source:Diplomatico
Ingredients:
16oz Diplomático Planas
8oz lemon juice
4oz fresh ginger syrup
4oz simple syrup
60-70 mint leaves
Top with soda water
Instructions: Combine all ingredients except for soda water in a large pitcher or container. Pour serve amount into an ice-filled shaker tin, shake until cold, strain into glass until it’s ¾ full and top up with soda water. Garnish with a mint bouquet.
13. Henny-Rita
Source:Hennessy
Method:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake to chill. Strain into glass with ice. Optional: 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
14. Le Fleur
Source:Le Moné
Ingredients & Directions:
3oz Le Moné
Top with Elderflower Tonic; garnish with a rosemary sprig
15. Match Margarita
Source:Cointreau
Ingredients:
2 oz Blanco Tequila
1 oz Cointreau
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 tbsp Matcha Green Tea Powder
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime slice.
16. Oasium Spritz
Source:Hendrick's
1 ½ parts Hendrick’s OASIUM
½ part Aperol
¾ part lime juice
¾ part simple syrup
1 part sparkling wine
1 part club soda
Cucumber ribbon, orange slice and mint sprig for garnish
Method: Build in a wine glass with ice, garnish with cucumber, orange and mint.
17. Pear-fect Spritz (Belle de Brillet)
Source:Belle de Brillet
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Belle de Brillet
2 oz Soda Water
3 oz Dry Prosecco
1 squeeze of a Lemon Wedge
Directions:
In a large wine glass filled with ice cubes, pour the ingredients. Stir and garnish with a lemon wheel.
18. Rosemary Lemon Ginger Fizz
Source:Redemption
2 parts Redemption High Rye Bourbon
¾ part Lemon Juice
6 parts Ginger Beer
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a highball glass with ice. Gently stir. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
19. Summer Blossom by Bartesian
Source:Bartesian
Summer Blossom is the latest cocktail from the great minds at Bartesian. This drink calls for vodka and this warm weather sipper brings out flavors of lemonade, pineapple, and grenadine for a cocktail that would go well during a day on the golf course. This drink is served over the rocks with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry as a garnish. Sign us up! This is a seasonal release in limited quantities so hop on over to Bartesian and grab yourselves some. – D.L.
Learn more here.
20. Spicy Strawberry Rosé Smash
Source:Hampton Rose
INGREDIENTS:
1 750 mL Bottle Hampton Water Rosé
1 Jalapeño, Chopped
1 Cup Strawberries, Chopped
¼ Cup Lime Juice
4 oz Simple Syrup
1 Cup Club Soda
Garnish: Strawberries & Lime
DIRECTIONS:
Add jalapeños and strawberries to a pitcher and gently muddle. Add Hampton Water rosé, lime juice, simple syrup and ice. Stir to combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Top with club soda and stir. Strain into glasses with fresh ice. Garnish with fresh strawberries and lime wheel.
21. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen
Source:Cuervo
Ingredients:
2 oz Devil’s Reserve™
2 oz Strawberry Juice
0.5 oz Chamoy
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish: Dehydrated Strawberry Slice on a Pick
Method: Shaken
Instructions:
Measure and add Devil’s Reserve™, strawberry juice, fresh lime juice, and chamoy sauce to a shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain shaken cocktail into the glass and top with fresh ice. Stab dehydrated strawberry slice with a pick and apply to the glass. Take a sip and make a deal with the devil.
This cocktail is part of a collaboration drinks kit via Cuervo and Marvel’s new Daredevil: Born Again series. Learn more here.
22. The French Mule
Source:Remy Martin
Ingredients:
2 oz Rémy Martin VSOP
0.5 oz Lime Juice
4 oz Ginger Beer
Lime Wheel
Directions:
Pour 2 oz of Rémy Martin VSOP and 1/2 oz of lime juice into a copper mug. Add ice cubes and 4 oz of ginger beer. Stir to combine. To garnish, drop a lime wedge into the mug.
23. The Leclerc Spritz
Source:Chivas Regal
*This drink was made in collaboration with F1 star Charles Leclerc (pictured)
30ml Chivas Regal 18 Year Old
30ml Elderflower Cordial
20ml Lime Juice
60ml Champagne
Glass: Stemmed Glass
Garnish: Mint Sprig
[The pitch didn’t feature instructions but we can assume all ingredients SAVE FOR the champagne can be shaken with ice in a cocktail mixer and strained into a tall glass then topped with the bubbly and garnish.]
24. Twisted Old Fashioned (Mount Gay)
Source:Mount Gay
Ingredients:
2 oz XO
.25 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
How to Make:
Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain over big cube into rocks glass. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.
