Foodies like to eat their way through a city.
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Drinkers like me prefer to drink their way through one. (I’m not an alcoholic.)
And I’m not alone. The United States has a long and storied history with booze. Over the years, we’ve innovated new ways to distill and blend alcohols, from Kentucky’s bourbon to white corn vodka to new bastardizations like RumChata.
Along with our penchant for crafting new liquors, American bars and lounges have also left their stamp on the mixology world, crafting some of our most delicious and original cocktails.
Some of these delicious drinks have their origin in the speakeasies of the last century. Others are modern twists on classic cocktails.
Think you can name a few of the most classic American cocktails? Let’s find out. (Hint: you should be thinking about New Orleans.)
Sazerac
From: New Orleans, 1850
Ingredients: cognac (originally Sazerac de Forge et Fils brandy), absinthe, one sugar cube, two dashes of bitters
History: The sazerac got its name from the brand of cognac originally used for this after-dinner drink. However, it can be made with rye whiskey—a callback to a brandy shortage that meant locals in Nola had to switch things up back in the 1870s.
Today, it’s one of the most iconic drinks in the city and has its own museum.
Old-Fashioned
From: New York, early 1900s
Ingredients: Whiskey, orange zest/slice, cocktail cherry
History: The old-fashioned’s first official shout-out comes from an American tax attorney in the 1880s… who moonlighted as a mixologist. (I guess the IRS has always been stressful.)
The cocktail’s name comes from its simple concoction, which was a callback to the ‘old fashioned way’ people once drank whiskey.
Whiskey Sour
From: Wisconsin, 1870
Ingredients: Whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup (sometimes includes egg white)
History: The first official mention of the whiskey sour comes from a Wisconsin newspaper—but its origins are likely a bit older. Some sources say this cocktail’s recipe is descended from the New York Sour (garnished with red wine) and the Boston Sour (made with egg white).
Over time, the drink moved outside of New England and evolved.
Mai Tai
From: Oakland, California, 1930s
Ingredients: Jamaican rum, Martinique rum, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, lime juice, simple syrup
History: Americans started drinking rum in greater quantities in the early 1900s. This led to dozens of new drinks—many sweet and boozy.
The Mai Tai recipe traces its origins back to two bars in Oakland, which were vying for ownership of this delicious cocktail. The colorful drink finally took off when it was added to high-profile cocktail menus in Hawaii in the 1950s.
Long Island Iced Tea
From: Long Island, 1970s or Tennessee, 1930s
Ingredients: Tequila, vodka, white rum, Cointreau, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, cola
History: This is a controversial drink for a few reasons. First, its origin. Some claim that the first Long Island iced tea was first mixed during the Prohibition era. This would have been in a region of Tennessee informally known as Long Island.
Other sources say a man named Robert Butt was working for a bar in Long Island, New York. After a long night, he invented this monstrous drink.
Wondering how this drink got its name? Apparently, it’s just based on looks. This cocktail slightly resembles a glass of iced tea when freshly poured.
