The 10 Cocktails Every Beginner Should Learn

Master ten drinks and you can walk into almost any situation — a date, a dinner party, a quiet night in — and make something worth drinking. These are the ten. Learn them roughly in order and you'll pick up every technique that matters along the way.

1. Old Fashioned — spirit, sugar, bitters. The foundation of cocktail-making in three ingredients.
2. Daiquiri — rum, lime, sugar. The perfect sour, and the drink that teaches you balance.
3. Negroni — equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. Stirring 101, and an education in bitterness.
4. Margarita — tequila, lime, orange liqueur. The crowd-pleaser you'll make on repeat.
5. Whiskey Sour — whiskey, lemon, sugar, egg white. Where you learn the silky magic of a dry shake.
6. Manhattan — whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters. The Old Fashioned's sophisticated cousin.
7. Gin & Tonic — proof that two ingredients, done well, beat ten done carelessly.
8. Mojito — rum, lime, sugar, mint, soda. Your introduction to muddling.
9. Espresso Martini — vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso. The modern classic that wakes up any party.
10. Aviation — gin, maraschino, lemon, a touch of violet. Your graduation drink: pretty, precise, and a little obscure.

Notice the pattern: sours (shaken, with citrus) and spirit-forward drinks (stirred, no citrus). Nail those two templates and you can improvise the rest. When you're ready to branch out, tell Cocktail Pantry Search what's on your shelf and we'll show you what else you can pour.