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There are so many great cocktails around it's hard to think which ones to list, so I am going to look at cocktails through the ages and see which ones have endured.

The daiquiri was invented in 1905 and is still going strong today. There are so many variations including the refreshing frozen daiquiri's. The original is what started things off though.

Daiquiri

4 parts light rum
1 parts fresh lime juice
tsp sugar syrup

Combine all of the ingredients plus ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a martini glass to serve.

Sometime between 1910 and 1915 the Singapore Sling was invented. This cocktail has found its way into popular culture being mentioned in several television series and films. It is still served at Raffles Hotel where it was invented and has spawned an industry there.

Singapore Sling

30ml Gin,
15ml Cherry Brandy
120ml Pineapple Juice
15ml Lime Juice
7.5ml Cointreau
7.5ml Dom Benedictine
10ml Grenadine
A dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a slice of Pineapple & a Cherry.

Combine all the ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake until well blended, then strain into a highball glass, garnishing with a slice of Pineapple and a Cherry.
During the 1920s the Bloody Mary was popular with the Flappers of the day, and is still regularly ordered.

Bloody Mary

4 parts vodka
12 parts tomato juice
tsp lemon juice
tsp Worcester sauce
tsp horseradish
Tabasco sauce to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake gently. Strain into a highball glass and garnish with a lime wedge to serve.

Harvey Wallbanger was invented during the 1950s and is another that has endured the test of time.

Harvey Wallbanger

4 parts vodka
2 parts Galliano
10 parts orange juice

Pour vodka and orange juice over ice cubes in a Collins glass and stir. Float the Galliano on top and serve.

During the 1950s the vodka martini was also introduced, this has spawned a number of different drinks such as the Appletini, Black Martini and the Chocolate Martini to name a few. It is definitely deserving of a place as a great cocktail.

Vodka Martini

6 parts vodka
tsp dry vermouth
cocktail olive

Combine vodka and vermouth in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an olive to serve.

The 1960s saw the rise of the tiki bar which evokes images of the Blue Hawaiian (even though this cocktail was invented in 1957).

Blue Hawaiian

4 parts light rum
4 parts blue curacao
4 parts cream of coconut
8 parts pineapple juice

Combine all the ingredients in a blender with some cracked ice and blend for about ten seconds. Pour into a highball glass and garnish with cherry and a pineapple spear to serve.

You could not live through the 1980s without hearing about Sex on the Beach, it was the ultimate 1980s cocktail and is still served at 80s parties around the globe.

Sex on the Beach

4 parts vodka
3 parts peach schnapps
6 parts cranberry juice
6 parts pineapple juice

Pour all of the ingredients into a highball glass filled with ice cubes and stir well. Garnish with a cherry to serve.

At the close of the last millennium one of the more popular cocktails was the cosmopolitan. This was invented in the 1980s but gained notoriety in the 1990s thanks in part to the television series Sex and the City. This refreshing cocktail also deserves a mention under great cocktails.

Cosmopolitan

4 parts vodka
2 parts triple sec
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part fresh lime juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Martini glass to serve.

There we have it eight truly great cocktails that have stood the test of time.

Learn more about this author, Louanne Cox.
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