16th April 2018 by Scarlet
• 7 min read
Best Cocktails from Around the World
When people ask, ‘what do you travel for?’, what’s the first thing that comes into your head? Beaches, wildlife, history? It could be anything really. But you know another answer to add to your list? Cocktails, of course!
Everyone has their classic go-to cocktail on a night out – a bramble, martini, or a strawberry daiquiri (my personal favourite), but what are the classic cocktails like from around the world, and where do they come from? I can tell you this, try these belters!
Pisco Sour – Peru
Ahh, the Pisco sour, the national drink of Peru (and Chile?!), it’s so delish, both countries are after it. It still remains a wee bit hazy to where this cheeky drink originated from, but the first record of one being served was at the Morris’ bar in Lima – back in 1920. The Pisco sour is so loved in Peru, they even have a national holiday dedicated solely to the cocktail! They celebrate on the first Saturday of February every year – throwing parties, festivals and consuming the cocktail in large amounts… When’s the UK going to tag along with this idea?!
Ingredients – 1 egg white, 1 oz lemon juice, 1.5 oz Pisco, 0.75 oz syrup.
Siam Sunray – Thailand
The Siam Sunray, the most recent cocktail to be created on our list (2009), but it is now widely known as the signature cocktail of Thailand. How come this cocktail was made not so long ago, I hear you say? Well interestingly, the drink wasn’t made by your usual bartender – oh no. It was created by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The blend of the sweetness of a coconut, spice of a chilli pepper, and the tang of ginger and lemongrass was created in hope that the cocktail was so good, tourists will keep coming back for more.
Ingredients – 40ml Vodka, 30ml coconut liqueur, 15ml syrup, 1 Thai chilli pepper, 3 ginger slices, 1 lime leaf, 3 lemon-grass, 3 drops of lime juice, soda water.
Mojito – Cuba
This world-famous classic is one of Cuba’s greatest legacies, following on from communism and cigars. Yet (just like most cocktails) no one really knows the exact origin of the Mojito, and it’s still a debate to this day. But it has been known that African slaves in Cuba (in the 19th centuary) played a big part in the creation of the Mojito, alongside another story of Sir Francis Drake in the 1500’s, using ingredients similar to the cocktail, in hope to design a medicine for diseases (works for me!). From the 1500’s to today, the cocktail has had a few stories to share, and is now one of the most popular cocktails.
Ingredients- A handful of fresh mint (the minty-er the better right?!), 1 tsp sugar, 15ml lime juice, 40ml of white rum and soda water.
Jungle Bird – Malaysia
The Jungle Bird was invented in the late 1970’s in Kuala Lumpur. It was made to create a unique yet unusual ‘tiki style‘ cocktail that combines a mix of dark rum, Campari and fruit juices. People have said how crazy the taste is, like eating pancakes covered in maple syrup, drinking a cup of coffee and then tangy taste of pineapple all within a swallow. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t exactly leave my mouth watering for a sip. But it is loved by a lot of people, and you know what the saying is – don’t knock it till you try it.
Ingredients – 45ml dark aged rum, 22ml Campari, 15ml syrup, 45ml pineapple juice, 15ml lime juice.
Caipirinha – Brazil
There’s no argument that the sweet combination of lime, cachaça and sugar is totally refreshing to sip on a hot Brazilian day. The Caipirinha (pronounced kye-purr-reen-yah) is believed to date all the way back to the early 1900’s, where similar ingredients were initially prepared as a medicine to treat the effects of the Spanish flu. Until recently, this cocktail was only drunk in Brazil, due to the main ingredient not being readily available in other countries across the world. Although today, it’s one of the most popular cocktails around.
Ingredients – ½ lime, 2 tsp sugar, 60ml of Cachaça.
Macua – Nicaragua
The national cocktail of Nicaragua, Macua, is made from the simple mix of fresh lime, guava juice and rum. Classic. This fruity drink is named after a native central America parrot, also known in England as the Macaw. The cocktail was first noticed when entering a contest, that was looking for a drink to inspire national identity (back in 2006). The Macua is loved by both locals and tourists alike. Of course, it will help to cool you down in that Nicaraguan summer heat!
Ingredients – 45ml Flor de Cana old rum, 30ml Guava juice, 30ml Orange juice, 15ml Lemon juice, 9ml syrup.
What’s your cocktail of choice? Let us know in the comments!
