James Bond’s "shaken, not stirred" reference is synonymous with the history of cocktail shakers. Hav...
Create Your Own Signature Cocktail
Everybody knows the name of their favourite cocktail. Many never give thought to how those special cocktails were created. Those drinks were created by someone at some time and now they are enjoyed by millions who are unknown to the creators of those drinks. The Tom Collins, Martini, Sangria, Sake Bomb and the Long Island Iced Tea are all in the class of rock star cocktails that have become staples at most every bar in the world.
The reality is that anyone can create their own signature cocktail; all they need is creativity and a little time for trial and error.
Here are some things one would be wise to ask themselves before attempting to come up with their own signature cocktail.
What drinks to you like?
For a person who wants to come up with their own signature cocktail, while they want it to be unique, they can still look for inspiration. The best information will come from recalling what drinks they actually enjoy and figuring out why.
Have you chosen a base spirit?
The base spirit is an important selection because it is the driving force behind the rest of the drink. It is important to make sure that anything added to the base spirit is a complementing flavour. There is a reason why orange juice is often seen mixed with champagne rather than cognac.
Is it for a specific event?
If the cocktail is for a themed party, the drink should fit the theme. For example, choosing a base spirit for a cocktail like Russian vodka might not be the best idea for a Mexican fiesta themed party.
What type of glass will you serve it in?
Of course, once you come up with the drink, you need to then figure out what type of glass would be best to present the drink in. Yes, this is one of the cases where presentation means everything. No one will have near as much fun drinking your new blueberry-pear martini out of a beer mug as they would out of chilled martini glass.
Can you be imaginative?
Sure, there are some guidelines that have been presented to help a person come up with a signature cocktail they'll enjoy serving to their friends for years to come; but that doesn't mean one shouldn't stretch their imaginative legs in creating their new cocktail. By all means, try out things that people wouldn't ordinarily think of and who knows, it might turn out to be the best idea.
The key thing to remember when creating a signature cocktail is to let who you are shine through; let the drink somehow be a reflection of you. When they drink it, hopefully, they will learn something new about the creator of the cocktail. Perhaps they will be so inspired by the new combination of flavours that have been introduced to them, they'll want to go home and create a signature cocktail of their own.
Pardon the interruption
Did you know that you can become a member for free, taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. You can save your My Bar ingredients, make tasting notes, have personalised Tried and Want to try lists and more.
More to explore
The Big Apple is famous for its cocktails, regularly battling it out with London to be known asthe p...
The Cosmopolitan, a stylish pink concoction in a martini glass, was the signature cocktail in the 19...
Bartender's top tip
Related posts
The History of the Shirley Temple
In a bid to encourage those that have so far managed to complete two weeks of Dry January, we are taking a look back at the classic mocktail inspired by a child movie star. The Shirley Temple was made... read more
Cocktails Created from the History Books
To get your name in the history books, you must have done something wondrous or terrible. To be remembered, you need to be considered a hero or a villain. But you only know that you have really made i... read more
The History of the Daiquiri
The daiquiri, a cocktail conjured from rum, lime juice and sugar, originated in Cuba where such ingredients are plentiful, and has been a popular libation in the United States and beyond for over a ce... read more
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get tips straight into your inbox.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A pesonalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Olympic Cocktails and More
Discover a host of cocktails inspired by the Paris 2024 Olympics, meet the bartenders behind the cocktails and win yourself some juicy Amazon vouchers.
Our Olympic Cocktail Hub