Home Food & Wine Top Ten Mixed Drinks For 2018

Top Ten Mixed Drinks For 2018

Lemon-Rosemary Punch Cocktail
Image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay

We are very happy to see the rise in quality craft cocktails all over the world in the past couple years. However, as much as it’s been a boom, we feel that it’s not over yet. In fact, we feel like 2018 is going to be an even stronger year for cocktails. Actually, we believe that despite the fact that craft beer is a thing and will continue to grow strongly, craft cocktails will grow even stronger.

But, as always, some cocktails will fall out a bit, while others pick up in popularity, for whatever reason. We want to bring to your attention some new concoctions, along with some old favorites, and maybe a few old favorites with some new twists. We feel like these cocktails are not only going to have a great 2018, but a great future in general.

Of course, this is by no means a complete list, but you can look at it as being a list of some highlights, of what we consider to be key elements of drinking cocktails in 2018. We truly hope this will be a year of positivity for all of us in an increasingly complex and divisive world. Much love to all of you as we present the list of the top 10 mixed drinks for the coming year:

Rum And Ginger:

Back in the days, it was always Rye and Ginger, but really, people were missing the mark with this one. Rum combined with ginger is one of those near-perfect marriages of flavors, like pork and apples. Don’t miss out on this one; it will become a new favorite for sure!

Moscow Mule:

This one is making a strong comeback. Interestingly enough, vodka was reportedly not very popular in the United States of America until this cocktail became popular. We even posted an article on the best ginger beer for a Moscow Mule.

Whisky Sour:

This is another classic that can’t be missed this holiday season. And please don’t be fooled by all the hype; you DO need a decent whisky to make whisky sours. Not any old swill will do. For more variety and interesting combinations check out some of these possibilities for whisky to take the sour to a new dimension of flavor.

Vodka Collins:

This is a great drink for all of those of you out there who live in hotter climates. As a matter of fact, this is a great drink for all those spots on Collins Ave. in Miami Beach as the season kicks in. Very refreshing. Check out some great types of vodkas for mixing.

Old-Fashioned:

I’m going to come right out and just say it: this is one of the most difficult drinks to make. However, if you can find the right spot with the right mixologist who knows how to do it up the right way, you’ve got yourself a winner here. We are all hoping this one comes in extra strong for the new year, because it truly is a cultural treasure, and once again, done right, this one can’t be beat. Once you’ve found someone who can do this for you properly (or if you learn yourself) you will be going back for more and more.

Gin Cum Treau:

G&T’s are fine, but we feel that they have had their little arc, and our gin-based cocktail for 2018 is going to be this one. It’s a dream for you citrus lovers out there, and the subtle blend of all the complimentary citrus flavours with the gin and the cointreau all adds up to something truly special for the palate.

Lychee Martini:

Martinis never really truly go out of style do they? But this particular variation is a huge hit lately, and we can see why. The lychee brings just the right degree of sweetness to this classic, accenting without overwhelming.

The Door Hinge:

This is a cocktail made with kombucha among other things and a possible house favorite. In fact we included the recipe here in our 2018 gift guide! Don’t miss out on this incredible explosion of flavors. This is a very complex cocktail and a novel one, so it would be a great idea to learn how to make it on your own and impress the daylights out of people at parties.

Zombie:

This one was hugely popular among young people back in the ‘80s and is making a well-deserved comeback. It’s very much on the sweet side and our definite choice for people who don’t like a very strong taste in their cocktails. Be careful, though, because it’s easy to overdo it with these cocktails, especially since they are so delicious!

Singapore Sling:

Who says that Singapore never invented anything? People often forget about this one, but it’s an important part of the arsenal of any mixologist worth his or her salt. This drink is very similar to the Zombie, listed above, but more adapted for Singapore’s warm and humid climate. It has that extra refreshing taste from the judicious use of citrus elements in the recipe.

Long Island Iced Tea:

This one is a perennial favorite, and is popular with all walks of life, and has been for some time. This little number will probably still be making top ten cocktail lists 20 or even 50 years down the road. Definitely this one has the honor of being last but not least on our little list.

Caution is also very strongly advised when drinking this particular cocktail, for the same reason as it is advised with the zombie. It packs a serious punch for something that frankly encourages fast guzzling as opposed to sipping. Please drink this one responsibly and save yourself a universe of regret the next morning!

To conclude, we hope you have as much time working through this list as we have had putting it together. And as always, comments and suggestions are more than welcome below, especially if you feel we have missed something. We’d love to hear from you, especially if it’s a new recipe.