20th Century
A characterful cocktail built around gin, lillet blanc and creme de cacao blanc, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Lillet Blanc, Creme de cacao blanc, lemon juice. Serve well chilled.
Cocktail collection
21 Unusual Cocktails That Are Actually Incredible cocktails.
21 Unusual Cocktails That Are Actually Incredible is for the drinks that do not always sound like the obvious choice, but end up being the ones people remember. Sometimes it is an ingredient that seems a bit odd, sometimes it is a combination that should not really work on paper, and sometimes it is just a cocktail with a slightly strange reputation. Then you try it properly and realise there is a reason it has lasted. That is what this collection leans into: drinks that surprise people, change minds, and make ordering the usual feel a bit boring.
What makes these cocktails so enjoyable is that they are not unusual for the sake of it. The best ones still have balance, character, and a reason for every ingredient being there. Some bring bitterness, herbs, spice, or savoury notes in a way that catches people off guard at first. Others sound over the top, slightly old-fashioned, or a bit too much, right up until the first sip pulls everything together. That mix of curiosity and payoff is what makes a collection like this work. These are the kinds of drinks that get people talking, whether it is because of what is in them, how they taste, or how different they are from the safer choices most people stick to.
If you like the idea of trying cocktails with a bit more personality, this is a very good place to start. These are drinks for people who want something more interesting than the usual favourites, or for anyone who has ever looked at a menu and thought the strangest option might actually be the best one. Some will be bold, some more refined, and some will completely win over people who were doubtful from the start. That is half the fun.
What makes these cocktails so enjoyable is that they are not unusual for the sake of it. The best ones still have balance, character, and a reason for every ingredient being there. Some bring bitterness, herbs, spice, or savoury notes in a way that catches people off guard at first. Others sound over the top, slightly old-fashioned, or a bit too much, right up until the first sip pulls everything together. That mix of curiosity and payoff is what makes a collection like this work. These are the kinds of drinks that get people talking, whether it is because of what is in them, how they taste, or how different they are from the safer choices most people stick to.
If you like the idea of trying cocktails with a bit more personality, this is a very good place to start. These are drinks for people who want something more interesting than the usual favourites, or for anyone who has ever looked at a menu and thought the strangest option might actually be the best one. Some will be bold, some more refined, and some will completely win over people who were doubtful from the start. That is half the fun.
Recipes in this collection
21 Unusual Cocktails That Are Actually Incredible recipes
Browse every active cocktail currently linked to this collection.
Alaska
A crisp gin-based cocktail with a touch of herbal Yellow Chartreuse.
Ingredients: Gin, Yellow Chartreuse, Orange Bitters.
Angel Face
A characterful cocktail built around gin, apricot brandy and apple brandy, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Apricot brandy, Apple brandy. Serve well chilled.
Bijou
A jewel-toned mix of gin, vermouth, and Green Chartreuse.
Ingredients: Gin, Sweet Vermouth, Green Chartreuse, Orange Bitters.
Black Sesame Sour
A characterful cocktail built around vodka, black sesame syrup and lemon, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Vodka, Black sesame syrup, lemon, Honey syrup. Serve well chilled.
Blueberry Basil Bramble
A characterful cocktail built around gin, blueberry syrup and lime, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Blueberry syrup, lime, Basil syrup. Serve well chilled.
Bobby Burns
Bobby Burns is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Scotch Whisky, Sweet Vermouth and Benedictine giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Scotch Whisky, Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is dry-edged, herbal and quietly complex, with Rye Whiskey, Dry Vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur and Amer Picon giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Rye Whiskey, Dry Vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur, Amer Picon.
Brown Butter Old Fashioned
A rich but disciplined Old Fashioned with bourbon, brown-butter cordial, bitters and orange oil.
Ingredients: Bourbon, Brown butter cordial, Angostura bitters, Orange bitters.
Calamansi Cooler
A characterful cocktail built around gin, calamansi syrup and citrus juice, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Calamansi syrup, citrus juice, Mint cordial, Soda water. Serve well chilled.
Casino
Casino is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Lemon Juice and Orange Bitters giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Lemon Juice, Orange Bitters.
Chilli Watermelon Ranch
A lean tequila highball with fresh watermelon, lime, chilli and a long soda-water finish.
Ingredients: Blanco tequila, Fresh watermelon juice, Fresh lime juice, Jalapeño syrup, Soda water.
Clementine Cardamom Sour
A characterful cocktail built around vodka, clementine syrup and lemon, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Vodka, Clementine syrup, lemon, Cardamom syrup. Serve well chilled.
Coconut Ember Negroni
A smoky, coconut-scented Negroni with gin, mezcal, Campari and sweet vermouth.
Ingredients: Gin, Mezcal, Campari, Sweet vermouth, Toasted coconut syrup.
Coconut Pandan Fizz
A characterful cocktail built around gin, coconut syrup and citrus juice, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Coconut syrup, citrus juice, Pandan cordial, Soda water. Serve well chilled.
Corpse Reviver No. 2
A sharp classic aperitif with gin, Cointreau, Lillet, lemon and a whisper of absinthe. Elegant, bracing and beautifully balanced.
Ingredients: Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, Lemon Juice, Absinthe.
Dragon Fruit Mojito
A vivid Mojito with white rum, dragon fruit, fresh lime, mint and soda.
Ingredients: White rum, Dragon fruit juice, Fresh lime juice, Simple syrup, Mint Leaves, Soda water.
El Presidente
El Presidente is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Aged Rum, Dry Vermouth, Orange Curacao and Grenadine giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Aged Rum, Dry Vermouth, Orange Curacao, Grenadine.
Hanky Panky
A sophisticated gin-based cocktail with sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca, served in a chilled coupe glass.
Ingredients: Gin, Sweet Vermouth and Fernet-Branca
Japanese Cocktail
Japanese Cocktail is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Brandy, Orgeat Syrup and Angostura Bitters giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Brandy, Orgeat Syrup, Angostura Bitters.
Jungle Bird
Jungle Bird is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Dark Rum, Campari, Pineapple Juice and Lime Juice giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Dark Rum, Campari, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup.
Last Word
Last Word is zesty, focused and built around a satisfying snap, with Gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino Liqueur and Lime Juice giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Gin, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino Liqueur, Lime Juice.
Lions Tail
Lions Tail is grown-up, bittersweet and beautifully structured, with Bourbon, Allspice Dram, Lime Juice and Simple Syrup giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Bourbon, Allspice Dram, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters.
Lucien Gaudin
A characterful cocktail built around gin, campari and dry vermouth, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Campari, Dry vermouth, Triple sec. Serve well chilled.
Mango Chilli Margarita
A characterful cocktail built around tequila, mango syrup and lemon, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Tequila, Mango syrup, lemon, Chilli syrup. Serve well chilled.
Martinez
A rich and aromatic gin-based cocktail with sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters, served in a coupe glass.
Ingredients: Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters.
Matcha Cloud Sour
A characterful cocktail built around vodka, matcha syrup and lemon, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Vodka, Matcha syrup, lemon, Vanilla syrup. Serve well chilled.
Matcha Mango Colada
A vivid tropical colada with white rum, mango, pineapple, coconut and an earthy ribbon of matcha.
Ingredients: White rum, Pineapple juice, Mango purée, Coconut cream, Fresh lime juice, Matcha syrup.
Mexican Firing Squad
Mexican Firing Squad is bright, tart and clean without feeling thin, with Tequila, Lime Juice, Grenadine and Angostura Bitters giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Tequila, Lime Juice, Grenadine, Angostura Bitters.
Miso Caramel Old Fashioned
A characterful cocktail built around bourbon, miso caramel syrup and bitters, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Bourbon, Miso caramel syrup, bitters, Bitters tincture, Expressed citrus peel. Serve well chilled.
Monkey Gland
A characterful cocktail built around gin, orange juice and grenadine, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Orange juice, Grenadine, Absinthe. Serve well chilled.
Naked and Famous
Naked and Famous is sharp, lively and properly structured, with Mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse and Lime Juice giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, Lime Juice.
Olive Leaf Martini
A characterful cocktail built around gin, olive leaf liqueur and vermouth modifier, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Olive leaf liqueur, Vermouth modifier. Serve well chilled.
Pandan Colada
A characterful cocktail built around rum, pandan juice and coconut syrup, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Rum, Pandan juice, Coconut syrup, lime juice. Serve well chilled.
Pandan Piña Spritz
A light tropical spritz with white rum, pandan, pineapple, lime, prosecco and soda.
Ingredients: White rum, Pandan syrup, Pineapple juice, Fresh lime juice, Prosecco, Soda water.
Paper Plane
Paper Plane is bright, tart and clean without feeling thin, with Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and Lemon Juice giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, Lemon Juice.
Passionfruit Pepper Spritz
A characterful cocktail built around tequila, passion fruit liqueur and pink pepper cordial, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Tequila, Passion fruit liqueur, Pink pepper cordial, sparkling wine. Serve well chilled.
Pink Pepper Paloma
A characterful cocktail built around tequila, pink pepper syrup and citrus juice, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Tequila, Pink pepper syrup, citrus juice, Grapefruit cordial, Grapefruit soda. Serve well chilled.
Pisco Sour
Pisco Sour is sharp, lively and properly structured, with Pisco, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup and Egg White giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Pisco, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Egg White, Bitters.
Remember the Maine
Remember the Maine is aperitif-style, vivid and properly balanced, with Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Cherry Heering and Absinthe giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Cherry Heering, Absinthe.
Roasted Pineapple Old Fashioned
A characterful cocktail built around dark rum, roasted pineapple syrup and bitters, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Dark rum, Roasted pineapple syrup, bitters, Bitters tincture, Expressed citrus peel. Serve well chilled.
Roasted Sesame Whisky Sour
A silky Japanese-whisky sour with toasted sesame, fresh lemon and a restrained nutty sweetness.
Ingredients: Japanese whisky, Fresh lemon juice, Toasted sesame syrup, Egg white, Angostura bitters.
Saffron Citrus Sour
A characterful cocktail built around gin, saffron syrup and lemon, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Saffron syrup, lemon, Mandarin syrup. Serve well chilled.
Salted Honey Spritz
A bright gin spritz with lemon, salted honey, prosecco and soda.
Ingredients: Gin, Fresh lemon juice, Salted honey syrup, Prosecco, Soda water.
Saturn
Saturn is juicy, generous and full of holiday energy, with Gin, Passionfruit Syrup, Lemon Juice and Orgeat giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Gin, Passionfruit Syrup, Lemon Juice, Orgeat, Falernum.
Strawberries and Cream Negroni
A plush Negroni variation with gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, strawberry and a subtle white-chocolate cream note.
Ingredients: Gin, Campari, Sweet vermouth, Strawberry liqueur, White chocolate liqueur.
Tamarind Sunset
A characterful cocktail built around tequila, tamarind syrup and citrus juice, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Tequila, Tamarind syrup, citrus juice, Orange cordial, Soda water. Serve well chilled.
Tipperary
A characterful cocktail built around irish whiskey, sweet vermouth and green chartreuse, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Irish whiskey, Sweet vermouth, Green Chartreuse, Angostura bitters. Serve well chilled.
Toasted Coconut Negroni
A characterful cocktail built around gin, toasted coconut syrup and bitters, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Toasted coconut syrup, bitters, Bitter aperitif tincture, Expressed citrus peel. Serve well chilled.
Ube Espresso Martini
A deep-purple Espresso Martini with vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso and nutty vanilla-like ube.
Ingredients: Vodka, Coffee liqueur, Fresh espresso, Ube syrup.
Ube Velvet Flip
A characterful cocktail built around rum, ube syrup and condensed milk liqueur, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Rum, Ube syrup, Condensed milk liqueur, whole egg. Serve well chilled.
Vieux Carre
Vieux Carre is grown-up, bittersweet and beautifully structured, with Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Sweet Vermouth and Bénédictine giving the drink a clearer flavour story and a more useful reason to make it.
Ingredients: Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Sweet Vermouth, Bénédictine, Bitters.
Violet Lemon Drop
A floral Lemon Drop with vodka, fresh lemon, orange liqueur and a precise touch of crème de violette.
Ingredients: Vodka, Triple sec, Crème de violette, Fresh lemon juice, Simple syrup.
White Lady
A crisp and elegant gin sour cocktail with citrus and a velvety texture, served in a coupe glass.
Ingredients: Gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice add egg white for a silky foam.
Yuzu Garden Martini
A characterful cocktail built around gin, yuzu liqueur and shiso modifier, finished with a clean, memorable lift.
Ingredients: Gin, Yuzu liqueur, Shiso modifier. Serve well chilled.
Yuzu Paloma Pop
A high-definition Paloma with blanco tequila, grapefruit, yuzu and bright pink-grapefruit fizz.
Ingredients: Blanco tequila, Yuzu juice, Fresh grapefruit juice, Agave syrup, Pink grapefruit soda.