Coolest Drinks to order at the Bar in 2024

Cocktail trends come and go like warm UK summer days, although classic cocktails always stand the test of time, that’s what makes them classics! Looking for something cool to try this year? We've got you covered. Whether you’re out to impress or simply enjoying a night out, here are our coolest drinks to order.

Cool classic cocktails and why they’re the OG

You can’t go wrong with a classic…

The gin & tonic

The G&T still leads the pack. According to a 2024 survey, it’s the most popular with 28% of the vote. What makes the G&T the OG? Two things:

• First, it’s almost impossible to make a bad gin and tonic.
• Second, small changes can significantly vary the experience.

We suggest using sloe gin with a dash of orange bitters for winter drinking. Or pair your G&T with a cucumber garnish for extra cool in summer. For a fresh G&T experience, try our Double Dutch Twin and Tonic. Simple to serve, it’s a long drink that’s guaranteed to impress.

Try our Double Dutch Twin and Tonic that's simple to serve and creates a very satisfying long drink. 

The Mojito

Just behind Gin & Tonic in the popularity stakes is the Mojito at 27%. This shows just how important tequila cocktails have become in recent years. The classic mojito wins with its perfect balance of sweet, refreshing and zesty.

Mojito made the classic way

• Lime juice
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• Fresh mint leaves
• 60ml white rum
• Double Dutch Soda water

In a tall glass, muddle the mint leaves in the lime juice and sugar, crushing the mint to release its volatile oils. Do not pulverise it - less is more. Fill with ice and then pour over the rum, stirring, before adding the soda water. Take the last sprig of mint, clap it together between your hands once, and then use it to garnish the glass.

Fat washing = impactful cocktails

2024 is the year of fat-washing, a trend close to our hearts. It’s a perfect example of molecular gastronomy, where an oily ingredient is infused into alcohol and then frozen to remove the fat. The flavour remains, creating a silky texture and decadent taste.

The year of fat washing

We predict that 2024 will be the year we see fat-washing focus on vegan options such as coconut and sesame oils.. Also developing cocktails that are redolent of rare ingredients such as truffle oil washed bourbon or rye whiskey.

Try a fat-washed Bloody Mary

If you’re introducing your friends to the fat-washed cocktail trend, a great place to start is with a Bloody Mary. Why? It’s a drink that’s already adaptable, so people are more tolerant of variations to the theme. It’s also a cocktail that has enough strong flavours to support the added savoury depth of fat-washing. 

Veganism 

Plant-based food and drinks are mainstreaming in 2024. We’re happy to say that all our premium mixers are vegan friendly. This is important given that there are surprisingly few cocktail menus that offer vegans a wide choice. 

Mixologists & veganism

Mixologists are leading the way here, with classic sours using aqua faba instead of egg white. Vegan White Russians using coconut milk instead of the traditional cream. One way that veganism is really affecting everybody’s drinking experience is the  focus on ingredient sourcing. This links to the quality of cocktail elements and that can’t be a bad thing when it comes to drink trends.

Vegan Aperol spritz

For a perfect vegan cocktail, order an Aperol Spritz. Unlike its stablemate Campari, Aperol is wholly vegan, and as long as you opt for a vegan Prosecco. This recipe will introduce you to the sheer joy of a great cocktail that just happens to be vegan.

Vegan Aperol spritz recipe

• 50ml Aperol
• 75ml vegan Prosecco
• Soda water

Place a couple of ice cubes in the bottom of a tall glass and pour in the Aperol. Stir gently and then add the Prosecco before topping up with soda water. Cool, elegant and classed as an aperitif, this is an ideal early evening drink. Perfect for sipping on the terrace after work.

Under-appreciated cocktails

Want to earn your bartender’s respect? Try ordering one of these incredible cocktails. It marks you as someone who knows their drinks without seeming like a know-it-all.

Bushwick

Created by Phil Ward in 2009, this riff on the Brooklyn uses sweet vermouth instead of dry. You can’t make it in its traditional form inside the USA because Amer Picon is illegal there. You can use Amaro Lucano asan acceptable substitute). 

This is a complex, bittersweet cocktail that expands to fill all the flavour space available. Ordering it will earn you the respect of your mixologist.

Bushwick recipe

• 45ml rye whiskey
• 45ml sweet vermouth
• 10ml maraschino liqueur
• 10ml Amer Picon

Mix the ingredients in an ice filled glass, stir until extremely cold and strain into a chilled coupe.

If you’re worrying about Amer Picon, it’s a mystery but the FDA apparently outlawed calamus root. This is an ingredient in Amer Picon in 1968, although they gave no reason as to why. It’s an aromatic swamp plant, much used in toiletries and food around the world - except in America!

The Last Word

Another cocktail that may well trend in 2024, and will certainly get your mixologist’s attention, is the Last Word. It’s an equal proportion cocktail so it’s hard to get wrong, and it’s undeservedly neglected on many cocktail menus. Bonus - it’s aesthetically pleasing!

Last Word recipe

• 30ml gin
• 30ml Green Chartreuse
• 30ml Maraschino liqueur
• 30ml fresh lime juice

Combine the ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with black cherries and a lime twist for maximum visual impact.

Gin Martini

Yes you read that right! You can make a martini with gin or vodka, and the gin martini is an understated marvel. It balances gin and vermouth, uses the simplest possible garnish and delivers a superb flavour. Ordering a gin martini will earn you kudos in the cocktail world!

Gin Martini recipe

• 60ml gin
• 10ml dry vermouth
• Lemon twist

Place a coupette glass in the freezer. While it chills, pour the gin and vermouth into a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir down to desired dilution. This is where your mixologist gets to demonstrate their skills. Strain into the coupette and serve garnished with a twist of lemon.

What cool drinks do you order from the bar?

2024 is an exciting year for cocktail enthusiasts, blending the timeless classics with appeal with innovative trends. There's something new and thrilling to discover for whatever your taste and style is. 

So, the next time you step into a bar, consider trying one of these cool drinks. Whether it's impressing your date with a meticulously crafted Last Word or showing off your cocktail knowledge. Let us know if we missed any classic or new cocktails that you order at the bar.