Listen Live
Majic 102.3/92.7 Featured Video
CLOSE

Cutout of a black bartender offering a cocktail served in a martini glass in a traditional cocktail bar

Today is National Cocktail Day (March 24) and across this great land, someone is surely going to have a wonderfully crafted cocktail in hand or so we hope. Down below, we’ve got an assortment of cocktail ideas that will help you celebrate in style.

National Cocktail Day was founded by expert “holidaymaker” Jace Shoemaker-Galloway. According to lore, Shoemaker-Galloway just decided that this would be the day to celebrate a cocktail because, as she puts it on her website, “every day is a holiday.”

For those who have been hanging out here with us at Spirit.Ed, they should already know that we’re fond of our cocktails. As we believe wholeheartedly, mixing drinks should be viewed as a culinary exercise and art form. To transform spirits, liqueurs, mixers, and bitters into an entirely different thing is a beautiful skill to have. Plus, you’ll be the hit at all of your parties if you take up some of these excellent recipes we’ll share below.

Now, on to the National Cocktail Day drinks roundup!

Before we get into it, I thought it would be a good idea to share a pair of cocktails I mixed and enjoyed for the holiday. Because of the warmer temps, I decided to go for the fresh and bold flavors of dry gin to serve as my base. I ended up making classic cocktails, the Bijou, and the Alaska. Both are simple cocktails with easy ratios to remember. However, the reason I picked them is the fact that green Chartreuse, which is a key ingredient, will be harder to obtain globally as the monks who make the product are focusing more on their personal mission and faith. With the possibility of never being able to make these drinks except on rare occasions, I wanted to go out with a bang. Enjoy. — D.L.

Bijou

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 1/2 part gin (I used Ransom Spirits‘ dry gin for both)

1 part green Chartreuse

1 part sweet vermouth

2 dashes orange bitters

Preparation:

Stir in mixing glass with ice and strain into coupe or Nick & Nora glass

Alaska

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce yellow Chartreuse

1 dash orange bitters

Lemon twist

Method

Add gin, yellow Chartreuse and orange bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir until cold. Strain into a ice water-chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Express the oil of a lemon twist over the drink and then garnish the drink with the twist.

St-Rémy Signature Elettaria Boulevard

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

1.5 oz St-Rémy Signature

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

0.75 oz Chai Simple Syrup*

1 dash Cardamom Bitters

4 drops Rose Water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and stir with ice

Strain over large ice cube in double rocks glass

Garnish with rose petal dusted with ground cardamom

*Chai Simple Syrup: Boil one cup water with one tea bag of chai tea (we want to over extract it for bitterness). Remove tea bag once satisfied with flavor and bitterness. Stir in one cup sugar until fully dissolved

The Emerald Country

National Cocktail Day 2023

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Ransom The Emerald Whiskey

1 oz Lemon Juice

3/4 oz Simple Syrup

1 Egg White

Angostura Bitters

DIRECTIONS

Mix the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (no ice) vigorously to create a slight foam. Add ice and then shake again. Strain the cocktail and serve over fresh ice. Garnish with a drop or two of Angostura bitters.

Flower Margarita

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

1 oz Cointreau

1.5 oz Tequila

0.75 oz Lime

0.5 oz Rose Syrup

2 Sprays Rose Perfume

Directions:

Rim the coupette glass with a regular salt or pink salt. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupette glass. Garnish with a rose petal.

Rum Skies

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients

2 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel

1 Grapefruit

0.75 oz Elderflower

4 oz Tonic Water

Directions

Add all ingredients except tonic into the glass and stir. Add ice, finish with tonic and garnish with grapefruit wheel

The Rémy Ginger

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 3/4 oz Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal

Ginger ale

Angostura bitters

Lemon Wedge

Instructions:

Pour Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal over ice cubes. Top with ginger ale. Add two drops of Angostura bitters. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Ilegal Margarita

National Cocktail Day 2023

2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven

1 oz Lime Juice

1/2 oz Agave Nectar

Directions: Add to shaker with ice. Shake. Dump ingredients into a pre-salted rimmed rocks glass.

KRAKEN CRUSH

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 part The Kraken Gold Spiced Rum

3 parts Orange Soda

Directions: Combine in a rock glass with crushed ice. Garnish with candied orange strips

Spiced French 75

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 oz St. George Botanivore Gin

1/2 oz St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

dry sparkling white wine

Directions: Add Botanivore, Spiced Pear Liqueur, and lemon juice to a mixing glass with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a flute. Top with chilled sparkling wine and garnish with a lemon twist.

Rob Roy

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 oz The GlenDronach Original Aged 12 Years

1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Garnish: Filthy Black Cherry

Method: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until very cold and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with cherry.

KOJI-SAN

Created by: Kenta Goto, Bar Goto Niban

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2 oz Barley Shochu (Iichiko Saiten)

0.5 tsp Mezcal

4.5 tsp Lime Juice

5 tsp Simple Syrup

2 tsp Celery Juice

Glassware: Rocks Glass

Garnish: Rimmed with Dashi Salt, Float celery juice on top

Method: Combine all ingredients except for celery juice in a shaker tin, Shake with ice

Silver Carrot

Created by Julia Momose, Bar Kumiko

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

1 barspoon Guillaumette Genepi

0.75 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth

0.5 oz Reisetbauer Carrot Eau de Vie

1.5 oz Hakutake Ginrei Shiro

Glassware: Rocks Glass

Garnish: Oba

Method: Stirred, strained over clear ice in a rocks glass. Garnished with oba.

Amami Island Colada

Created by Chris Bostic, Half Step TX

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2.5 oz Jougo Shochu

.5 oz brown sugar Matcha coconut cream

.75 oz lemon juice

.25 oz apricot liqueur

2 dash Angostura bitters

Glassware: Rocks Glass

Strawberry Daiquiri, but #makeitmonkey

by Anna Mains, Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2 parts Monkey Shoulder

¾ part simple

¾ parts fresh lime juice

1-2 strawberries (sliced)

Method: Muddle strawberries in shaker, add ice, Monkey, lime, and simple. Shake. Double strain into coupe.

Hendrick’s Flora Adora Wildgarden Cup

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2 Parts Hendrick’s Flora Adora

1 Part Lemon Juice

1 Part Simple Syrup

Top with Premium Sparkling Water

4 Raspberries

6 Mint Leaves

3 Cucumber Wheels

Method: Combine all ingredients in a highball glass filled with cubed ice. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with cucumber wheels, mint leaves & raspberries.

Super Smash Fuzz

National Cocktail Day 2023

1.5oz Whiskey

.5oz Blood Orange Juice

.5oz lemon Juice

.75oz Simple

Shake and transfer to bucket glass

Top with SuperFuzz from Elysian Brewing

Garnish: Blood Orange Peel

Storms a Brewing

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2 parts Reyka Vodka

1/2-1 part Black olive juice

Vermouth rinse

Garnish: Black olive with chèvre cheese

Glass: Martini

Method: Combine all ingredients into glass and stir. Garnish and serve.

The Norman Collins

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

1 part lemon cordial (see recipe below)

½ part lemon juice

Club soda

Bee’s Knees

National Cocktail Day 2023

To make one glass:

3oz Fresh Victor Lemon Sour

1.5oz Gin

1oz 1:1 raw honey syrup*

Garnish: lemon twist

Glass: cocktail

* heat water and add an equal amount of hot water, by volume, to the amount of honey you have. Stir until dissolved and store in the refrigerator.

Shaker Method

In a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients, fill the shaker with ice, shake well (to chill and dilute) and strain up in a 7-9oz cocktail glass. Add garnish and serve.

Build Method

In a glass full of ice, add all ingredients, plus 1.5 ounces of water (for dilution), stir gently, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish and serve

Cucumber and Tonic

National Cocktail Day 2023

Difficulty: Easy

3oz Fresh Victor Cucumber & Lime

1.5oz gin

1-2oz tonic water

In a tall glass, build all ingredients and top with ice. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge and a cucumber wheel.

(For a Cucumber Collins substitute Soda for Tonic)

Sittin’ Sidewayz

National Cocktail Day 2023

1 1/2 parts Paul Masson VSOP Brandy

3/4 part Grand Gala or orange liqueur

3/4 part lemon juice

Directions: Combine ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe glass with a sugar rim.

SKYY Hibiscus Mule

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

4 parts SKYY Vodka

2 1/2 parts ginger beer

2 hibiscus tea bags (Tazo Passion brand recommended)

Large lime wedge, for garnish

Recipe:

In a small container, pour vodka over the tea bags. Let steep for one hour. Remove tea bags.

Combine hibiscus-infused vodka and ginger beer in a copper mug or rocks glass with ice. Stir to incorporate.

Squeeze lime wedge into the drink and serve.

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients

2oz LALO Tequila

2oz lime juice

1.5oz pineapple juice

½ of a small cucumber

2-4 slices of jalapeño

1-2 tbsps honey or agave syrup

Directions

Rim edge of glass with lime wedge and dip in Tajín or salt. Add ingredients to blender and strain when smooth. In cocktail shaker, muddle slices of jalapeño, ice, cocktail mix and shake until chilled. Strain into glass. Serve with extra lime wedges and garnish with jalapeño slices.

Clermont Collins

National Cocktail Day 2023

Created by Ali Martin – New York, NY

Ingredients

2 parts Knob Creek Rye

¾ part lemon juice

½ part simple syrup*

4 cucumber slices

Healthy pile of dill

Ground pepper

Seltzer

Directions

In a tin, middle the cucumber, dill and simple syrup, then add all other liquid (except seltzer). Shake and fine strain into a collins glass. Add ice and top with seltzer. Garnish with a sprig of dill or a cucumber slice. Grind fresh pepper on top.*Simple Syrup: Add 1 part sugar to 1 part water. Stir sugar until completely dissolved.

Luna Rosa

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients

1.5 oz Mezcal Montelobos Espadin

.5 oz Aperol

.5 oz lemon juice

.75 oz grapefruit juice

1.5 oz wine

Garnish: Pink grapefruit slice

Recipe

Mix ingredients with 1 cup of ice.

Bourbon Sunrise

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

2 oz Four Roses Bourbon

3/4 oz fresh orange juice

1/2 oz mango juice

1/2 oz Clover honey simple syrup

1/2 oz lemon juice

2 dashes bitters

1 lemon

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice.

Papa’s Old Cuban

National Cocktail Day 2023

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum

0.75 oz lime juice

0.75 oz simple syrup

6 medium sized mint leaves

2 dashed Angora bitters

2 oz Prosecco

Directions: Place mint leaves and add fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Gently muddle leaves and add Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum and ice. Shake then strain through a fresh mesh strainer into coupe glass. Add 2 dashes Angora bitters, then top with Prosecco.

Canned Cocktails Are Cocktails Too!

Arnold Palmer Spiked Half and Half Cans

National Cocktail Day 2023

Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers (these are excellent!)

National Cocktail Day 2023

SouthNorte (My warm weather go-to faves!)

2023 National Margarita Day Roundup

Batch & Bottle Milagro Margarita (Milagro makes great tequila!)

2023 National Margarita Day Roundup

Ingredients:

Batch & Bottle Milagro Margarita

Method:

Chill, garnish your glass with salt and a lime wedge, and pour neat or on the rock

Enjoy National Cocktail Day!

Photo: Getty

National Cocktail Day Is Here & These Drinks Should Be On The Menu  was originally published on cassiuslife.com