Have you ever longed to order your drink, the Bond way, "shaken, not stirred"? There are a lot of drinks that our mixologists have come up with, that are inspired by our flicks and their famous characters. Read on to know more about these cocktails…
Many of these cocktails became “hot-favorites” after their on-screen debut! While vesper martini had a dream launch opposite Mr. 007 – James Bond,Manhattan had Marilyn Monroe as the leading lady. These “star” drinks have their own special recipes, but over the years, mixologists have customized them. Some of these drinks were unknown until the time our on-screen heroes took a couple of sips of the heavenly drink.
From the Bond’s martini to the Sex and the City’s Cosmopolitan, and from Marilyn’s Manhattan to the Cocktail’s Red Eye, all these drinks are synonymous with their on-screen characters. So, the next time you watch these movies, make the famous cocktail for yourself to double-up the fun. Most of the drinks have their original recipes but we present to you the recipes that made them famous. Also, don’t forget to utter those famous dialogs while enjoying your drink.
Vesper Martini ~ Casino Royale
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Gordon’s Gin
- ½ oz. Vodka
- ¼ oz. Lillet Bal
Glass – Martini/Goblet
Directions:
Shake gin, vodka and wine with ice in a shaker, and then pour it into a frosted glass. Garnish it with a slice of lemon or a lemon twist.
Psst…
Lillet holds a competition every year in which every contestant has to make a drink with a twist. They can add their own ingredients to the drink without deleting any of the original ones.
Movie
The drink was first mentioned in the novel, Casino Royale, and later in the movie of the same name. This is the martini recipe with a twist from the original, “Shaken, not stirred.” The drink’s recipe has been mentioned in the novel as well.
French 75 ~ Casablanca
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. London dry gin or cognac
- 1 ½ oz. Lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Castor sugar/superfine sugar
- Sparkling wine
Glass – Collins glass/Champagne Flute
Directions:
Stir gin/cognac along with lemon juice in a Collins glass. Now, add sugar to the drink and stir well. Add ice to it and stir the drink. Once all the ingredients have mixed, top it up with champagne. You can garnish it with a lemon slice.
Psst…
The drink gets its name from the French 75-millimeter M1897 canon, a.k.a., the French 75. This was the main artillery of the French in the first World War.
Movie
Casablanca’s storyline revolves around Rick’s Café Américain. The cocktail gained popularity when Yvonne and her Nazi sailor ordered the same at the Café.
Red Eye ~ Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Vodka
- 6 oz. Tomato juice
- 1 can of Beer
- 1 raw Egg
Glass – Frosted Mug/Collins Glass
Directions:
Pour vodka in the frosted mug and then add tomato juice to it. Now, add chilled beer to the drink but do not stir. Crack an egg and add the contents to the mug. Do not stir and serve the drink. You can top it up with lemon peel or with celery stalks (just like Bloody Mary). You can also add coffee to it!
Psst…
The Japanese version of the drink does not include egg. It makes use of lemon juice.
Movie
Every drink will appear glamorous if Tom Cruise mixes it! There are a lot of pleasing cocktails mentioned in the movie, but the one that matches the flair of the actor (who can give you a hangover), is the Red Eye cocktail (it helps cure a hangover).
Cosmopolitan ~ Sex and the City
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Vodka
- ½ oz. Triple sec. (Cointreau orange liqueur)
- ½ oz. Lime juice
- ½ oz. Cranberry juice
Glass – Martini
Directions:
Shake vodka, triple sec., lime juice and cranberry juice in a shaker. Once they are mixed well, add ice to the drink and shake again. Pour the cocktail in a martini glass and garnish it with lemon peel or orange peel.
Psst…
It is considered to be the second most popular cocktail, after Martini.
Movie
Sex and the City, the TV series and the movie, have the protagonists explore all the popular drinks under the sun. But, the hot favorite remains, the Cosmopolitan. It is the perfect ladies’ drink with just the right amount of vodka and orange liqueur.
Whiskey Sours ~ The Seven Year Itch
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Whiskey or bourbon
- 1.5 oz. Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 Egg white
- ½ tsp. Sugar (powdered)
- Maraschino cherry
Glass – Old Fashioned
Directions:
Shake whiskey, lemon juice, egg white and sugar in a shaker with ice. Now, strain the drink into an old fashioned whiskey glass and garnish it with cherries.
Psst…
It is believed that the first mention of the drink was in a newspaper in Wisconsin in 1870.
Movie
The mere mention of the drink in a Marilyn Monroe movie can add volumes to its popularity. When a weird combination of potato chips dipped in champagne is mentioned by Morris (Monroe), the publishing executive Richard (Tom Ewell) admits he hasn’t tried the said combination, but does mention whiskey sours in his breakfast menu.
White Russian ~ The Big Lebowski
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Vodka
- 1 oz. Kahlúa or any coffee-flavored liqueur
- 1 oz. Cream
Glass – Old Fashioned
Directions:
Add vodka and Kahlúa in the glass (prefill the glass with ice). Now top it up with cream and enjoy the drink.
Psst…
The traditional cocktail was the Black Russian, but when cream was added to it, a new cocktail was created, the White Russian.
Movie
“The Dude” from The Big Lebowski, drinks this cocktail throughout the movie. This inspired New York Times to make a special mention of the drink in one of their articles.
Singapore Slings ~ Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. Gin
- ½ oz. Cherry Heering
- ¼ oz. Cointreau
- ¼ oz. Benedictine
- 4 oz. Pineapple juice
- ½ oz. Lime juice
- 1/3 oz. Grenadine
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
Glass – Highball
Directions:
Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, and strain it into a highball glass. You can garnish it with cherry or a slice of pineapple.
Psst…
It was invented in a hotel in Singapore but the recipe of the original drink was misplaced by the hotel staff.
Movie
Johnny Depp enjoyed this drink in the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The drink appears in a flashback scene, where Depp recalls sitting in the patio of a hotel and enjoying Singapore Sling with mescal (a distilled alcoholic beverage) by the side.
Mojito ~ Miami Vice
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. White rum
- 2 oz. Fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. Sugar
- Soda water
- Mint leaves
Glass – Collins glass
Directions:
Muddle mint leaves and sugar, then add ice. Now pour rum and lime juice and stir. Add club soda/soda water and garnish with mint leaves.
Psst…
This drink also featured in Bond movies including Die Another Day, as it was very popular in Cuba at that time and was also gaining popularity in USA.
Movie
Miami Vice has the protagonists Crockett and Tubbs solving their personal and professional issues. Their friend in this journey is, the Mojito.
Sweet Vermouth on the Rocks ~ Groundhog Day
Ingredients:
- Sweet Vermouth
- Lemon Wedge
Glass – Old Fashioned/ Highball
Directions:
Take the old fashioned glass and add ice to it. Now, slowly pour the sweet vermouth to it. Now, add twist lemon over the glass. Don’t stir or shake the drink. You can garnish the drink with a lemon wedge. Your drink is ready, on the rocks and with the lemon twist, of course!
Psst…
In Europe, the Vermouth is enjoyed as an aperitif.
Movie
When Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell go to a bar, in the movie, Andie orders this drink. She says that the drink reminds her of Rome.
Manhattan ~ Some like it Hot
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz. Sweet vermouth
- 2.5 oz. Bourbon whiskey
- 1 dash Bitters
- 1 Maraschino cherry
- 1 Orange peel
Glass – Martini/Old Fashioned
Directions:
Shake all the ingredients along with ice in a cocktail shaker. Stir the drink in a martini glass and garnish it with cherry and orange peel.
Psst…
Manhattan is heavily drunk by locals of North Frisian Island of Fohr as part of a tradition.
Movie
Some Like it Hot’ is a classic Marilyn Monroe comedy, where Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon dress as women to escape gangsters. Sugar (Monroe) makes the cocktail in hot water bottles!
Few other famous cocktails that made their appearance in films are listed below:
- Mint Julep ~ Star Trek
- Grey Goose Martini ~ Hitch
- Screwdriver ~ Screwdriver
- Rob Roy ~ True Confessions
- Bloody Mary ~ The Girl Can’t Help It
- Zombie ~ Breakfast At Tiffany’s
- Old Fashioned ~ It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
- Grasshopper ~ Ronin
- Planter’s Punch ~ Gone with the Wind
- Tom Collins ~ Meet the Fockers
* Quotes taken from Wikiquotes/IMDb/Filmscript
Next time you are in a party or at a social gathering, impress your friends by sharing this information with them. But don’t forget to order your drink, with the dramatic twist! Cheers…