News Trends

The 10 Most Popular Cocktails Right Now

By
Kathryn Maier
Kathryn Maier
Kathryn Maier

Kathryn Maier is the editor at Liquor.com, where she oversees editing and shaping content related to cocktails, spirits, wine and beer, as well as bars and drinking culture.

Learn about Liquor.com's Editorial Process
Updated 12/9/21
Porn Star Martini
Porn Star Martini Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog 

Cocktails, like everything else in this world, cycle through trends. What was on everyone's Instagram feeds a year or two ago isn't likely to be the same as what people are sipping on today. 

There are certain classics that remain strong year after year (we’re looking at you, Old Fashioned). But even among the classics, drinkers' preferences change in often-unexpected ways. These 10 drinks are our readers’ favorite cocktails right now. We’ll stop short of saying they’re objectively the best cocktails, but they’re the ones drinkers have been looking up on Liquor.com most frequently over the past year.

  • Bourbon Old Fashioned

    Bourbon Old Fashioned

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Little more than a slug of whiskey seasoned and sweetened, and yet the embodiment of a cocktail as originally defined, which is to say, a combination of spirit, sugar, water and bitters, this classic remains as popular today as it was 200 years ago.

    Get the recipe.

  • Manhattan

    Manhattan cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Cocktails don't get any more classic than this elegant mix of rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters that drinkers have been sipping for close to a century and a half. Garnish with a brandied cherry if you're a traditionalist, or a lemon twist for a more modern touch.

    Get the recipe.

  • Porn Star Martini

    Porn Star Martini

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog 

    This cocktail recipe was a new addition to Liquor.com just last year, and it immediately became one of our most popular recipes. It's a crowd-pleasing mix of vanilla and passionfruit flavors, and what’s not to love about a drink that was designed to come with a Champagne chaser?

    Get the recipe.

  • Espresso Martini

    Espresso Martini

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Reports of the recent resurgence of this caffeinated ’80s favorite aren’t exaggerated. There are plenty of riffs out there, but it’s worth memorizing the original recipe, a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup.

    Get the recipe.



    Continue to 5 of 10 below.

  • Long Island Iced Tea

    Long Island Iced Tea

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    It’s been a long couple of years, and apparently plenty of us are still Going Through It. This drink is here to help. It’s not that it contains so much more alcohol than many other drinks, but something about this combination of four different spirits and a liqueur (plus lemon juice and cola) makes this concoction seem like it’ll get the job done more efficiently than any other mixed drink.

    Get the recipe.

  • Margarita

    Margarita

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Combining tangy lime juice with sweet, orangey triple sec and, of course, the most popular of agave spirits, this drink has become one of the most beloved in the cocktail canon. There are endless riffs, but we think this version, splitting the difference between a Tommy's Margarita and the classic triple sec-heavy version, is the best.

    Get the recipe.

  • Dirty Martini

    Dirty Martini

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Briny yet elegant, saline yet simple, the Dirty Martini, which adds a splash of olive brine to the classic Martini format of gin or vodka and dry vermouth, is an eternal go-to for sippers looking for a bit of sophistication.

    Get the recipe.

  • White Russian

    White Russian

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    Let’s face it, The Dude was on to something with his go-to drink. The now-classic combination of vodka, Kahlúa, and heavy cream is as comforting as a cozy winter blanket and couldn't be simpler to make.

    Get the recipe.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below.

  • Negroni

    Negroni

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This classic cocktail dropped from the number-two spot last year. We can only assume it’s because everyone has already memorized the equal-parts mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. With apologies to Stanley Tucci, this drink (as with a Martini; sorry, Bond) should never ever ever be shaken, only stirred. 

    Get the recipe.


  • Adios, Motherfucker

    Adios, Motherfucker cocktail

    Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

    This mix, essentially a blue Long Island Iced Tea, peaked in popularity in late January 2021. We’re pretty sure we can guess the reason. It’s always delightful when the world has not only a reason to raise a glass in celebration but also the perfect drink with which to celebrate.

    Get the recipe.