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Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
Cocktails, like everything else, cycle through trends. Drinks that were inescapable on social media and bar menus just a year or two ago, may not likely be the same as what people are sipping on today.
However, certain classics remain omnipresent year after year, like the enduring powerhouses that are the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. Even resurgent drinks like the Espresso Martini, which seemed to peak years ago in the realm of internet trends, have maintained strong followings long after they stopped being TikTok darlings.
Curious what your fellow drinkers are craving? These are the 10 most popular drinks on Liquor.com, over the past year.
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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.
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Espresso Martini
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
The recent resurgence of this caffeinated ’80s favorite hasn't yet abated, and this past year the Espresso Martini leapfrogged our reigning #2—the Manhattan—in popularity. 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.
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Manhattan
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.
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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 pair of Crocs and couldn't be simpler to make.
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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.
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Porn Star Martini
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
A relatively new addition to Liquor.com, the Porn Star Martini immediately became one of our most popular recipes. It's a crowd-pleasing mix of vanilla and passionfruit flavors, and the Champagne chaser does't hurt.
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Margarita
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
Combining lime juice with triple sec and, of course, tequila, the Margarita has become one of the most beloved drinks 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.
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Negroni
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
This classic cocktail dropped from the #3 spot last year. We can only assume it’s because everyone has already memorized the equal-parts mix of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, or that the rise of the Sbagliato split the vote and caused the original to fall in rankings. However, there are few must-know cocktails like the original Negroni.
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Mai Tai
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
Interest in the Mai Tai skyrocketed over the past year, reaffirming its place as one of the world’s most recognized tropical cocktails. Originally created to showcase the flavors of high-quality rums, premade mixers and sticky-sweet syrups caused opinions of this classic to plummet for decades. Modern bartenders have since brought it back to prominence with a renewed emphasis on balance and technique.
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Whiskey Sour
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
Perhaps the most well-known representation of one of the oldest categories of cocktails, the Whiskey Sour’s excellence rests on a delicate balance of spirit, citrus, and sugar. While countless iterations of the classic sour formula have evolved over the years, the staying power of the original Whiskey Sour demonstrates that sometimes you don’t need to mess with perfection.