Quarantini O’Clock: 19 Cocktails to Transport You Around the World

You'll have likely seen the video of Ina Garten downing a cosmopolitan the size of a small child. Yes, she did use a whole bottle of Grey Goose. With news that off-licences have been deemed "essential" retailers during lockdown, we're following suit. You may wish that you were clinking caipirinhas on Copacabana Beach or sinking snaps in Sweden but, for now, a Zoom happy hour and one of these globetrotting cocktails will have to do.

Recreate these cocktails for a DIY happy hour at home

Negroni

Italy

Before the 1920s, the Americano cocktail of Campari, sweet vermouth and club soda was all the rage in Italy. That is until French general Count Negroni decided that it wasn't strong enough and switched soda for gin. Sip this signature blend today and you may as well be perched at a bar in Florence overlooking the Arno.

Sake Bomb

Japan

Caution: this cocktail is perilously fun. A heady combination of sake and beer, the concoction was the lovechild borne from the American occupation of Japan during the Second World War. Balance a shot of the rice liquor on a pair of chopsticks bridging a glass of beer. Pound the table while shouting "sake!" until the chopsticks shift and the shot tumbles into your brew. Consume immediately.

Dark ‘n’ Stormy

Bermuda

This famous cocktail was originally created in the 1860s by the Gosling family (of Gosling's Rum fame) in Bermuda, shortly after distilling their first dark variety of rum. Simply combine with ginger beer over ice and enjoy.

Manhattan

New York

A Manhattan in Manhattan, groundbreaking. Throw on your most sophisticated garb and make like Don Draper et al. as you knock back the Big Apple's timeless combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. Maraschino cherry, subject to supermarket rations. As Ol' Blue Eyes once sang: if you can make this cocktail in your flat, you can make it anywhere.

Caipirinha

Brazil

With a name that roughly translates to "hillbilly", the caipirinha mixes the nation's favourite spirit, cachaca - fermented sugarcane juice - with sugar and lime. Rumour has it that this cocktail was created as a remedy for pirates suffering from scurvy in the 19th century because limes are high in vitamin C. We're counting it as one of our five-a-day.

Mojito

Cuba

The origins of the mojito are a little foggy (unsurprising, given the drink's quaffable nature), though they're generally pinpointed somewhere in 16th-century Havana. Mix white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint - specifically the yerba buena or spearmint varieties, though any will do - and pretend you're Ernest Hemingway, who allegedly sank a glass or 10 in the Cuban capital's La Bodeguita del Medio.

Pimm’s Cup

England

Yes, we're all partial to a G&T here, but mother's ruin has quite the run of attention. While the sunshine teases us from our locked-down homes, bring a taste of the outdoors inside with this classic summer cocktail of Pimm's No.1, lemonade and fruit, which has been keeping Brits merry since the 1800s. Strawberry, orange and cucumber are the go-to throw-ins, but you can try other fruits - we love using frozen berries.

Kir Royale

France

With an abundance of vineyards on tap, France is better known for its plonk than its mixers. Cocktail recipes veer towards the pared-back here: simply add creme de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) to your favourite champagne (prosecco or cava work just as well). Garnish with a blackberry for added je ne sais quoi.

Pina Colada

Puerto Rico

If you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, head (virtually) to Puerto Rico, where legend has it that, in 1954, the cocktail was popularised in San Juan's Caribe Hilton hotel. Recipes can swerve towards the wrong side of saccharine with rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice, so adjust to taste - this is your private lockdown bar, after all.

Singapore Sling

Singapore

In the early 1900s it was frowned upon for Singaporean women to drink in public, so Raffles Hotel bartender Ngiam Tong Boon created this juice-based cocktail to disguise a healthy dose of spirits. Shake together gin, pineapple juice, grenadine, lime, Cointreau, Benedictine and cherry brandy and raise a toast to equality.

Paloma

Mexico

Thought that Mexicans only knock back margaritas? Think again. A refreshing marriage of tequila, grapefruit juice, lime, syrup and soda water splashed over the rocks, the Paloma is a more authentic tipple.

Pisco Sours

Peru

While pisco sours are popular in both Peru and Chile, we prefer the former's tarter iteration. Riffing on the traditional whisky sour, pisco (a clear brandy) is shaken with egg whites, fresh lime, simple syrup and a few drops of Angostura bitters. Deliciously refreshing.

Raki

Turkey

Does alcohol diluted with water count as a cocktail? Made from twice-distilled grapes and aniseed, raki is around 90 proof and a favourite tipple in Turkey and Albania. Before drinking, it's typically mixed with a little water, in which it turns an opaque white and earns it the moniker "lion's milk".

Bloody Caesar

Canada

Canadians go mad for the bloody caesar, a take on the traditional bloody Mary hangover cure. While bloody Marys mix vodka, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne with tomato juice, the caesar uses clamato (a combo of tomato and clam juices) - some refer to it as a "love potion" thanks to clams' aphrodisiac properties.

Snaps

Scandinavia

While the name and exact recipe of this libation vary across the Scandi countries (it's known as aquavit in Denmark), it always has herbaceous notes - caraway, anise, fennel, dill - and is most commonly consumed during meals. Make sure to make eye contact when you raise the glass and sing a "snapsvisor" (an ode to snaps) if you really want to get into the spirit.

Sazerac

New Orleans

Keeping The Big Easy happy and heady since the 19th century, this cocktail was originally made with French cognac in the Sazerac Coffee House. When this ran out, bartenders switched to rye whiskey instead, mixing it with Peychaud's bitters, Angostura bitters, sugar and absinthe.

Dawa

Kenya

Meaning "medicine" in Swahili, the dawa is a short, potent mix of vodka, fresh lime juice and honey - just what the doctor ordered. A carved dawa stick is traditionally used to incorporate any honey, but any kind of muddler will do the trick.

Irish Coffee

Ireland

Espresso martinis may look chic, but there's something comforting about a good old Irish coffee. Marrying whiskey (use Jameson's if you're feeling especially patriotic) and coffee - two of our staple beverages - this classic pick-me-up is best served with a hefty helping of cream on top. Like this? Try a Black Russian, a (confusingly) Belgian creation, that mixes three parts vodka to two parts coffee liqueur.

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