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| TIPS & ADVICE |
Defining the Classics
- by Paul Harrington |
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themselves in search of legitimate classics. Although there are no hard-and-fast rules, there are some guidelines, including the comforting default that if a drink truly tastes good then it might as well be enjoyed whether or not it has a verifiable pedigree.
People have always mixed, shaken, and stirred to their own taste, but there are certain levels - or degrees - in defining classic cocktails and mixed drinks. There are the truly rare drinks, such as the Ward 8, which are still mixed as they were originally intended.
Then there are drinks such as the Cuba Libre or the Martini Cocktail, which are considered classics despite a few recipe changes along the way. Drinks such as the Margarita and the Daiquiri are examples of classic cocktails often made from recipes so bastardized that the resulting concoctions are no longer classics. Modern-day classics, such as the Jasmine and the Mauri, are drinks created after 1940 that uphold the traditions of great cocktails.
Unless you're especially knowledgeable about a drink's history, you'll be hard-pressed to figure out whether a particular drink recipe is authentic or not. For instance, we all accept that a martini is a classic cocktail, but is it the same classic drink when mixed with particularly different portions of gin or dry vermouth?
Well, that depends... dedicated mixologists and cocktail publications, especially those printed before 1950, are your best source for this kind of information. But for those occasions when you need to size up a concoction quickly, take a close look at - or listen to - the drink's recipe, which should include the following elements to be considered a classic. |
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