Check Your Cocktail Slick

So, you are at a formal event, swank bar or restaurant, but unsure about what to order.  Maybe you look around to see what others are drinking, maybe you charge ahead and order the usual.  “I’ll have a jack-and-coke, please”.  By now, you have crossed the point of no return and it is too late.  You are stuck with a cocktail that kills your mojo.  

Bottom Line:  You Need to Have a Classic Cocktail to Fall Back On

There are two main reasons people don’t order classic cocktails.  They either “don’t taste good” or are too pricey.  However, if one considers these objections with any logic, they quickly lose their weight.  A classic cocktail doesn’t taste good for some because they truly do not like the taste of the base alcohol used.  For example, I hate vodka, but I enjoy gin.  As a result, I drink gin martinis and believe they are far superior to vodka martinis.  What about price?  You’re drinking alcohol for the euphoric feeling.  Classic cocktails, generally speaking, have a far higher alcohol content than those watered down vodka-crans and Bacardi-diets.  So, you spend $8 on a vodka-cran that doesn’t do much for you and you end up buying two.  Now you’re looking at $16.  Had you selected a classic coktail for $12-$16, you would of had a slightly better “buzz” rolling for the same price, or less.  Best of all, your mojo will be intact.

So what does one do?  Answer a few questions (see below), get some friends together and crash a local watering hole with a quality bar tender.  Finding a local bar with good drinks is not difficult, especially with the advent of www.yelp.com.

Step for Selecting a Classic Cocktail:

1. What is your favorite type of alcohol? If you drink jack-and-coke, start with whiskey based drinks such as, a Manhattan or Sazerac.  Vodka or Gin?  Martini.  In later articles, I will explore a few classics and provide drink ideas.  That way you newbies can overcome the ever present question of, “Where do I start?” 
2. Order.
3. After sampling, avoid the thought “oh, thats strong – it tastes like gasoline.”  Instead, drink and taste.  Overlook the strength, for true flavor of the cocktail.  You’ll to appreciate the strength.  Do you enjoy the actual taste? 
4. Wash and Repeat – new cocktail, new flavors, and with luck a new “go-to” for formal occasions.