The Five Classic Cocktails Every Man Should Know Once upon a time, cocktail hour was an occasion.

A sacred space. When the work day ended, you visited your favourite bar to put a little distance between the office and home. This was not excess; it was ritual. A quiet moment of reflection. In the words of Sinclair Lewis, a canonical rite. I think we lost this practice because we live in a society that has trouble controlling its appetites. What were talking about here is the opposite of Happy Hour. Id like to bring this ritual back, and in doing so, to revive some of the classic drinks that made cocktail hour a welcome demarkation between a mans field of battle and his sanctuary. Were not discussing such staples as the Gin & Tonic or Scotch & Soda in this article. These are both fine drinks, but they should be self-evident. The mix is right there in the name. Instead, I want to arm you with a handful of classic cocktails every man should know. Ordering one of these at a respectable bar immediately establishes you as a person of confidence and sophistication. And the literary pedigree of these drinks gives you the perfect backstory for an intelligent conversation. Not for you the alco-pops of high school girls, or the made up fruity nonsense commonly and insultingly tagged with the name martini! Youre better than that. Youre a man, not a frat boy. Put the binge drinking in the past where it belongs. Were reviving the sacred institution of the Cocktail Hour. Crack some ice, limber up that shaker, and letss get started. 1) The Gibson - Gin - A dash of dry vermouth - or if youre a purist, simply wave the vermouth cap over your glass

Shake hard with ice, strain, and serve in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a single cocktail onion. The Gibson is as close to zero degree drinking as its possible to get. In the words of Mark Kingwell, author of Classic Cocktails, The first sip should taste like a knife to the head, a clean incision that lets in air and makes your thoughts instantly lucid. This wont last, so enjoy it while it does. Its difficult to get a good Gibson in a bar, and youll often be met with blank stares. I was once even given a martini with a cocktail onion in it as if this abomination were the same thing! DO NOT accept it. Its not what you ordered. Shake your head, push the glass away, and instruct them if necessary. The Gibson is a forgotten classic. But Im determined to bring it back. 2) The Martini - 2 1/2 parts gin - 1/2 part dry vermouth Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an olive. You may alternatively use vodka in place of gin. In this case the drink becomes a Vodka Martini. Which brings up an issue that pisses me off... Lets get something straight right away. That drink with sake and vermouth, sometimes listed on a bar menu as a saketini, is not a martini. Neither is that sickly sweet orchard reject they call an appletini. These are completely different drinks and they should be given a different name. The only thing they have in common with the martini is that theyre served in the same type of glass. A glass many people erroneously refer to as a martini glass, but this is another topic for another rant. If there were a king of cocktails, the martini would be it. Treat this drink with the respect it deserves. 3) The Manhattan - 2 parts Canadian (rye) whisky - 1 part sweet (red) vermouth

- dash of Angostura bitters Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a maraschino cherry. The one and only cocktail that really demands a cherry. It has a straight-up neatness with an undertone of melancholy. Icy, dusky and sweet. To quote Kingwell again, Drink it at the bar, by yourself, thinking deep, bustling, gridlocked thoughts. Many variations of this drink exist. The Rob Roy substitutes scotch whisky for rye. Order it in shady company, in railway bars or other places of hard drinking transit. The Bronx Cocktail is another noble relative, forgotten now but at the time considered a possible rival to the Manhattan. Both are excellent drinks in their own right. But if a bartender ever suggests mixing you a Manhattan with bourbon whiskey, look him straight in the eye, spit on the floor, and walk out immediately. This is not the sort of establishment for you. 4) The Negroni - 1 part Campari - 1 part sweet (red) vermouth - 1 part gin Shake with ice and strain, or serve on the rocks in an Old-Fashioned glass, garnished with an orange slice. The Negroni is as Italian as outdoor cafes and dolce-vita evenings. Its aromatic, bright, and with a complicated undercurrent of flavour, anchored with the essential Italian aperitif but bolstered with a slug of gin. Make like Count Negroni and order this noble beverage anytime youre in a Mediterranean mood. Oh, and should a bartender insist on using vodka in place of gin, hold up your hand and firmly refuse. Vodka lacks the aromatic botanicals to balance Camparis bitterness. Demand the genuine article. 5) The Gimlet - 3 parts gin - 1 part Roses Lime Cordial

Shake hard with ice, strain, and serve in a cocktail glass. The Gimlet is a simple drink, but proportions matter. Avoid knock-off lime cordials. Firmly refuse all garnishes. Just cold gin and cold lime juice. Nothing else. To be gimlet-eyed is to possess a glare thats able to penetrate or pierce through. Know that when you order this youre keeping some rather questionable company. Robert Wilson, the hunting guide in Hemingways The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber orders one and thats when things begin to go horribly wrong. Raymond Chandlers detective Philip Marlowe briefly flirted with them too. Its a drink with a sneaky bite. Perfect for confidences shared over dark corner tables. There you have it. Five essential classic cocktails every man worth his salt should know. It goes without saying that the quality of your ingredients matters. Buy the best you can afford, but dont waste an expensive single malt on a mixed drink. In that case, a good quality blended whisky fits the bill perfectly. Finally, your knowledge shouldnt stop with your needs alone. A proper gentleman looks after his lady. You should know how to mix a few classic staples in case she isnt the hard-drinking type. I recommend adding these classic recipes to your library: Cassis and Soda (crme de cassis, soda water), Kir Royale (9 parts champagne, 1 part crme de cassis), Sidecar (6 parts brandy, 2 parts lemon juice, 1 part triple sec), and the Daiquiri (rum, fresh citrus juice, ice). Theyre sophisticated, they taste great, and they always go over well. This obviously isnt a comprehensive list, and it was difficult to narrow down five choices from so many classic drinks. Let this serve as a starting point for your explorations. Theres a vast new world waiting out there for you. Take your time, and mix your drinks carefully and well. Bottoms up.