The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of 2016

I’m sure all of Liquor.com’s top five cocktail recipes of 2016 could be made from this well stocked bar. See which of your favorites got on the list!

Photo with lots of liquor bottles on shelves

Eaters Collective

This is not my bar!  I got this photo from Unsplash.  It is a great site for free photos.

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Why am I using a stock photo?  Because this post features Liquor.com’s top five cocktail recipes of 2016 and I wanted a photo of a bunch of liquors without raiding my liquor cabinet.  It’s not the raiding I mind.  It’s putting the bottles back that I don’t want to do!

Besides, this photo is cool, isn’t it?

Was I surprised that the following cocktails were on the list?  No, not really.  Only one of the top 5 cocktails ‘surprised’ me.

One thing I found funny was that I have made and blogged about each of these cocktails without realizing they were on the list.

So without further ado, let me get to them.

#5

Two martini glasses filled with the martini with olives on picks as garnish

The Dry Martini

The above photo is my dirty martini.  If you want to make a dry martini, leave out the brine.

I was surprised that the martini was only number five.  I thought for sure it would be at least #3.  It’s actually number one on my list, but then I’m talking about my beloved martini.

I would drink a dry martini if offered one.  But given my druthers, I prefer it dirty.

The martini is such a classic cocktail.  So delicious, potent and cool!

Overhead view for of olives in a martini

Don’t you feel like diving in that liquid and bouncing around with those olives?

Yeah, me too!

#4

two martini glasses of the daiquiri on a blueish table

The Plain Daiquiri

In my post about daiquiris, I discuss how delicious they are plain.  They truly are.  This is the way I would drink them.  Not with fruit.

This is the one cocktail I was ‘surprised’ to find on the list.  I didn’t realize how popular they are.

Daiquiris are making a big comeback.  Of that I am not surprised because they are so delicious I could drink one every week.

Really, I could.

In fact, I’m going to have one this weekend.

I can’t wait.

vertical view of the bubble martini glass in front of the classic glass

But, as delicious as they are, I still can’t believe they beat out martinis.

#3

Vertical view of the Manhattan with cherries in it

The Manhattan

This was my mom’s go-to special cocktail.  When she had company over, this is what she would drink.  My mom’s brother, my esteemed uncle, drinks a Manhattan periodically in my mother’s memory!

You can make a Manhattan a few different ways.  You can use either whiskey, which is the way my mom liked it, or bourbon.

Both are yummy.

The above photo is the bourbon Manhattan.

The following photo is the whiskey Manhattan.

Overhead view of a manhattan with two red cherries in it

Moving right along.

#2

Overhead view of the red drink with the lemon twist on top of the ice cubes

The Negroni Cocktail

This is a surprise to me as well.  I’m not surprised it’s on the list.  I’m surprised it isn’t #5 and the martini isn’t #2.  Or #1.

But that’s just me.

I love me martinis.

I’m becoming a broken record.

The Negroni is an aperitif.  It’s supposed to stimulate the appetite, which makes it the perfect cocktail to serve before a meal.

It has such a vibrant color!  When you sip at the Negroni, you feel pretty cool and sophisticated.

This cocktail dates back to the early 20th century.  It is said to have been concocted by a bartender when a patron asked for a stiffer version of the Americano; a mix of Campari, vermouth and soda water.

Instead of the soda water, you add gin.

Stronger.

Vertical view of the bubble glass filled with the aperitif cocktail in front of a taller glass

And yummy.

And now, the most popular cocktail of 2016.

Drumroll please!!

(Rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat!)

#1 Cocktail of 2016

Vertical view of the classic old fashioned cocktail

The Old Fashioned

Yehaw!  It’s an oldie but a goodie.  This is one of the cocktails that I experimented with once I figured out that my tastes had changed.  My sister-in-law drinks this cocktail and nudged me to try it.

And so I did.

The old fashioned cocktail is a great sipping cocktail.

Ha ha.  That is so funny.  All cocktails are supposed to be sipping cocktails.  Well, at least all cocktails except shots and layered shots.  Those are NOT sipping cocktails.  But everything else?  Yes.

I say, “supposed to be” because I don’t tend to sip.  I don’t guzzle drinks, mind you.  But I don’t exactly sip them.

The old fashioned is the type of drink that I would take the smallest amount of it in my mouth and savor before swallowing.

See the difference?

Let’s look at it from a different view.

Overhead view of the finished old fashioned cocktail

I hope you enjoyed this post about the top five cocktails of 2016. How about checking out the top 2017 cocktails?

Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me which cocktail you think is missing.  You could also Yum any of these recipes to Yummly and Pin any photo to Pinterest.

And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!

Old fashioned cocktail in vertical view - square

The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of 2016

This classic old fashioned cocktail is delicious and fun to drink!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cocktails
Cuisine: Cocktails
Keyword: top 5 cocktails of 2016
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 Cocktail
Calories: 216kcal

Ingredients

For the Muddling

  • 1 orange wheel cut in half
  • 1 maraschino cherry
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

The Booze

  • 2 ounces bourbon

Instructions

Muddle time

  • In your highball glass, place the orange wheel, maraschino cherry, water and sugar
  • Take your muddler and smoosh everything in the glass
  • Put some ice in the glass, on top of the fruit
  • Pour bourbon over the ice
  • Take cocktail spoon and stir thoroughly
  • Sip
  • Feel cool
  • Smile
  • Enjoy
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Nutrition

Serving: 3Ounces | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 69.7mg | Calcium: 52mg
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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13 Comments

  1. I must yum them all but I believe I am partial to the old fashioned! Although, I must say I love a good melon ball once in while and a nice gin and grapefruit! Lovely, as always Elaine! Cheers!

  2. What a great collection of drinks of drinks. I could actually use one of those Right about now 🙂

  3. My MIL goes for an old fashioned.
    Thanks for sharing this list – I’m fairly boring when it comes to drinking – a soda and a liquor or a juice and a champagne is about as fancy as I get.

    1. Lauren, I’m fairly boring too. Dirty martini. Though, if we have company, I will make more of the fancy ones! 😉

  4. Lovely top 5 Elaine. I love cocktails but I’m not much good in making ones. That’s why I have my hubby who loves to mix things up 😉 I think I’ll just forward him this to his email.

  5. Elaine, are you srs? This blog is AWESOME! I’d love to jump into all of those amazing pictures. Especially the cherry fruit squares look sooo tempting..! Oh my gawd’ 🙂 Or those mini cookie muffins and the open meatball sub! aww.. The pictures you are taking are too delicious. I just started to live on healthy diet plan.. always ate too much chocolate.. and now I found your blog!? Well, well. I may cheat sometimes! May I not? ^^
    So having said that, I’ll definitely try the Manhattan with whiskey soon. I usually drink my whiskey as it is (not the biggest fan of mixed stuff but I’m a loot into whiskey) but since everything looks so “delightful” and tempting.. I think I am gonna try that one 😉
    Thanks!

    1. Hehe. Thank you so much Cedrik! I appreciate the comments. The Manhattan was my mom’s favorite!

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