8 Lesser-Known Classic Cocktails to Add to Your Rotation

The cocktail world was a lot different before the early aughts. The height of what’s now known as the “cocktail renaissance” hit between 2003 and 2017, depending on what part of the country you lived in. It was a return to classic techniques, ingredients, and cocktails that paved the way for a new generation of innovative bartenders who have one foot in the past and the other in the modern age.

While this cocktail revival led to myriad contemporary drinks like the gold rush, penicillin, paper plane, and more, it also gave drinkers a thirst for the nuanced, complex flavors of pre-Prohibition cocktails. This includes drinks like the old fashioned, negroni, last word, and others.

But just because there’s a return to classic cocktails doesn’t mean every noteworthy cocktail from the past has made a triumphant return to prominence. For every Manhattan (an essential three-ingredient cocktail) and sazerac, there are a handful of lesser-known drinks from before Prohibition (and after) that deserve more respect.

These are some of the best obscure classic cocktails you should know how to make.

This iconic drink was created in 1898 in Boston at Locke-Ober Café. It was created to celebrate the election of state legislator Martin M. Lomasney, who is known for his political prowess in the city’s Eighth Ward. This complex cocktail is made with a mix of rye whiskey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly squeezed orange juice (which admittedly can be an automatic no for some cocktail fans and bartenders), and grenadine. The result is a nuanced drink that features flavors of peppery, boozy rye, tart, fresh citrus, and sweet, fruity grenadine.

Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add the rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, simple syrup, and grenadine. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a spear of cocktail cherries for the traditional option, though a lemon or orange twist will work in a pinch.

Made with gin, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice, the white lady is a tart, refreshing, summery cocktail for the hottest days of the year. Like many classic cocktails, its history is a bit of a mystery. The most well-known story takes us to 1919. This is when famed bartender and writer Harry MacElhone is believed to have created this drink at Ciro’s Club in London. The original recipe called for crème de menthe. Years later, he created the drink as we know it today when he swapped out the crème de menthe in favor of gin.

Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add the gin, lemon juice, and triple sec. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

First appearing in print in 1928, the story of the Mary Pickford’s creation is a bit murky. While disputed by many, the most common story surrounds 1920s Cuba. This is where the drink was purportedly created to pay tribute to actress Mary Pickford. This fruity, tropical drink is simply made with white rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur. If you’re a fan of tropical, rum-based drinks, you’ll love this timeless classic.

Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add white rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

If you’re a fan of the classic martini, you’ll love this elegant take on the popular cocktail. In the simplest terms, it’s the same drink with the proportions inverted (as well as the inclusion of orange bitters). Instead of the gin, the dry vermouth takes center stage. Named for the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, this drink first appeared in the hotel’s cocktail book in 1931.

Preparation: In an ice-filled mixing glass, add old Tom gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters. Stir gently to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

This uniquely named cocktail was created in the 1920s by famed bartender and writer Harry MacElhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Also known as Voronoff’s technique, this drink was named for the pseudo-scientific idea of adding tissue from monkey testicles to human testicles to help slow the aging process. The drink itself consists of gin, orange juice, grenadine, and absinthe. What do those ingredients have to do with monkey testicles? I have no idea.

Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add the gin, orange juice, grenadine, and absinthe. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Like many pre-Prohibition cocktails, the definitive story of how the bee’s knees was created is hazy. It came into existence in the early 1900s, and many believe it was created by a bartender named Frank Meier at the Ritz in Paris in 1921. This simple, elegant, flavorful drink is made with gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and honey syrup (hence the name).

Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add the gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and honey syrup. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Bijou is a sometimes-forgotten drink that you need to add to your home bartending repertoire. While it’s believed to have been created in the late 1800s, its originator isn’t known. What we do know is that well-known bartender and writer Harry Johnson included it in the 1900 edition of the Bartender’s Manual. The drink is made with gin, sweet vermouth, Chartreuse, and bitters.

Preparation: In an ice-filled mixing glass, add the gin, sweet vermouth, green Chartreuse, and orange bitters. Stir gently to combine. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry or lemon twist.

While the year isn’t known, the hanky panky was created in the early 1900s by a bartender named Ada Coleman at the Savoy Hotel’s American Bar in London. She made the drink for an actor named Sir Charles Hawtrey. When he sipped it he referred to it as a “hanky panky” of a drink and the name stuck. This take on the Martinez is made with London dry gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca.

Preparation: Add ice to a mixing glass. Pour in the London dry gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca. Stir the ingredients gently to combine. Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish the drink with an orange peel.