Good cocktails are created from countless combinations, combining the most unexpected flavors, ingredients and aromas.

The result is often delicious, refined and sophisticated iced drinks, enjoyed by a wide range of cultures around the world.

And with so many options that please people from all countries, menus with good cocktails need to be reviewed and updated with some frequency and especially contain the most popular options.

To help you with this mission, we've put together a list of great cocktails in this article for you to add to your establishment and please your customers' palates.

Come with us and update your drinks menu with the most famous drinks in the world !

Do you know what the IBA (International Bartenders Association) is?

The International Bartenders Association (IBA) is the International Bartenders Association, founded on February 24, 1951, in England.

At the beginning, they had 7 founding members, from places such as: Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

By 1976, the IBA had flourished and had recruited 23 new members, with a membership of 30 countries.

Currently, the association has 64 members to reinforce the mission of connecting, educating and inspiring bartenders across the globe.

Thus, the IBA represents bartenders from all countries, in addition to registering and officializing cocktails, from classics to those that have emerged over time.

They are also responsible for promoting an event that takes place every year, with two competitions, namely:

• the World Cocktail Competition (WCC) to award the best new cocktail;
• the World Flairtending Competition (WFC) to reward the best performance in acrobatic cocktail making.

In other words, the IBA is a global non-profit organization focused on bartenders and passionate people who value the traditions and heritage of the beverage industry.

What are the cocktail categories according to the IBA?

In 1960, the IBA formed a committee to codify a limited number of drinks internationally, based on the most popular cocktails served by bartenders in each country.

A year after this committee was formed, they released the first official IBA Cocktail List with 50 cocktails.

Since then, this list has been a fundamental reference point for bar professionals.

In addition, it recognizes the most requested recipes, those used in the world's most important bars, and those most used over the years.

Generally speaking, official IBA cocktails are divided into three categories: unforgettable, contemporary classics, and new-age drinks.

Below, check out which drinks fit into each category!

Unforgettable

Good cocktails that fall into the unforgettable category are those with classic recipes, as the IBA itself describes, " they represent the Bible of mixed drinks origins with consolidated worldwide distribution." They are:

Alexander

American

Angel Face

Aviation

Between the Sheets

Boulevardier

Brandy Crusta

Casino

Clover Club

Daiquiri

Dry Martini

Gin Fizz

Hanky Panky

John Collins

Last Word

Manhattan

Martinez

Mary Pickford

Monkey Gland

Negroni

Old Fashioned

Paradise

Planter's Punch

Porto flip

Ramos Fizz

Rusty Nail

Sazerac

Sidecar

Stinger

Tuxedo

Old Carré

Whiskey sour

White Lady

Contemporary Classics

Good cocktails in the contemporary classics category are new takes on classics. Check them out below!

Bellini

Black Russian

Bloody Mary

Caipirinha

Champagne Cocktail

Corpse Reviver #2

Cosmopolitan

Cuba Libre

French 75

French Connection

Golden Dream

Grasshopper

Hemingway Special

Horse's Neck

Irish Coffee

Kir

Long Island Iced Tea

Mai Tai

Margarita

Mimosa

Mint Julep

Mojito

Moscow mule

Piña colada

Pisco Sour

Sea-Breeze

Sex on the Beach

Singapore Sling

Tequila Sunrise

Vesper

Zombie

New Age Drinks

Finally, good new-age cocktails are those that are modern and updated by bartenders of our generation. According to the IBA, these drinks are revolutionary and spectacular.

Curious to know what they are? Check out the list below!

Barracuda

Bee's Knees

Bramble

Canchanchara

Dark 'N' Stormy

Espresso Martini

Fernandito

French Martini

Illegal

Lemon Drop Martini

Naked and Famous

New York Sour

Old Cuban

Paloma

Paper Plane

Penicillin

Russian Spring Punch

Southside

Spicy Fifty

Spritz

Suffering Bastard

Tipperary

Tommy's Margarita

Trinidad Sour

Wind

Yellow Bird

Discover the most famous cocktails in the world

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon carries a mysterious and uncertain history.

It is speculated that it was created in Prague, in the Czech Republic and that its name was inspired by the classic Afternoon Session, the film Blue Lagoon, and its natural color, coming from Blue Curaçao.

Tequila

Tequila, as its name suggests, stands out among good cocktails.

This is because the meaning of the word is "mountain of fire" and it received this name from the Tequilis Indians, inhabitants of the Tequila region, in Mexico, who lived near a volcano.

This particular drink is made from the Blue Agave plant, which takes about 8 to 12 years to be ready and extracted.

Currently, we have several types of tequila, which vary in color, aroma, flavor and alcohol content .

Dry Martini

It's impossible to talk about good cocktails and not mention the Dry Martini, one of the most glamorous drinks we have.

Its fame and sophistication were largely due to the film “Casino Royale”, in which the Dry Martini was the favorite drink of none other than James Bond.

Although there are many variations, the classic recipe for this cocktail contains only London Dry Gin, Dry Vermouth, and an olive skewered on a toothpick to garnish the drink.

Margarita

The well-known Margarita is on the list of good cocktails, being a favorite among women.

This classic is based on a tequila drink and, although it is very beautiful visually, it is quite strong.

Mojito

Born in Cuba, the Mojito is a mix of refreshing, citrusy and sweet flavors.

There is also the flavor of mint, which is very present on the palate of those who try it.

This makes the Mojito one of the best cocktails for any season.

Cosmopolitan

Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw is responsible for all of Cosmopolitan's fame.

Between her passions, shopping and adventures in New York, she would often order a glass of Cosmopolitan during the series.

This gave the drink the reputation of being a feminine and sophisticated drink, as well as being considered perfect for people who love fashion and are modern (just like Carrie).

Piña Colada

Tropical and exotic is the perfect definition for Piña Colada.

This Caribbean beach classic has a sweet flavor, often considered overly sweet.

And this happens thanks to its composition with condensed milk, coconut milk and pineapple, in addition to Bacardi rum or vodka and ice.

Sex on the Beach

Although Sex on the Beach is one of the good cocktails that is also sweet, its mild flavor still dominates the palate of those who try it.

Although its origins are also mysterious, like those of the Blue Lagoon, it is believed that Sex on the Beach originated in the 90s, in a bar called TGI Friday's.

Bloody Mary

Loved and hated, Bloody Mary has a large following of fans and haters.

But regardless, this drink is a classic, with a distinctive flavor due to its unusual ingredients, such as:

• pepper;
• Worcestershire sauce;
• tomato juice;

The result of this flavor is a bit curious, don't you agree?

And what's more, the recipe also includes:

• vodka;
• lemon juice;
• salt;
• tabasco.

Cuba Libre

This is another drink on the list of good cocktails that originated in Cuba.

The story goes that it emerged in 1898, at the end of the Cuban War of Liberation.

In this scenario, Captain Russell, an American, asked for a shot of rum to mix with the soda he had in his hand and, as he mixed it, he shouted to the troops "Cuba Libre!"

Since then, his recipe has only used white rum, Coca-Cola and a slice of lime.

Pisco Sour

Pisco is a very common grape brandy in Peru, which opens up a range of options for making different drinks.

The Pisco Sour drink is a symbol of both Chile and Peru and, when tasted, it reveals itself to be a drink that is half sweet and half sour, yet light and refreshing.

Caipirinha

Finally, we have our Brazilian caipirinha on the list of good cocktails.

Created in the interior of São Paulo in 1918, this drink has become one of the symbols of drinks in our country.

It's no wonder that tourists come to Brazil and immediately want to try caipirinha, just as they want to taste feijoada.

The recipe is straightforward, you just need cachaça, lemon, sugar and ice!

Do you enjoy good cocktails? What's your favorite? Tell us!

Conclusion

In this article, we introduce the International Bartenders Association (IBA), an association focused on bartenders and people who are passionate about and value the traditions and heritage of the beverage industry.

With her committee, she is responsible for categorizing cocktails, dividing them into unforgettable, contemporary classics, and new-age drinks.

With that in mind, our mission was to help you update your menu with great cocktails, in addition to the most popular ones.

So, we also present a list of the most popular cocktails in the world, such as the Blue Lagoon, Dry Martini, Margarita, Mojito, Cosmopolitan and much more!

We hope that with our post, you can update your establishment's cocktail menu and offer a more diverse range of drinks to your customers!