I don’t know about you all, but like regional cuisines, I associate different cocktails and types of alcohol with different places. If I was going to order a Cosmopolitan (which I never have, and honestly, probably never will), I’d do it in New York. When I went to Amsterdam, I mostly drank Heineken. When in Rome, right? You get it. So, I thought it’d be fun to do some more in-depth research about cities all over the world that have signature drinks. Without further ado, here are some of my favorites.
London: Pimm’s Cup
Based on my experience, this is the Long Island Iced Tea of Great Britain. Pimm’s is the name of the actual liquor, and it’s mixed with all kinds of fruity things and other types of alcohol (like gin) to create a deceptively strong cocktail. Pimm’s is one of the two staple drinks at Wimbledon, and popular at British polo matches.
Paris: French 75
This cocktail is as French-y as it gets: gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup are delicately mixed and topped with Champagne. This drink is pretty simple to make at home, but I’m pretty sure it tastes best with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Singapore: Singapore Sling
I can never say no to a pink drink! Invented at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 1915, this cocktail is a twist on a gin sling and is made with gin, cherry liqueur, Dom Benedictine, Cointreau, pineapple and lime juice.
New Orleans: Sazerac
Some believe this is America’s oldest cocktail, and it’s a staple in New Orleans culture. In 2008, a Louisiana state senator tried to designate the Sazerac as the state’s official cocktail. Though the bill was initially defeated, it passed several months later. I’ll drink to that!
Rio de Janiero: Caipirinha
Brazil’s national cocktail is made with just cachaca (similar to white rum), sugar, and lime. This drink was introduced to me by a Brazilian exchange student when I was in college. They warned me that it’s easy to forget how strong they are, andnd he was right! These go down like lemonade.
Dublin: Guinness
I know, this one seems obvious. But Guinness is an Irish icon! The stuff is over 250 years old, and is the best-selling drink in Ireland. This dry stout is famous for a rich, almost-black body and frothy head. Slainte!
Barcelona: Sangria
Ok, Sangria is popular all over Spain (and cheaper than Coca Cola), and it is so damn good. Sangria is one of my favorite big-batch drinks to bring to parties since it’s cheap to make and tastes like fruit punch, but in Barcelona, it’s especially delicious.
Havana: Mojito
Cuba is high on my wanderlust list, and I regularly daydream about sipping a minty, lime-y mojito at an open-air bar in Havana, the alleged birthplace of this spritzy drink. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was especially fond of the mojito, and he consumed them regularly at La Bodeguita del Medio.
