Just like last year. And the year before that.
Regular old wines and beers are fine for a Thursday night in March, but this is the holiday season. Time to spice things up a bit and try something a bit more unusual.
And there's a lot to discover here.
Business Insider collected a list of outstanding but relatively unknown cocktails that would make a great choice at any holiday celebration.
All you have to do is shake and pour.
Suffering Bastard
The Suffering Bastard was originally created as a hangover cure, hence the name. Although it's more likely to give you hangover than cure one, we still recommend taking a sip.
Ingredients:
- Bourbon
- Gin
- Fresh lime juice
- Angostura bitters
- Ginger liqueur
- Ginger beer
The Vieux Carré comes from 1930s New Orleans. There's a lot going on, but it's an incredible cocktail when properly mixed by a pro.
Ingredients:
- Rye whiskey
- Cognac
- Sweet vermouth
- Bénédictine liqueur
- Peychaud's bitters
- Angostura bitters
We can say with 100% certainty that this will be the only income tax that you'll ever love.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Dry vermouth
- Sweet vermouth
- Orange juice
- Angostura bitters
- Orange twist for garnish
The Martinez came before the Martini. This one's good at any time of day because of its smoothness and sweetness.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Sweet vermouth
- Maraschino liqueur
- Angostura bitter
- Lemon twist for garnish
A French surgeon's unique experiments inspired the drink's name. The drink is well balanced — even gin-haters will enjoy the taste.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Fresh orange juice
- Grenadine
- Absinthe
Here's another New Orleans gem. Henry C. Ramos, the drink's creator, originally demanded that the drink be shaken for 12 minutes. Luckily for everyone, that herculean effort is no longer required.
Ingredients:
- Dry gin
- Simple syrup or super-fine sugar
- Fresh lemon and lime juices
- 1 egg white
- Heavy cream
- 2 or 3 drops orange flower water
Back in the early 1800s, this drink was made with cognac. Nobody knows why, but somewhere along the years this was switched to whiskey. And by 1859, it was dubbed the signature of the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans.
Ingredients:
- Rye whiskey
- Peychaud bitters
- Angostura bitters
- Absinthe
- Sugar cube
- Lemon twist for garnish
The Americano was created in the 1860s, although back then it was called the Milano-Torino. It was in vogue during Prohibition, and so it was later renamed the "Americano."
Ingredients:
- Campari
- Sweet vermouth
- Club soda
- Lemon twist or orange peel for garnish
This is a classic, simple drink. The dominant whiskey and Campari are toned down by the dry vermouth. Experts warn, however, that if you've never had Campari, then you should not make this your first experience.
Ingredients:
- Rye or Canadian whiskey
- Dry vermouth
- Campari
La Paloma is rich, refreshing, and more popular than the margarita in Mexico. Sold.
Ingredients:
- Tequila
- Lime juice
- Pinch of salt
- Grapefruit soda
The Blood and Sand is named after a 1922 film. It's a sweeter cocktail, and some like to sweeten it even more with extra orange juice.
Ingredients:
- Scotch whisky
- Sweet vermouth
- Cherry Heering
- Orange peel
This is the only blue-purple cocktail you should ever drink. The color comes from the Creme de Violette, which adds light floral notes to the gin drink.
Ingredients:
- Dry gin
- Maraschino liqueur
- Fresh lemon juice
- Creme de Violette
This drink is one of the most popular options in Peru and Chile, and it's made of (as the name suggests) pisco, which is an unaged brandy.
Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- Pisco Capel
- Simple syrup
- Fresh lemon (or lime) juice
- Angostura bitters
Gin lovers, rejoice. This one goes back to the heyday of gin cocktails — and while most have gone out of fashion, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 has remained a classic choice.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Cointreau
- Lillet Blanc
- Fresh lemon juice
- A dash of absinthe
"Bijou" means jewel in French. Legend has it that this cocktail was called bijou because the ingredients represent jewels: gin for diamonds, vermouth for rubies, and chartreuse for emeralds.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Sweet vermouth
- Green Chartreuse
- Orange bitters (extra)
This drink predates Prohibition and was originally created at Philadelphia's Bellevue-Stratford, which at the time was a popular hang out "for literary, legal, financial, and business lights."
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Lemon juice
- Raspberry syrup
- 1 egg white
- Sugar
The Hanky Panky originated in at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London. The vermouth and gin play off the Fernet Branca's blend of botanicals.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Sweet vermouth
- Fernet Branca
- Orange twist
This drink was created in 1918, but somewhere during Prohibition the recipe was lost. In one of the greatest beverage comebacks, the drink was rediscovered in 1995 and has since become a favorite.
Ingredients:
- Bourbon
- Cointreau
- Angostura bitters
- Peychaud's bitters
- Champagne
- A flute glass
The Penicillin has been dubbed the "best 21st-century cocktail." It was created by Milk and Honey's Sam Ross.
Ingredients:
- Scotch whisky
- Fresh lemon juice
- Honey-ginger syrup
- Islay single malt Scotch
