Movies and television have inspired cultural trends for decades, from fashion to language and music. With “The Great Gatsby“ premiering in a few weeks, we’ve scoured the adult beverage scene, and taken a look at cocktails that have been made famous by Hollywood — and where you can get them.
French 75 – “Casablanca”
Paris, France
A torrid love affair, a fearful time in history, a few tortured souls and a swanky nightclub are just some of what make “Casablanca“ a motion picture masterpiece. Recreate your own Hollywood classic with the French 75, an effervescent mix of gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar. Said to have been first conceived at the New York Bar in Paris in 1915, the French 75 has inspired many contemporary derivatives since its inception. For those looking for the original, head to the City of Light where the New York Bar (now called Harry’s New York Bar) still stands or find the French 75 at other historic treasures like The Hemingway Bar.
Vodka Martini – James Bond Movies
London, England
Many martini purists will tell you a true martini is made with gin, not vodka, but those three words — shaken, not stirred — have transformed modern-day martini culture. A proper vodka martini, made up of vodka and dry vermouth, isn’t difficult to concoct depending on your preference of the vodka-to-vermouth ratio, but if you find yourself in London, quench your martini thirst at the world-famous ICEBAR. The ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL London has a chilly twist on the vodka martini, and it is also home to a unique, glacial-inspired setting made up entirely of ice. As London’s only year-round ice bar, you’ll be able to enjoy your vodka martini at a frosty -5 degrees Celsius no matter what the temperature is outside.
Red Eye – “Cocktail”
Tokyo, Japan
The haughty bartending skills of New York business student Brian Flanagan were center stage in 1988’s “Cocktail,” where Tom Cruise made mixology look sexy, cool and a little reckless. But with many great cocktails comes the danger of a great hangover, and the movie’s signature cocktail Red Eye was the cure for just that. A stomach-churning mix of beer, tomato juice and egg, it might be difficult to find this beverage today (and probably for good reason). But, if you’re determined to find a perfect beer-and-tomato-juice combination, we suggest trying your luck in Tokyo where many bars have taken the “beer-cocktail” to a whole new level, like the Yankee Stadium beverage at Park Hyatt Tokyo.
Old Fashioned – “Mad Men”
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Before Don Draper hit the television screen, an Old Fashioned might have been something you only saw your grandfather enjoy. A sugar cube dissolved in bitters, mixed with bourbon whiskey and garnished with a cherry and orange, this classic cocktail has seen a recent revival thanks to the popularity of “Mad Men,” the television series based on the advertising industry during the 1960s. And, if whiskey bourbon is the key component of this concoction, then Kentucky is the place to get the best. Check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for distillery tours, or if you just want to bar hop, don’t miss the Urban Bourbon Trail where you can visit the best bars and restaurants in Louisville.
Cosmopolitan – “Sex and the City”
San Francisco, California, United States
The origin of the Cosmopolitan is difficult to trace, but there’s no doubt that its popularity skyrocketed thanks to its status as the beverage of choice for “Sex and the City” girls Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. And while New York City seems the perfect place to indulge in this sweet and citrus-y cocktail, most signs point to San Francisco as being the first city to put it on the map. There are also accounts of the cocktail being invented in Miami, but it’s rumored that San Francisco elevated the elements from overly sweet to a fresh, light and slightly tangy version — but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
Mai Tai – “Blue Hawaii”
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Before Strawberry Daiquiris and Piña Coladas were the go-to beverage for vacationers, the Mai Tai dominated the tropical island drinking scene. Although the name sounds like it came from the exotic islands of Polynesia, it is said to have been first invented in California. In the early 1950s it made its way to Hawaii, along with Elvis, and travelers looking for a tropical concoction couldn’t seem to get enough. It still remains a staple at most bars across the Hawaiian Islands, and although the cocktail is generally made of rum, orange curacao and lime, the versions and interpretations are endless.
White Russian – “The Big Lebowski”
Reykjavik, Iceland
Before the White Russian made its debut as the preferred drink for The Dude, it was the Black Russian that started it all. Equal parts vodka and coffee liqueur, the Black Russian hit the cocktail scene in the early 1950s, and, by the 1960s, it had been transformed by adding milk or cream and became the beloved White Russian. Today, the varieties of White Russians are seemingly endless, but for those looking to sample them all, there’s no better place than the Lebowski Bar in Reykjavik, Iceland where you can enjoy more than 17 versions of the drink while paying homage to the much-loved cult classic film.
Manhattan – “Some Like It Hot”
New York, New York, United States
While “Some Like It Hot” has been deemed by many film critics as the greatest comedy of all time, there’s nothing light-hearted about its signature cocktail – the Manhattan. A blend of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters, it’s a beverage best left to those who can handle their liquor. It’s believed that the drink first appeared in New York City in the 1870s at the exclusive Manhattan club, for which it is named. Since its inception, the Manhattan has inspired many derivatives of the cocktail, like the Rob Roy, the Cuban Manhattan and the Southern Manhattan. Today, the best mixologists have perfected every aspect of it from the ratio of whiskey to vermouth, to the type of cherry that gets to garnish it.
Mojito – “Miami Vice”
Havana, Cuba
Although the Mojito, favored beverage of “Miami Vice’s” Detective Sonny Crocket, only became popular among cocktail drinkers in recent decades, it can be traced as a staple of Cuban culture as far back at the late 1500s. A true mojito takes vigorous muddling of lime, sugar and mint, a large amount of rum and a splash or soda water. It was in Cuba at the La Bodeguita del Medio where Ernest Hemingway wrote on the wall of the bar “My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in La Floridita.” The original La Bodeguita del Medio still stands in Havana today, but if traveling to Cuba is out of the question, the bar has expanded with locations across the globe.
Singapore Sling – “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
Singapore
If the name isn’t enough of a cautionary message, the fact that it was a favorite beverage of Dr. Gonzo and Raoul Duke in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” should be. This deliciously sweet and fruity beverage was the brainchild of Raffles Hotel Singapore and is thought to have been invented before 1915. While the recipe has been altered over the years, a true Singapore Sling consists of gin, cherry liqueur, orange liqueur, Benedictine, grenadine, bitters and pineapple juice. The Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel Singapore still stands today and continues to serve the beverage it has become famous for.
(Main image: Lomo-Cam)
