IBA (New Era Drinks)

Pisco Sour is a Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of Pisco brandy, lime juice, sugar syrup, and egg whites. The ingredients are shaken with ice and then strained into an old-fashioned glass. The cocktail is traditionally garnished with Amargo Chancho bitters, but Angostura bitters are widely used today. The first Pisco Sour was made in the early 1920s in Lima by an American bartender Victor Vaughn Morris. Today, there is still an ongoing debate about Pisco Sour’s origin, with Peru and Chile both claiming that their nation is the home of the first Pisco. The Chilean version of the cocktail is made with powdered sugar instead of sugar syrup, and their Pisco is typically aged, unlike the Peruvian version. Regardless of the origin, both countries have a national Pisco Sour Day and celebrate it as their specialty beverage.

Vampiro is a Mexican cocktail that's usuall made with a combination of tequila, tomato juice, orange juice, lime juice, salt, pepper, hot chili peppers or hot pepper sauce, and grenadine syrup. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be shaken with ice, then strained into an ice-filled glass with a salted rim. However, as there are numerous variations on the cocktail, it is often made without grenadine, or with pomegranate juice replacing the tomato juice. The name Vampiro (lit. vampire) is a reference to the cocktail’s color, which is reminiscent of blood.

The coral-hued Spritz Veneziano (also known as Aperol Spritz) is one of the most popular aperitif cocktails in Italy. It is made with a combination of prosecco (3 parts), Aperol (2 parts), and a splash of soda water. The drink is traditionally garnished with an orange slice and served in a wine glass with a few ice cubes. The history of Aperol Spritz dates all the way back to the Napoleonic wars of 1805, when the Austrians took local Italian wine and added a spritz (lit. splash) of water into it. Later on, water was replaced by soda water, and wine was replaced with a combination of prosecco and Aperol. The popularity of Aperol Spritz reached its peak in the 2000s, and nowadays it is one of the ideal choices for a light summer drink.

Espresso Martini is a rich and creamy cocktail made with a combination of vodka, espresso, sugar syrup, and coffee liqueur. All ingredients are first mixed in a shaker with ice, and then strained into a Martini glass. There should be a nice froth on top, which is usually garnished with a few coffee beans. This cocktail was invented by Dick Bradsell, a bartending guru, who first named it Vodka Espresso, and then Pharmaceutical Stimulant. He first prepared it at Fred’s Club in the late 1980s for a young model who is now world-famous. Apparently, she wanted something that would "wake her up, and then fuck her up," and what we know today as Espresso Martini was the answer.

Bramble is a spring cocktail that was created by Dick Bradsell in 1984 in London. The cocktail consists of dry gin, lemon juice, sweet blackberry liqueur, sugary syrup, and crushed ice. It is named after blackberry bushes which are commonly referred to as brambles. This refreshing cocktail has a strong aroma of fresh berries such as blackberries or raspberries. It is prepared by stirring ingredients with crushed ice in an old-fashioned glass, then pouring blackberry liqueur over the combination in order to create a marbling effect. Before serving, Bramble is typically garnished with blackberries and a slice of lemon.

Dark 'n' Stormy was invented in Bermuda after World War II by Gosling Brothers Ltd. The cocktail is made with a combination of dark rum and ginger beer. It is a protected trademark of Gosling Brothers Ltd since 1991, so similar drinks are often named Safe Harbor in order to avoid litigation. Dark 'n' Stormy is traditionally prepared by pouring the ingredients over ice in a highball glass that is garnished with a lime wedge.

B-52 is a layered cocktail that was invented in Banff, Canada in 1977, and was allegedly named after the long-range bomber used by the Americans during Vietnam War. It consists of coffee liqueur (usually Mexican Kahlúa), Irish cream (usually Baileys), and Grand Marnier orange liqueur. In some versions, Grand Marnier can be replaced with triple sec, Amaretto, Cointreau, or even absinthe. If prepared correctly, the elements are built in a shot glass, and the layers should be visible, with coffee liqueur on the bottom and orange liqueur on top. The classic B-52 version is served neat in a shot glass, while the variation known as Flaming B-52 usually comes with a top layer of rum, which helps to ignite the flame.

This refreshing cocktail is made with a combination of vodka (preferably of the Citron variety), triple sec, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. To prepare Lemon Drop Martini, all ingredients are shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass. The glass should be rimmed with sugar and garnished with a lemon slice. It is believed that the cocktail was invented in the 1970s by Norman Jay Hobday in San Francisco. Originally, it consisted only of vodka, sugar, and lemon juice, and it was inspired by the lemon drop candy. In the 1990s, Lemon Drop Martini was typically served in a shot glass. Today, there are variations of the cocktail made with blueberry-flavored vodka and raspberry-flavored vodka.

Although some claim that it originated during the 1970s as a classic disco cocktail, the elegant Kamikaze cocktail was probably invented in Tokyo after World War II, during the American occupation of Japan. Kamikaze, which means divine wind in Japanese, is made with equal parts vodka, triple sec (orange liqueur), and freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice. It is often served as an apéritif, straight up in a cocktail glass, typically with a lime or lemon twist. It is recommended to pair Kamikaze with pasta dishes or spicy chicken wings.

Dirty Martini is a Martini variety made with gin and vermouth, with an additional dash of olive juice, brine, or even olive oil, giving a salty-dry flavor to the drink, hence the word dirty in its name. The cocktail is typically served stirred, garnished with an uneven number of olives for good luck.

Vesper or Vesper Martini is a cocktail made with three shots of dry gin, one shot of vodka, and half a shot of Kina Lillet (nowadays known as Lillet Blanc), a dry French vermouth. It was invented by Ian Fleming, when it was mentioned in his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953. In the novel, agent 007 orders it in a deep champagne goblet, well-shaken with ice, and garnished with a large slice of lemon peel. The cocktail is named after a female agent Vesper Lynd, who turned out to be a double agent at the end of the novel.

Tommy’s Margarita is a cocktail made with a combination of tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should simply be shaken, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass. The cocktail was invented in the 1990s by Julio Bermejo at his family’s Mexican restaurant and bar in San Francisco, called Tommy’s, hence the name. In the restaurant, Tommy’s Margarita is traditionally served with tortillas and salsa on the side.