What Makes The Best Cocktail? Gin, Vodka, Whisky?

Hello dear reader. If you clicked on this link, you’re probably familiar with the word ‘cocktail‘ and might even have a favourite cocktail or two of your own. That being said, have you ever wondered what liquor goes best for making cocktails?

Gin, vodka, whisky. 3 different spirits each possessing their own strengths and I would say weaknesses for the sake of the sentence sounding nice but I personally love them all equally… Maybe 2 of them slightly more than the other.

Nevertheless, I’ve gotta admit that all 3 of the aforementioned liquors have the potential to make some unbelievably delicious cocktails when mixed with the right ingredients.

On the topic of which is best… I really can’t say, but I’m gonna list down 2 fairly easy-to-make cocktails each for gin, vodka and whisky then you, dear reader, will hopefully be able to gauge which among the three is the most suitable choice for your cocktails.

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Gin

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Oh sweet, mouth-watering gin. There’s something about clear spirits which just goes so well when mixed into a cocktail. Additionally, my favourite cocktail (or the one whose name just sticks out for me) is gin-based as well. It’s called the:

1. Negroni

The beauty about gin-based drinks is that most of them are fairly easy to make and don’t require such a handful of ingredients. The key to making them right however, lies within how much of each ingredient you incorporate into your cocktail.

• Ingredients:
  • 25ml gin of your choice
  • 25ml sweet vermouth
  • 25ml Campari
  • 1 thin slice of orange

Firstly, Pour the gin, vermouth and Campari over ice in your favourite rocks glass. Stir well until you’ve achieved your desired taste. Afterwards, take your orange peel and squeeze its zest into the mix then wedge it onto your glass’ rim as a garnish.

Taste-wise it’s pretty hit or miss, just like gin. I personally found out about negronis by simply requesting for “The strongest drink on the menu.” and countless times, the Negroni is what I’d be served.

2. Gin and Tonic

Is there anything more classic than the combination of G&T? The harmonious mix of these ingredients has roots stretching back to the 1700s but was apparently made famous during the British occupation of India in the early 19th century.

• Ingredients:
  • Ice cubes
  • A big copa glass (if you don’t have one just use any tall glass available, even a rocks glass would work)
  • Tonic water
  • Your favourite garnish

Keep in mind that it’s important to use one part gin to two parts tonic. Just like the Negroni, simply pour your ingredients into a glass over ice. Afterwards, add your garnish of choice but citrusy fruits blend amazingly well with this cocktail.

Furthermore, the G&T is best served stirred, not shaken in spite of what James Bond would have you believe. If you’re just getting into gin, I recommend going for this cocktail before trying out the Negroni as its taste would be much palatable than the former.

Vodka

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Undeniably the most versatile of the three spirits in terms of the amount of cocktails you could produce with it, vodka has always been a staple liquor in mixology simply because… well, it just works. Let’s kick things off with:

1. Vodka Martini

Ah, the vodka martini. While shunned by ‘martini purists‘ (yeah, that’s a thing) who believe that a martini should be gin-based instead of vodka, this rendition of the martini, whether pure or blasphemous, simply tastes amazing.

• Ingredients
  • 60ml vodka
  • 1 tbsp dry vermouth
  • Olive or lemon peel, to garnish

Stir the vodka, dry vermouth and a bit of ice together or throw them into a cocktail shaker to mix really well. Next, pour the liquid through a strainer and into a chilled martini glass. Finish it off with an olive on a cocktail stick or a twist of lemon peel.

I like to keep it simple with this variation of the vodka martini, but for those of you feeling a little more adventurous, this cocktail is highly customisable. You could make everything from a chocolate vodka martini to something a little more fruity. Sky’s the limit.

2. Sex On The Beach

While this isn’t necessarily the first cocktail I’d order at a bar or club (if at all), I figured this list needed a little bit of colour and something our female readers could try to make for themselves (not saying this is a ‘girl’s drink’, alcohol is for everyone to enjoy).

• Ingredients
  • Ice cubes
  • 50ml vodka
  • 25ml peach schnapps
  • 2 oranges, juiced, and 2 slices to garnish
  • 50ml cranberry juice (or something similar)
  • Cherries, to garnish (optional)

To begin, fill up two tall glasses with ice cubes. Next, pour your vodka, peach schnapps and juice into a large jug then stir well. After doing this, Serve the mixture in the two glasses and stir gently to mix them. To finish, garnish your cocktail with cherries, orange slices or both.

Clearly the most difficult cocktail on our little list so far, I assure you that the effort needed to concoct this delicious drink would be completely worth it once you’re done making it. And with that out of the way, let’s move on to our next and final liquor:

Whisky

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Personally, I’m not much of a fan of whiskey-based cocktails because:

1. Whisky’s amazing as is so cocktails don’t really come to mind when I’m craving it.
2. Whisky-based cocktails are probably the hardest to make out of all 3 of the aforementioned spirits.

Either way, this list is meant to help you determine whether gin, vodka or whisky is best for making cocktails. And I intend to provide the guidance I promised. These two cocktails are somewhat easy to make and should taste great if made right.

1. Old Fashioned

An Old Fashioned is one of the most classic whisky-based cocktails that is still enjoyed by many around the world today. As simple as this drink may look, never could I have imagined the sheer amount of ingredients that goes into making one of these.

• Ingredients
  • 2 tsp sugar syrup or 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Splash of water
  • 60ml Scotch whisky or bourbon
  • Orange Slice
  • Soda water (optional)
  • Maraschino Cherry (optional)

Begin by putting the sugar, bitters and water in a small tumbler. Mix until the sugar dissolves if using granulated. Next, fill your glass up with ice and stir in the whisky.

If you want some fizz in your old fashioned, mix in a splash of soda water then finish off with your orange slice and or cherry to garnish. Bear in mind, both these parts, except for adding in the orange are completely optional.

2. Whisky Highball

Finally we’ve reached the last cocktail of the list. The Highball is a staple of whisky-based cocktails and I’ve been told that it also makes a good drink to pair with food. Here’s how to make one:

• Ingredients
  • 50ml whisky
  • 100-150ml sparkling water
  • strip of lemon zest
  • 2-3 mint leaves (optional)
  • ice

Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the whisky and then add the sparkling water. Drop in the lemon zest to garnish and the mint leaves if using. Stir in a gentle folding motion to combine the flavours.

And there you have it dear readers, 2 different cocktails for 3 different spirits. As for which is best? That’s up for you to decide!

Don’t be afraid to unlock your inner mixologist and try making these cocktails for yourselves. Only then will you be able to answer with confidence the question of which liquor makes the best cocktails.

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