Margarita, Mojito or Aperol Spritz? Classic cocktails ranked ahead of bar reopenings
From a classic Martini to a zesty Margarita – cocktails never seem to wane in popularity. When pubs and bars begin reopening next Saturday, they will be many people’s drink of choice as they catch up with friends and family.
But during lockdown cocktail fans have had to become their own bartenders by learning how to whip up a tasty drink ourselves.
Google received more than 9,800 requests for recipes during the first month of lockdown alone as people searched the web for inspiration.
Accord to a recent report by Scenic Cruises & Tours, which analysed the data, online searches for cocktails have increased by more than 600 per cent since the end of March.
The researchers delved deeper into our drinking habits to discover which blends would make the list of the world’s favourite cocktail recipes.
And they’ve crowned the Espresso Martini as the UK’s favourite cocktail, with around 90,500 searches every month. Reputedly originating in London in the 1980s, this smooth, dark cocktail is surprisingly refreshing, offering the perfect post-meal pick-me-up. And it seems UK cocktail lovers agree – with the Espresso Martini garnering over 30,000 more monthly searches than its nearest rival, the classic Margarita.
What’s perhaps most surprising about list is the appearance of Aperol Spritz in the number five spot, ahead of classics like Martini and Bloody Mary. Originating from 1920s Italy, this refreshing blend is the go-to aperitif for a sunny summer’s afternoon, perfectly capturing the ‘la dolce vita’ of the iconic Amalfi Coast.
As expected the Aperol Spritz proved to be Europe’s most talked about cocktail, pipping Mojito and Martini to the post as the continent’s favourite blend. This Italian aperitif was the most searched cocktail in 20 European countries, including Germany, France, Norway and Poland.
On the world stage, the Mojito emerged as the most talked about cocktail, being a national favourite in some 60 countries – from Belgium to Croatia, Gabon to Jamaica. And the Aperol Spritz proved almost as popular around the globe, coming in second place on our list.
Elsewhere, a couple of left-field cocktails snuck into the top 10, including the Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil, and the Boilermaker, a beer-based cocktail that’s popular in several African nations. This is surprising, given that some popular cocktails here in the UK didn’t make the list, including the Espresso Martini and the Long Island Iced Tea.
“Classic cocktails are so much more than just a simple blend of spirit, mixer and ice,” says Sarah Lancashire, brand manager at Scenic Cruises and Tours.
“When you begin to explore the origins and history of the world’s best-loved blends, some fascinating stories and traditions emerge – from the birth of the Margarita in the 1930s to the creation of Aperol Spritz in 1920s Italy.
“From Martini to Negroni, many of the world’s favourite cocktails have been passed down through the generations – their unique recipes spreading across the globe. Today, whether you travel to France, Italy, Japan or Austria, you’ll discover that cocktail preferences differ from country to country, with some classic blends beloved in some places and unheard of elsewhere.
“This is what makes sampling cocktails on your travels such a wonderful way to get a taste for local flavours and traditions.
“As part of our research into the world’s favourite cocktails, we wanted to find out just how widely cocktail preferences vary from place to place, and what this says about regional tastes and flavours. In the UK, for example, cocktails like the Espresso Martini, Mojito and Piña Colada ranked above classics like Aperol Spritz –despite this being the most popular cocktail in Europe, and the second-most prevalent blend in the world,” she explains.
To see the full research go to www.scenic.co.uk/news/the-worlds-favourite-cocktails-revealed
