Lustau Solera Standout 2026 Top 50
Words by Simon Difford
From bone-dry Fino to luscious Pedro Ximénez, Lustau's sherries offer bartenders an exceptional palette of flavours. Add the bodega's acclaimed brandies and vermouths, including category-defining Lustau Vermut Rosé, and the creative possibilities are vast. The judges' selection of the 50 best cocktails reflects that remarkable diversity.
Many thanks to all the bartenders who contributed recipes. Judging continues, and the TOP 15 Finalists will be announced on Friday 14 August 2026.
Second Breakfast
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Double strain into a frozen Nick & Nora. Garnish with the lemon twist expressing the oils over
Cortaburma (Cutting Through the Mist)
A bright, low-ABV tropical cocktail where oxidative sherry, warm spice and fresh citrus meet rich orgeat. It opens vibrant and gently sweet before evolving
Ione
This cocktail uses the bones of a French 75 style cocktail with manzanilla to showcase the fruity notes that cocktail tomatoes provide. The Mediterranean
Common Thread
Nose: bright lemon oils, walnut, gentle spice, subtle oak Palate: orchard fruit, orange peel, citrus, baking spices, walnut Finish: Long lingering dark
Desert Flor
Take a trip from Mexico to the bodegas of Lustau with me and my cocktail, Desert Flor. With dill as the method of travel, sip on the mineral deliciousness
Red Flag
A delicate, fresh, sweet and sour cocktail with floral and fruity notes but also with a hint of bitterness on the back palate!
Grandma’s Baking
Notes of vanilla, lime, nuttiness. Creamy, thick texture. Lime aromatics from zest. Tonka bean tincture made by sous vide tonka beans in overproof vodka.
Second Draw
A spirit-forward, elegantly dry cocktail showcasing Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos at its core. London Dry Gin adds structure, dry vermouth lifts the aromatics,
Sherry's Silks
Wanted to create a simple sherry cocktail that has a long, layered, lingering finish that begs for Jamon Iberico as well as Kentucky Country Ham.
Flor de Mar y Tierra
Orange oil and zest lift aromas of toasted nuts, fig, and dried fruit. Amontillado brings hazelnut and caramel, East India adds raisin, date, and spice.
Creoli
Creoli combines Manzanilla sherry, unaged rhum agricole, Grand Marnier and Orange Angostura bitters. Dry and elegant, it opens with saline notes and fresh
Caliza
1. Sir all ingredients with ice. 2. Fine strain into glass Garnish: 1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove one long, thin strip of grapefruit peel. Try to
Where Flor Begins
A delicate and mineral cocktail inspired by the white albariza soils of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Built around Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa, it enhances its
Old Seville
This spirit forward cocktail features notes of roasted nuts, bitter and sweet oranges, vanilla, and a hint of spice that dances on the palate. Designed
La Sobremesa
Rich notes of dried fruit, caramel, and toasted nuts are lifted with a touch of coffee and bright citrus. Smooth and balanced, the finish is warm but bright,
Rio Vidal
A rich and complex variation on an Old Fashioned highlighting the elegant, nutty flavors of Lustau Brandy de Jerez and soft citrus of blood orange.
