Cocktail Hall of Fame

M & M

Deliciously simple, boozy, vaguely Negroni-like, very tasty and perfect for late-night sipping.

Maple Old Fashioned

A spirit-forward sipper that's rich and easy with bourbon mellowed and sweetened by maple syrup.

Mai Tai (Trader Vic's) Cocktail

We love Daiquiris and this is basically a classic Daiquiri with a few bells and whistles.

Man O' War

Zingy, sweet and sour, fruity and bourbon-laced. The sugar syrup is my own addition and depending on your lemons and tastes you may want to either omit

Manhattan Perfect

The medium-dry version of the classic Manhattan cocktail.

Manhattan Sweet

I must confess to preferring my Manhattans served Sweet, or Perfect at a push. The Manhattan is complex, challenging and moreish. Best of all, it's available

Margarita (Picador) Straight-up

If desired, for the perfect salt rim you can liquidise or grind sea salt to make it finer, then run a cut slice of lime (or orange) around the outside

Margarita On-the-rocks

This is how we prefer our margaritas to be served. Tangy citrus and tequila with a hint of balancing sweetness and a faint salty undertone. We also prefer

Margarita Frozen

Citrus freshness with the subtle agave of tequila served frozen.

Martinez

Medium dry, rounded and superbly complex. Your choice of genever will make or break this fabulous cocktail - choose with care. I prefer a combination of

Mary Pickford

When made correctly, this pale-pink cocktail has a perfect balance between the fruit flavours and the spirit of the rum.

Metropole

I've slightly tweaked this recipe from the original by adding a spoon of sugar syrup as it cried out for it but, even with my added touch of sweetness,

Mexican Firing Squad Special

Tequila dominates this lightly citrusy fairly dry classic. The bitters play a key role in both balance and flavour. It's worth noting that this drink

Mexican Mule

As the name suggests, this is a tequila-based version of the Moscow Mule - simple as that. And very tasty.

Mezcal Margarita

A smokin' Margarita. Depending on your palate, you may want to vary the amount of agave syrup – from 2.5ml or even no agave syrup for dry palates to

Michelada

Savoury, sweet n sour beer with enlivening chilli heat. On a hot day, if a beer is not refreshing enough, then a Michelada may hit the spot.

Midnight Stinger

Just enjoyed a hearty meal? Well, this digestivo is just the ticket. If you're not accustomed to the taste of fernet then the first couple of sips may

Milano Torino (Mi-To)

The drink that led to both the Negroni and the Americano. Pause and enjoy its simplicity before progressing.

Mimosa

Great when made with freshly squeezed orange juice, this cocktail is very similar to the Buck's Fizz, which tends to have a higher proportion of champagne.

Mint Julep

This superb drink is better if the shaker and its contents are placed in the refrigerator for several hours prior to mixing with ice. This allows the mint

Missionary's Downfall

Recipes for this venerable Tiki classic vary enormously and are often confused with the Aku Aku which this drink morphed into at the hands of its creator,

Mizuwari

This is simply whisky and water, but as with the Japanese tea ceremony, observing the time and care taken over it making and the prolonged anticipation

Mojito

When well made, this Cuban cousin of the Mint Julep is one of the world's greatest and most refreshing cocktails.

Monkey Gland

I've added the merest touch of sugar to the classic recipe and a dash more absinthe to make this old-school cocktail pop. However, approach with caution,

Monte Carlo

When served straight-up the Monte Carlo fits into the Scaffa family of cocktails but it's much better and more usually served on-the-rocks, so best described

Morning Glory Fizz

This classic, sour and aromatic cocktail is traditionally considered a morning after a pick-me-up / rejuvenative 'hair-of-the-dog'.

Moscow Mule

The vodka drink with a kick is simply vodka and ginger beer with a squeeze of lime served over ice. This drink's all-important enlivening spice is provided

Naked & Famous

Salmon pink in colour. Mezcal adds earthy smoky complexity to this bittersweet, citrusy fresh, aperitivo Last Word riff. And indeed, getting naked can

Negroni

Glowing red, the Negroni manages to be both sophisticated and simple at the same time and is definitely for a grown-up palate - for many it's simply too

Negroni Sbagliato

This lighter styled Negroni has some bitterness but lacks the gin punch and character of the original Negroni.

New York Sour

A classic bourbon-based Whiskey Sour made more interesting – both visually and in flavour by the addition of a float of red wine. Egg white is not classically

Nuclear Daiquiri

A great way to inflict mutually assured destruction, although there will be fallout the morning after.

Oaxaca Old-Fashioned

An agave-based old-fashioned with a wonderful hit of smokiness from the mezcal. Like many cocktails, Philip's original recipe (of 45 ml Reposado tequila,

Old Cuban

A luxurious, minty Daiquiri topped with a splash of champagne.

Old Friend

Tart, dry and lightly bitter, but with just enough underlying sweetness to stroke the palate and make another sip so very desirable – a complex, bittersweet

Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail

Achieving the right dilution and a good chill are essential to the enjoyment of this sublime classic.

Old Pal

Classically an equal parts three-ingredient cocktail comprising: 30ml rye, 30ml bitter liqueur and 30 ml dry vermouth. This produces an overly dry bittersweet

Orange Daiquiri

Exactly as it says on the tin: a classic Daiquiri with a fruity splash of freshly squeezed orange juice.