Cocktail of the Day
30th of January 2026

Today is Franklin Roosevelt's birthday, so we are drinking a Roosevelt Martini.

Brandy Alexander

This after-dinner classic is rich, creamy and subtly chocolaty.

Intimate Martini

Sweet apricot dried and balanced by vermouth and bitters. Surprisingly complex and pleasant.

Prosperity

A Scotch whisky Sidecar. I've trimmed back the citrus from the classic proportions to allow the whisky to shine.

Hoopla

Not far removed from a Sidecar.

Honeycomb

Caramelised bittersweetness with toasty, honey and bitter almond.

Prince of Wales

Delicious! Delicate pineapple and maraschino fruitiness, laced with rye whisky and invigorated with fizz.

Prince of Wales No. 3

Less well-known but more interesting than the similarly styled modern Champagne Cocktail.

Ginger Martini

A warming medium-dry Vodka Martini with enlivening ginger spice for a cold evening.

Bee Paloma

Delicately bittersweet honey with subtle tequila notes and citrus freshness.

Saoco

Rum and coconut with a squeeze of lime are a classic combination for good reason. Even better with a characterful aged rum.

Saketini

A Saketini is usually made with sake and vodka (sometimes gin) in proportions ranging from equal parts through to five parts spirit to one part sake. I

Saketini No. 2

Dry gin and sake with a cognac orange liqueur, adding luscious richness to this Dry Martini riff.

Saketini No. 3

Salmon-coloured, light and fragrant with plum wine and sake to the fore.

Bobby Burns (Difford's own)

This recipe combines elements from the world's most respected writers of vintage recipes – the base formula comes from Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy

Bobby Burns (Craddock's recipe)

Rich and slightly sweet, laced with spice liqueur - an excellent dram to enjoy alongside the ritualistic serving of haggis.

Bobby Burns (Crockett's recipe)

Scotch and vermouth with added depth of flavour courtesy of absinthe and orange bitters.

Bobby Burns (Embury's recipe)

As Embury says, there's some sense in using a Scotch-based liqueur, and although this version of the Bobby Burns is rarely seen, it's worthy of a trial.

Bobby Burns (Fleury's recipe)

A herbal-spice liqueur and maraschino-enhanced Scotch Manhattan, freshened with a splash of orange juice.

Bobby Burns cocktail history

Although perhaps not originally named after Robert Burns (1759-1796), the poet, balladeer and Scotland's favourite son, this cocktail is drunk to honour

Rob Roy

Scotch whisky's answer to the Manhattan. The Rob Roy is classically made with Angostura Bitters, but in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, as a footnote

Rob Roy No. 3

Orange curaçao and Creole-style bitters add distinction to a Scotch whisky-based Perfect Manhattan.

Contemporary Classic Cocktails

Cocktails created after 1985 that have proved enduring and appear on bar menus or in publications beyond their city or country of origin are worth making

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