From medical mixes to the tasty beverages we know today, cocktails have been around for centuries. We trace their origins and unearth a few fun facts along the way.
Gillian Klawansky
The rise and fall of empires. The Industrial Revolution. The rise of artificial intelligence. Through it all, alcohol has been the tonic that has eased the minds and bodies of many a weary soul. Yet spirits – a core cocktail ingredient – were originally strongly associated with the medical field. Doctors prescribed botanical-infused spirits for multiple conditions ranging from indigestion to jaundice.
While the advent of bars and pubs dates back hundreds of years, the first recorded cocktail was mixed by a New York City barman in 1806. Named a “stimulating liquor” by a local newspaper, the drink in question contained a spirit, sugar, water and bitters, which became the baseline for any cocktail worth its salt. Britain vs America While the Americans received most of the credit for creating the cocktail, it was in fact the Brits who had a lot to do with its beginnings when they added bitters to a drink called Canary wine. In the 18th century, punch houses had also become popular meeting spots in the United Kingdom, where punches – spirits, fruit juice, spices and other flavourful ingredients – were mixed together in big bowls. In 1798, a British newspaper first published the word “cocktail” but failed to adequately define it.
By the early 1800s, Canary wine had gained considerable popularity in the United States. This set the scene for our unnamed New York City barman – and the millions who followed in his wake – attempting countless weird and wonderful cocktail variations. This trend skyrocketed with the publication of the first cocktail process book, written by Jerry ‘Professor’ Thomas in 1862, The Bartender’s Guide, where classics including the Old-Fashioned were immortalised.
Ice ice baby
Then came the ice. Its widespread use was fuelled by an ice exporting business started in the early 19th century by Boston businessman Frederic ‘The Ice King’ Tudor. In those days, ice was kept in icehouses and was not widely available to the public. By perfecting the ice export process, Tudor brought a new element to cocktails, boosting their already rising popularity.From Prohibition to popular culture With alcohol banned during the Prohibition of 1920s America, cocktails now had bolder flavours, with the goal of hiding the taste of alcohol rather than enhancing its taste.
In the decades that followed, popular culture also added to the appeal of cocktails, with novelist Ernest Hemingway writing about drinks including the daiquiri. The ‘shaken, not stirred’ martini, which became synonymous with James Bond movies, solidified cocktails’ standing as a cultural phenomenon.
What’s in a name?
Ever wondered how some cocktails got their names? Margarita: There are multiple stories behind the name Margarita, with little clarity on which one is true. One story goes that Margarita Sames, a socialite, crafted the cocktail in 1948 for her guests. Another says that the Margarita was originally called Tequila Daisy, a popular cocktail in the 1930s. Margarita is the Spanish word for daisy. Others claim that a bartender named the cocktail after a customer, Margarita, who was reportedly allergic to all alcohol except tequila. The Old-Fashioned: Associated with original whiskey cocktails, the Old-Fashioned got its name as whiskey cocktails started to become more complex. Those who preferred the traditional version without embellishments began asking for an Old-fashioned and so the cocktail was named. The Springbok: Also known as a Springbokkie, this proudly South African cocktail shooter is made from crème de menthe and Baileys, showcasing the gold and green synonymous with our beloved Springbok rugby team.