The 2022 World Cup is nearly here! Something we’re not exactly used to saying in November, but any reason to enjoy cocktails at home with friends and be entertained by a month of football is always welcome. And with so many nations competing, why not take a trip around the globe from the comfort of your living room? Whether you’re serving World Cup cocktails for a party at home or relaxing and taking in the match after work, get into the spirit with some famous cocktails from around the world.
We’ll take you through well-known classics, as well as a few new favourites for you to fall in love with. So throw on the match, round up some company and let us take you on our tour of the best international cocktail recipes.
1. Caipirinha – Brazil
The Caipirinha serves as the national cocktail of Brazil. Its key ingredient is cachaça; a spirit distilled from fermented sugarcane juice; this can be consumed on its own, on the rocks, or as a rum substitute in many cocktails including — the Cuba Libre, Mojito and Daiquiri. Histories of the origin of the Caipirinha differ, but what’s undeniable is its sweet lime-driven flavour.
Ingredients:
- 50ml cachaça
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Half a lime cut into 4 wedges
2. Mojito – Cuba
The Mojito is a simple blend of rum, mint, lime, sugar, and club soda. The mint and lime give it a cool, refreshing flavour, and the soda lightens it up with a fizzy crispness. One of the best-known cocktails from around the world, it’s highly favoured for its adaptability. Add fruit to create different variations, such as strawberry, mango or passion fruit.
Ingredients:
- 15 ml white rum
- 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 6 leaves of mint
- Soda water
3. Poncha - Portugal
A traditional punch from the island of Madeira, the simplest Poncha is made with just sugar cane brandy (Madeiran rum), sugar and lemon juice. This cocktail is often called the fisherman's Poncha - named for the seafaring residents of Câmara de Lobos where the drink was created. A versatile drink, using fruits such as tangerine and passion fruit helps soften the kick of the brandy - but it’s no less intoxicating, so do drink responsibly if enjoying it as part of a world cup drinking game.
Ingredients:
- 10 ml Aguardente de Cana (sugar cane brandy)
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Orange juice
4. Black Russian - Belgium
Created in the late 1940s in Brussels, the Black Russian combines vodka and Kahlúa, a coffee liqueur made with rum, sugar and arabica coffee. This bold coffee vodka cocktail bears its mysterious name as a reference to the ingredients - Kahlúa is black, and vodka is commonly associated with Russia.
Ingredients:
- 60 ml vodka
- 30 ml Kahlúa
5. Sangria - Spain
Sangria has grown to become a popular party drink around the world and is great for making large quantities to serve at a gathering. Typically created from red wine, fruit juices, soda water, fruit and brandy, when making your own Sangria, use a good quality wine, and try to let it chill overnight. This lets the fruit flavours blend into the drink.
Ingredients:
- 2 oranges, chopped
- 2 pears, chopped
- 2 lemons, 1 chopped, 1 juiced
- 200 ml red berries, chopped
- 3 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Ice
- 100 ml Spanish brandy
- 750 ml bottle light red wine
- 300 ml sparkling water
6. Margarita - Mexico
Another cocktail with multiple accounts of origin, among the many explanations for the name and the origins of the Margarita is the fact that “margarita” is the word for “daisy” in Spanish. Daisy cocktails included a spirit, a liqueur, and some form of citrus. So the Margarita’s use of tequila, an orange liqueur, and lime juice causes it to bear a close resemblance. What we can all agree on is the overwhelming popularity of the Margarita since its inception and its status as one of the signature cocktails from around the world.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml Cointreau
- 30 ml lime juice
- 60 ml tequila
Want to enjoy this tangy classic even faster? Try our premixed Margarita now. Or try a citrus-driven twist with our Tommy’s Margarita.
7. Ginza Mary - Japan
Created as a Japanese version of the classic Bloody Mary cocktail, it’s believed this cocktail was named after Ginza, a trendy nightlife area in Tokyo. Blending vodka with sake, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice, the Ginza Mary is a great way to try new flavours couched in familiar drinks.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml vodka
- 30 ml sake
- 60 ml tomato Juice
- 15 ml lemon Juice
- 3 dashes tabasco sauce
- 2 dashes soy sauce
- 1 pinch black pepper
Try another twist on the Bloody Mary with our premixed Ghost of Mary Tudor cocktail.
8. Manhattan - USA
Thought to have been invented in New York at the Manhattan Club in the mid-1870s, the Manhattan is a classic cocktail of choice for whiskey lovers. This delightful mix of rye or bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters has been adored for hundreds of years because of its subtle bitterness and herbal undertones.
Ingredients:
- 60 ml rye whiskey
- 30 ml sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Garnish: brandied cherry (or lemon twist, if preferred)
Looking for more US classics? Try our Mai Tai.
9. Bramble - England
Relatively modern in comparison to some of the cocktails on our list, this gin cocktail was created in the 1980s by legendary Fred’s Club bartender Dick Bradsell - who also happens to be credited with creating the Espresso Martini. Said to be named for Dick’s memories of blackberry picking, the Bramble is full of tangy, fruity and sophisticated flavours.
Ingredients:
- 60 ml gin
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons simple syrup
- 15 ml creme de mure
- Garnish: lemon half-wheel
- Garnish: fresh blackberry,
Unfortunately, Italy didn’t qualify for the World Cup this year… but what’s a cocktail trip around the world without visiting the home of countless classic drinks, including the Milano-Torino?
10. Negroni - Italy
Said to be invented in Florence, the Negroni is known as the king of Italian Campari cocktails. Vibrant red in colour, this cocktail is refreshingly bitter and will evoke the taste of summer even on a winter night.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml Campari
- 30 ml sweet red vermouth
- 30 ml gin
- Orange peel as a garnish
Taste this Italian delight even faster with our premixed Negroni cocktail.
For even more cocktail crowd-pleasers you can build your own selection box. Did one of your favourite cocktail recipes from around the world not make this list? See if it made our top 10 selection of the world’s most popular cocktails.