It’s easy to pull together inexpensive and simple cocktails, but sometimes you may want to serve an upscale mixed drink that will impress. Upscale drinks are also great for occasions such as family holiday parties. Whether you want an upscale cocktail for a summer or winter party, we have something for you.
The classic margarita or gin and tonic are great for having a quick drink at night but when it’s time to step up your game, you need some fancy cocktails.
Not only will fancy drinks make you feel like you’re out on the town but they don’t cost nearly as much at home compared to buying them at a bar.
And classy cocktails don’t take as long to make as you might think. You don’t need to go to bartending school to learn your spirits either.
Celebrations call for something special and Liam’s midnight toast is just that drink.
This is a blended drink that includes only the nicest of ingredients like Grand Marnier, Cognac, Champagne, and Campari. You could even add some soda water to the drink to water it down.
Serve this in a flute to get the most reaction because the beautiful red color will immediately make a statement when you place this drink on the table.
Don’t forget to garnish it with an orange peel and just make sure you have plenty of ingredients because everyone is going to want a second glass.
The boulevardier has been around since the 1920s and the taste is just as good today as it has ever been.
This is basically an upscale version of the negroni and will have your guests craving a second glass once they have their first sip.
To make it you’ll need bourbon whiskey, Campari, and sweet vermouth (or dry vermouth), and the flavors all blend together perfectly. It has the color of an old fashioned but with a different flavor profile.
This one goes best in a short glass with a maraschino cherry sitting in the glass for your end of the drink treat.
When you want a subtle looking drink where the taste does all the talking, the Martinez is the drink to make.
This drink hits all the right notes and will be your perfect sipping companion at the end of the night.
With subtle hints of cherry and cinnamon, you won’t be able to have just one sip and you’ll probably end up adding this to your regular drink rotation.
Sour drinks, like the whiskey sour, are a great way to add sophistication to your great cocktail party because there is something about the different textures that really sets the drink apart.
A pisco sour is perfect for any occasion because it has a smoothness from the egg whites and a little bit of spice from the ginger.
You’ll need pisco, simple syrup, lime juice, ice cubes, egg whites, and bitters for this one, plus if you want it to have that extra sour taste add in a splash of egg white.
This one only needs a short glass but try to pour the bitters directly on the foam to give yourself a beautiful finish like they would at a cocktail bar.
Despite the wicked name, the corpse revived is full of flavors and is an upscale drink that you’re sure to make again and again.
To make this one you’ll need gin, lemon juice, Lillet Blanc (this is optional but it adds great flavor), absinthe, and simple syrup.
You can make this drink really fun with some gelatin that you can turn into the foam to place on top of the drink. Use red food coloring to make it look like blood and people will love it!
Not as well known as some of the other upscale drinks on this list, the pegu club is sure to be a hit with your guests.
The mix of orange liqueur, lime juice, and bitters blended together is sure to give everyone that extra kick they need.
To make it you’ll need bourbon whiskey, Cointreau (you could try triple sec instead but this will not give you the same results), Angostura bitters, and lime juice.
You can make this one in a shaker with ice or serve it up like they do at the bar in a fancy glass.
This one may not look as fancy as the others on the list but the taste screams upscale sophistication.
It’s served in a tall glass and is bursting with a variety of flavors including a little bit of tartness from the lemon juice.
To make this one you’ll need gin, lemon juice, lime juice, heavy cream, sugar syrup, simple syrup, orange blossom water (this is optional), and egg white.
Pour everything into a shaker filled with ice and stir well before pouring into a tall glass. This drink tastes just like lemon meringue pie.
This delicious drink is so good that even the celebrated writer Ernest Hemingway himself would enjoy it.
Made with white rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice, and lime juice, this drink is as tasty as it gets.
The thing that makes it so unique is the tartness from the grapefruit and the sweetness of the maraschino.
You can serve this one up in a craft acocktail or champagne glass and garnish with a grapefruit peel. This isn’t one you’re going to find in dive bars, it’s meant for the more sophisticated crowd.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
