Imagine that you want to add some spice to your leisure time at night, so you go to a bar for pleasure. You want to hang out with your friends for a wonderful moment together. Nevertheless, the bizarre cocktail names on the menu confuse you. You have no idea how to order. So this time, World Gourmet Platform presents you with the origins of the most popular cocktails, so you’ll be a know-it-all as you hit the bar with your friends next time.

Despite the word “tea” in its name, Long Island Iced Tea is, without a doubt, one of the most alcoholic cocktails! When vodka, gin, and rum (some people might add whisky as well) are all combined, I promise you that you’ll feel absolutely dizzy after drinking.

What are the 6 types of distilled spirits? Click the links below for more information:

The Newbie Guide to Distilled Spirits (part 1): Brandy, Whisky, & Gin

The Newbie Guide to Distilled Spirits (part 2): Vodka, Rum, & Tequila

Why, as you might wonder, was the drink called Long Island Iced Tea then? It is said that Long Island Iced Tea was named by a bartender who lived in a community named “Long Island”, located in the State of Tennessee, the US. He named it “tea” in order to secretly satisfy his customers’ desire for alcohol during the Prohibition era. Yet, it is also said that Long Island Iced Tea was invented by one of the participants of a cocktail competition, and the bartender was from Long Island, State of New York. Which origin is the correct one? It doesn’t matter. Just be aware that you should never order Long Island Iced Tea because of its seemingly “innocent” name!

The orangish-yellow color and citrus fragrance make Screwdriver many people’s favorite. But few people know why it was named Screwdriver.

It is believed that the Screwdriver was invented by American petroleum workers in the Persian Gulf. In order to drink alcohol without being caught, they secretly poured some vodka, which has no color and smell, into orange juice, pretending they were just drinking juice. Since they had no spoon, they stirred the drink with their screwdrivers, and therefore Screwdriver was born.

The recipe for Screwdriver is quite simple. As you drink it, you’ll taste the sweetness and sourness of citrus fruits as well as the light texture of vodka. I highly recommend this drink to those who prefer citrus-flavored cocktails!

The name of this cocktail may have scared some people when they first heard it. Bloody Mary is not only known for its spine-chilling name, but also for its appalling recipe. There’s salt on the rim of the glass. The spirit is blended with tomato juice. Last but not least, celery is used as a decoration for this drink. What exactly led to the birth of Bloody Mary exactly?

Initially, Bloody Mary was simply a mixture of vodka and tomato juice but was later seasoned by sauce due to customer demand. As for the name, it was, apparently, inspired by the bold red color of the drink. Some people believe that the cocktail was named after a bar waitress while some people believe that it was named after Mary I of England.

Bloody Mary has developed many variations throughout the years as it becomes increasingly popular. In addition, Bloody Mary is an effective hangover cure in the morning!

Would you drink a glass of Bloody Mary in the morning?
Check this article to see how Bloody Mary became a popular drink for brunch : Wait a Minute, What’s the Deal with Brunch and Alcohol?

People tend to associate Cuba Libre with the Cuban Revolution. Yet the cocktail actually stems from the Spanish-American War in the 19th century. During wartime, an American captain said out loud “Cuba libre (free Cuba)” whenever he toasted with his comrades. These toasting words spread and eventually became the official name of this drink.

The recipe for Cuba Libre is quite simple. Blend rum, cola, and lemon together, to create the intriguing flavor! Cuba Libre was invented in the US due to the shortage of alcohol and sugar. With stable supplies, rum and cola became a new combination for a cocktail.

With elegant glass, pinkish liquid, and a socialite-like name, Cosmopolitan is often recognized as a cocktail for fashionable women in people’s imagination! Its design makes people relate this cocktail with prosperous urban life.

Despite the heated discussion on the origin of Cosmopolitan, everyone agrees that the person who made this cocktail popular was a bartender named Toby Cecchini. Soon after the release of lemon-flavored vodka, Toby blended it with cranberry juice and other ingredients, creating one of the best-selling drinks of America.

Of course, there are tons of cocktails we haven’t introduced today, but from the abovementioned stories, we can learn that over the years, bartenders have been trying new things and exploring the infinite possibilities of cocktails. As you go visit a bar and see a cocktail you’ve never heard of, just ask the bartender. By asking, maybe you’ll hear more interesting stories!