Have you ever thought about where the names of cocktails come from? Honestly, there’s no one answer to this question, but in many cases, these names are inspired by real-life people. There are ample cocktail names that are inspired by women as well and the stories behind them are very interesting. Here we have listed 6 classic cocktails named after women.
6 Classic Cocktails Named After Women
- Ginger Rogers
- Mary Pickford
- Jean Harlow
- Queen Mary Tudor – Bloody Mary
- Elizabeth Taylor – Violet Champagne Cocktail
- Samantha Jones – Samantha Sunrise
1. Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers, the singer, dancer, and actress, made a splash on the screen and the cocktail named after her remains to be a popular one to date as well. This gin cocktail was created by bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos. It was added to the menu at Absinthe in San Francisco and became a popular cocktail soon after. If you want to know why this cocktail became so popular, you should try making it at home and find out for yourself.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of dry gin
- 2 ounces of ginger ale
- ¾ ounce of ginger syrup
- 1 ounce of lemon juice
- 10 mint leaves
- Mint sprig for garnish
How To Make A Ginger Rogers Cocktail
- Add the ginger syrup and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker, and muddle it until the aroma and flavor are released.
- Add the gin and lemon juice, and shake this for a good minute until all the ingredients mix well.
- Pour this mixture into a Collins glass, add some ice cubes, and top it off with ginger ale.
- Give this a gentle stir and garnish with mint spring.
Also Read: 7 Classic Rum Cocktails
2. Mary Pickford
The classic Mary Pickford cocktail was invented in Havana. The actress Mary Pickford was known to be in Havana with her husband for a movie shoot at that time. The bartender at a local bar made a cocktail in Pickford’s honor and named it after her. The name of the bartender or the bar is debated, like in most cases. This tropical fruity cocktail is sweet to taste and uses white rum as its star ingredient. If you want to know what it tastes like, check out the recipe given below and make some for yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces of white rum
- 1 ½ ounces of pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon grenadine
- ½ teaspoon of maraschino liqueur
How To Make A Mary Pickford Cocktail
- Add all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with some crushed ice, and shake it until all of the ingredients blend well.
- Strain this over a cocktail glass filled with ice and your drink is ready to be served.
Also Read: 8 Of The Best Rums For Mojitos
3. Jean Harlow
Named after the popular American actress Jean Harlow, this cocktail is a burst of flavors in your mouth. This is one of the most popular classic cocktails named after women and is a twist on a classic Martini. Plenty of sources mention that this cocktail was Jean Harlow’s favorite and she always ordered this one when at a bar. If you’re a fan of the Martini, you’ll surely love this Jean Harlow cocktail, and will also have the ingredients needed to make it at home.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of light rum
- 2 ounces of sweet vermouth
- Lemon peel for garnish
How To Make The Jean Harlow Cocktail
- Add all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with ample ice, and shake well.
- Strain this into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with lemon peel.
Also Read: Top Gin Brands In India
4. Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary is a classic vodka cocktail that is credited to Fernand Petiot, a young bartender from Paris. It’s said that this cocktail was created by him in the 1920s at Harry’s New York Bar. He named this drink after Queen Mary Tudor who was given the unofficial title of ‘Queen Bloody Mary’. This is just one of the many narratives that is popular about how the name of this classic cocktail came about. Bloody Mary is spicy to taste and has a kick of vodka which makes it very unique.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of vodka
- 4 ounces tomato juice
- 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons of prepared horseradish
- 1 pinch of smoked paprika
- 1 pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 lime wedge
- Celery salt and 1 lemon wedge for the rim
- Parsley sprig, 2 speared green olives, and lime wedge for garnish
How To Make Bloody Mary
- Rim your cocktail glass with celery salt and a lime wedge. Squeeze the used lime wedge and drop it in the glass.
- Add all the remaining ingredients into a cocktail shaker along with ample crushed ice, and shake it gently for a minute.
- Strain this mixture into your prepared glass along with some ice if needed.
- Garnish the cocktail with a parsley sprig, speared green olives, and a lime wedge, and your cocktail is ready.
Also Read: 10 Of The Best Vodka Brands In India
5. Elizabeth Taylor – Violet Champagne Cocktail
Elizabeth Taylor was a popular actress that ruled the Hollywood film industry for a few decades. Her gorgeous eyes and her favorite purple drink inspired this cocktail. There are ample variations of this Violet Champagne cocktail with a few alterations in the ingredients or the ratio of how they are used. In any case, the Violet Champagne cocktail is among the interesting classic cocktails named after women that you can try the next time you’re out with your friends.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce of violet flavored liqueur
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 4 ounces of your favorite champagne
How To Make Elizabeth Taylor – Violet Champagne Cocktail
- In a chilled cocktail glass, pour some ice pebbles, add all your ingredients, and give it a gentle stir.
- Make sure that all the ingredients mix well and your cocktail is ready to be served.
Also Read: 5 Scotch Cocktails That’ll Have You Begging For More
6. Samantha Jones – Samantha Sunrise
Unlike all of the other cocktails mentioned above, Samantha Sunrise is inspired by the fictional character Samantha Jones from Sex And The City. This cocktail was enjoyed by the character on her Mexico vacation and since then has been a popular cocktail among the lovers of the show. Just like most other cocktails, even the Samantha Sunrise has a couple of variations. Gin is the star of the cocktail and the orange juice adds the sweetness to make it complete. It’s one of the best cocktails on the list that is also named after a woman.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce of fresh orange juice
- 1 ounce of Passoa
- 3 ounce of gin
- An orange slice for garnish
How To Make A Samantha Jones – Samantha Sunrise
- In a cocktail shaker, add all of your ingredients, pour in some ice and give it a shake.
- Strain this mixture in a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the orange slice.
Also Read: Must-Have Cocktail Tools For Your Home Bar
Summing Up
The next time you’re having a cocktail from the list given above, you know who the cocktail name was inspired by. Plus, you can make these at home if you haven’t given them a try yet. They are all easy cocktails with a fairly simple ingredients list and take less than 10 minutes to make. So you can follow the simple recipe given above and enjoy one or all of these delicious classic cocktails named after women.
FAQs
What Alcohol Is Named After A Woman?
A large number of cocktails that you commonly see in a bar menu are inspired by famous people. Some of the cocktails named after a woman are Bloody Mary, Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, and Mary Pickford.
What Are The 7 Classic Cocktails?
If you’re someone who loves cocktails, there are plenty of those to try out. But you can never go wrong with a classic cocktail in your hand. The 7 classic cocktails are:
- Margarita
- Old Fashioned
- Negroni
- Martini
- Cosmopolitan
- Daiquiri
- Manhattan
Is Margarita Named After A Woman?
Margarita was named after a flower and not a girl. Although, a lot of people joke about this cocktail being named after the wife of the bartender who created it.
Which Cocktail Is Best For Beginners?
As a beginner, it’s better to try some cocktails before you try some hard liquor. Some of the cocktails that you can try are Moscow Mule, Mojito, Tom Collins, Mimosa, and Old-Fashioned.
What Is A Good Drink To Order At A Bar?
Nothing is more time-consuming than ordering a cocktail off of a long bar menu. If you also struggle with the same, here is a list of some good drinks to order at a bar: Gimlet, Sangria, Whiskey Sour, Spritz, and Paloma.
Is Sangria Considered A Cocktail?
Sangria is a classic wine cocktail and is perfect for large groups. It includes some fruits, orange juice, red wine, brands and a few other ingredients.
What Is The Most Popular Cocktail For Women?
Strawberry Daiquiri, Sangria, Pina Colada and Mai Tai are some of the most popular cocktails for women.
