In an era when bartenders regularly use housemade tinctures, esoteric spirits, and newfangled techniques, it’s difficult — and often impractical — for others in the industry to look up their contemporaries’ specs and recreate their drinks.
Not that long ago, however, bartenders could put a few ingredients in a glass and make something that would eventually appear on menus worldwide. In the ‘90s and early aughts, during the “Cocktail Renaissance” or the “Craft Cocktail Movement,” many industry pros created new drinks by taking tried-and-true templates and putting their own spin on them. This often involved swapping base spirits, tweaking ingredient ratios, and/or adding largely forgotten liqueurs and amari to age-old classics.
Some of these “modern classics” have since risen to worldwide fame, like Sam Ross’s Penicillin and Paper Plane, Joaquín Simó’s Naked and Famous, and Douglas Ankrah’s Pornstar Martini. Others haven’t quite caught on to the same extent, but they remain beloved by knowledgeable bartenders who occasionally pull them out to introduce them to guests. So we reached out to 10 industry pros to find out which of those modern classics they keep in their back pockets.
The most underrated modern classic cocktails, according to bartenders:
- Haitian Divorce
- Old Cuban
- Midnight Stinger
- King Kenneth
- Bitter Giuseppe
- Piña Verde
- El Camino
- Remember the Alimony
- Old Maid
“Tom Richter’s Haitian Divorce. It’s got rum, mezcal, and sherry. There are so many great layers here for what is essentially a loose Sazerac riff. It’s one of those drinks that when someone cold calls it, I always have to ask, ‘So how do you know Tom?’ It’s also a great drink to pull out when someone is trying to play stump the chump when I’m behind the bar. It deeply deserves more respect than it gets.” —Ben Wald, head of beverage programming, The Flatiron Room, NYC
“I think the Old Cuban deserves more love. It’s bright, effervescent, and the aged rum and Angostura bring a ton of depth and luxury to each sip. Saunders’ template is classic, but still riffable. I’m happy any time I see a version of this on a menu.” —Lo Logsdon, bartender, Dolores, Brooklyn
“The Midnight Stinger. This drink was in heavy rotation as a dealer’s choice for me when I worked the back room service well at The Violet Hour. It’s got a lot of depth of flavor while still being light and refreshing. Of all of Sam Ross’s modern classics, this is maybe my favorite. It’s got Fernet, bourbon, lemon, simple, and mint. For friends and regulars, I spray some green Chartreuse on that mint.” —Abe Vucekovich; beverage director, Meadowlark Hospitality; general manager, Friends of Friends, Chicago
“I’d go with Gary Regan’s King Kenneth from his ‘Bartender’s Bible.’ For our house spec, we do ½ ounce of lemon juice, 1 ounce orange juice, ½ ounce peach liqueur, 1 ½ ounces Campari, a splash of tonic, and a lemon twist garnish. It’s a great option for a Negroni drinker who’s looking for a Spritz or a Campari drinker that wants to go low-ABV. It’s a delicious balance between fruity, tart, and bitter. And it’s not too sweet because it contains no syrup. My preferred peach liqueur is crème de pêche from either Domaine d’Arton, Vedrenne, or Massenez.” —Laura Maddox, bar manager and owner, Small Victory, Austin
“The Bitter Giuseppe, created by Stephen Cole in Chicago. Whether served as an aperitivo or a digestivo, it stands out as a beautifully balanced rule-breaker that can’t be categorized. With its low ABV, amaro base, and the surprising addition of lemon juice in a stirred drink, it looks like it shouldn’t work on paper, but it absolutely does. The bitter coffee, grapefruit, and herbaceous notes make it an unexpectedly versatile and complex sipper. It’s underrated, unconventional, and exactly what more cocktail menus and drinkers need.” —Linda Douglas; finalist in VinePair’s Best New Bartender Competition 2025; bartender, Donna’s, Los Angeles
“It’s gotta be Erick Castro’s Pĩna Verde. Of course, it’s been made all the more difficult to make with the spotty availability of Chartreuse, but that seems to have leveled out in most cases. It is a prime example of a classic, turned on its ear by the simple substitution of an out-of-context spirit. Just because something isn’t deemed ‘tropical’ doesn’t mean that it can’t shine and work within those elements. It’s a beautiful, fun, and delicious cocktail that makes coconut sophisticated and interesting. We offer a take of it on our menu, and it’s one I love to share with guests that are burned out on Painkillers or Coladas.” —Stefan Was, owner, Porco Lounge & Tiki Room, Cleveland
“The most underrated contemporary classic in my book is the Piña Verde. It’s got everything you need in a drink — it’s herbaceous, fresh, creamy, and uses everyone’s favorite spirit: green Chartreuse. Still, it feels like it’s not often called for or recreated in today’s cocktail scene. Acid-adjust your pineapple and it’s even better!” —Liz Hitchcock, bar manager, Lullaby, NYC
“I’d say the El Camino needs some more recognition. It’s essentially the more edgy older brother of the Monte Carlo, which is somewhere in between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan. It’s definitely something every Old Fashioned drinker should try. The El Camino splits mezcal with rye so it’s bigger and bolder in terms of flavor. I suggest it for fans of the Oaxaca Old Fashioned or people that already like the Monte Carlo and are mezcal-curious.” —Jordan Valls, bar manager, Palomar, Portland, Ore.
“An underrated modern classic that comes to mind is a personal favorite called Remember the Alimony. It’s essentially a low-ABV Negroni with fino sherry, Cynar, a touch of gin, and an orange twist. I just think it’s delicious. It’s got an interesting build that uses the higher-proof spirit for a bit of body and flavor, but is mostly focused on the sherry and amaro. It was created by Dan Greenbaum at The Beagle, and the cocktail’s interesting name is in line with some other bangers from that bar such as the Haitian Divorce and Second Marriage.” —Jon Prus, bartender, Dutch Kills and Dear Irving, NYC
“I think one of the most underrated modern classics is a lesser-known Sam Ross gem: the Old Maid. A mix of cucumber, mint, gin, and lime, it’s a crushable crowd-pleaser with a refreshing edge. The cucumber and mint bring a cooling element that makes it ideal for patio season and warm-weather sipping. It’s also my go-to when I’m asked to bring a cocktail to a cookout or party. And when I have a guest who’s just starting to explore cocktails — usually a die-hard Vodka Soda drinker — I’ll swap the gin for vodka. It’s always a hit.” —Arianna Hone, head bartender, High West Saloon, Park City, Utah
