5 Classic Cocktails
Reinvented By the Pros

While 2020 was all about returning to cocktail classics and mastering old school methods at home, 2021 has brought a return to innovation. After months stuck at home pouring the same drinks and dreaming of the day we could step back inside our favorite watering holes, the reinvigorated excitement for new, convention-breaking techniques has sparked our curiosities and stimulated our palates.

For many behind the bar, this has led to the modernization of tried and true cocktail recipes that have stood the test of time. That’s why VinePair asked some of the world’s best bartenders to create their own variations on some of the most popular cocktails.

From an Old Fashioned with a tropical twist, to a grasshopper salt–rimmed Margarita, these innovative twists on the classics prove that there’s no shortage of creativity in today’s bar scene. Looking for an update on an old favorite? Read on for riffs of the Martini, Old Fashioned, French 75, Daiquiri, and Margarita crafted by the pros.

5 Classic Cocktails
Reinvented By

DANIEL
YANG

Las Vegas’s Electra Cocktail Club is known for its high-energy atmosphere and eye-catching decor. Electra’s lead bartender, Daniel Yang, brings this same excitement to his cocktails, which lean heavily on rum and tequila. The nightclub’s zodiac collection — drinks inspired by astrological signs — are some of its most popular selections.

Date Old Fashioned Jay Khan

Low Blow Daniel Yang

Coal Train Evan Hosaka

Riffs on the

Banana 75 Jay Khan

First Flight Daniel Yang

Northern 75 Evan Hosaka

5 Classic Cocktails
Reinvented By

EVAN
HOSAKA

Located inside the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, The Dorsey brings a chic romanticism to Sin City. The lounge’s lead bartender Evan Hosaka is a Hawaii native who brings a playful sophistication to cocktails both old and new. Here, Hosaka brings a tropical essence to the Old Fashioned, Margarita, and French 75, while leaning into the savory profile of the Martini and giving the Daiquiri a bitter twist.

Leo Daniel Yang

Whey Daiquiri Jay Khan

Daiquiri Especiale Evan Hosaka

5 Classic Cocktails
Reinvented By

JAY
KHAN

COA is a Hong Kong bar that recently ranked among the top 10 bars in the world. Jay Khan, the bar’s co-founder and beverage director, marries modern technology with old school flavors. Khan is known for his Mexican-inspired menu. Here, he brings agave spirits, spice and fruit-driven ingredients to everything from the Martini to the French 75.