Top 10 Cocktails Inspired By The 2010s
The 2010s were filled with groundbreaking, life-changing news stories. The world is undeniably different now than it was 10 years ago and, as we look forward into this new decade, we at The Spirits Embassy thought we should celebrate where we’ve been before approaching where we’re going.
To do this, we’ve taken 10 of the most searched and viral news stories of the past 10 years and created delicious and daring cocktail recipes to immortalize them. From Will and Kate’s royal wedding to the ice bucket challenge, search through the list for a huge dose of nostalgia and (mostly) fond memories of the decade we’ve left behind.
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2010 - Ash Cloud Sour
Kicking off with 2010, the most searched news story of this year was the Icelandic ash cloud which covered half the world in an impenetrable smoke. The cloud from Eyjafjallajokull was so thick that 100,000 planes across North America and Europe were down for almost a week, leaving over 10 million people stranded.
In honor of this event, we’ve created the Ash Cloud Sour, a classic whisky sour with a fiery twist. With a dash of hot sauce and a shot of Fireball whisky, this cocktail isn’t for the faint-hearted but is sure to transport the drinker right back to the most memorable eruptions of modern times.
2011 - Royal Celebration
Though we’ve had plenty of royal get-togethers since, Will and Kate really set the trend when they got married in 2011. Their wedding was the most-watched televised event of the year and people in the UK enjoyed an extra bank holiday to celebrate with the future king and his new wife.
Our Royal Celebration and Eton Sesh chaser draw on the classic British combination of strawberries and cream, with a touch of class from the champagne for a cocktail fit for a prince or princess.
2012 - Kony Zombie
The short video titled “Kony 2012” marked the birth of viral videos and, at present, has been watched over 102 million times on YouTube. The video was created by charity Invisible Children Inc. to raise awareness about Ugandan war leader Joseph Kony. Though many criticized the tactics of the charity for attempting to instill a deeply complex subject down to a few short minutes, the coverage gained by the campaign was phenomenal and highlighted the power of the internet to unite people around a cause.
This cocktail is another attempt to fill a small vessel with as many complex elements as possible and is inspired by the traditional Zombie.
2013 - Fancy Francis
The most-searched news topic of 2013 was the choosing of the new pope. When Pope Benedict XVI stood down from the role, he was the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years. When Pope Francis was chosen to take on the position, he became the first pope from the Americas ever.
Celebrate the new pope with this cocktail that nods to the Vatican City and the time-honored Catholic tradition of drinking wine.
2014 - Anthony’s Daiquiri
Another viral sensation, the ice bucket challenge took the world by storm in 2014. Celebrities, politicians and pretty much the whole of Facebook took part in the activity which involved dumping a whole bucket of icy water on your head.
Originally a campaign intended to raise awareness for ALS or motor neuron disease, many who took the challenge weren’t aware of the connection or didn’t donate. However, the coverage was huge, helping to raise money and awareness of the issue, as well as becoming one of the most memorable events in the world.
The shot placed in the middle of the daiquiri is the perfect mini ice bucket to complement this cocktail.
2015 - White & Blue
A viral event which has inspired numerous copycats and has its own Wikipedia page, ‘the dress’ went viral in 2015 thanks to Buzzfeed. Opening up a conversation about the way human eyes work, ‘the dress’ was blue and black for some, white and gold to others.
To honor this unforgettable meme, we created the White & Blue, which is best served with a black and gold straw, of course.
To get the perfect color split, fill the glass with ice and pour the Fanta to the halfway point. After mixing the other ingredients in a cocktail shaker, pour slowly onto the exposed ice.
2016 - Cambridge Bramble & Russian Summertide
2016 was a year that changed politics forever. In the UK, the Brexit referendum has resulted in an end to the 47-year membership of the EU and in the US, the presidential election was won by celebrity billionaire Donald Trump. Shortly after both votes, whistleblowers from the data firm Cambridge Analytica exposed how 87 million Facebook records had been harvested to create detailed personal profiles which were used by politicians to influence both results.
In memory of the ‘Great Hack’ and in reference to the claims of ‘Russian interference’, we’ve given these two cocktails a decidedly Russian twist. Served in a Moscow Mule, the Russian Summertide truly lives to its name.
2017 - Solar Eclipse - Sunrise & Eclipse
Following on from the drama of 2016, people were most entranced by the major cosmic event which was the solar eclipse. This was the first eclipse visible from coast to coast in the US for 99 years.
Choose from the pre-eclipse Sunrise or the post-blackout Eclipse, depending on your mood.
2018 - Wakanda Forever
The hottest topic of 2018 was the release of Marvel’s Black Panther. The movie gained seven Oscar nominations and became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture. It’s also the highest-grossing superhero film in the US and Canada and the highest-grossing film by a black director.
To celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of Wakanda’s greatest warriors, enjoy these four beautiful cocktails inspired by the major characters from the movie.
Wakanda King
We love how T’Challa, an unknown king of the backwater country of Wakanda, became someone of influence in the Avengers and the world. Here’s a cocktail to celebrate the Black Panther.
Ingredients:
- 8oz Guiness Stout
- 6oz Coke
- Garnish
- Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
- Wilton Black Sugar Sparkles
Instruction to make
- Microwave a handful of marshmallows for 30 seconds or until it melts.
- Dip a beer glass into the marshmallow fluff. Dip the glass into the black sanding sugar.
- Pour the Guiness and Coke in the craft beer glass.
- Roast a few marshmallows and use this as a garnish.
The Red Warrior
The brave warriors are so loyal to the crown that they have to leave their kingdom to follow the usurper. Talk about being not a respecter of person, they surely respected the crown. All willing to lay their lives to the king, these warriors need a tribute, too.
Ingredients:
- 2oz Lakewood Cranberry Juice
- 4oz Hawaiian Red Fruit Punch
- 3oz berry-infused vodka
- 1oz Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Syrup
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Genuine Edible Gold Leaf
Ingredients:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add all the ingredients into it. Shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled.
- Pour into a wine glass.
- Garnish with pineapple wedge, strawberry and lime wheel.
- Add a few gold leaves to the strawberry.
The Golden Jaguar
This bitter villain-king, Eric Killmonger, deserves a tribute after all he’d been through. People do deserve second chances, just don’t die before having a chance at it. Albeit wrong in his ways of revenge and rage, his desire to help the people with African roots oppressed by issues such as race hate, colonialism and unequal rights.
Ingredients
- 4oz Ocean Spray Cran-Grape Juice
- 1oz blue curacao
- 1oz grape vodka
- 1oz wild grape liquor
- Garnish:
Instruction to make
- Fill a cocktail shaker with a cup of ice.
- Add all the ingredients into the shaker. Shake for 15-20 seconds.
- Strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with skewered blackberries. Decorate with some gold leaf.
The Green Goddess
Missionary, spy, warrior and T’Challa’s lover, this fearless woman almost gave up her love for the man to serve the world. She surely deserves this tribute cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 1oz blue curacao
- 2oz melon liquor
- 2oz cognac
- Lemon-lime soda
- Garnish:
Instruction to make
- Decorate a martini glass by rubbing a lemon wedge on the rim then dipping into gold sanding sugar.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with all the ingredients, except the garnish. Add ice.
- Shake for 15-20 seconds until the condensation appears on the outside of the shaker.
- Strain into a martini glass.
- Garnish with a black rock sugar stick.
2019 - Queen in the North
After 8 seasons, the hottest TV show in the world finally came to an end. To the dismay of fans everywhere, the final season is widely regarded as one of the worst finales in TV history. Despite winning 10 Emmys, fans were outraged by the way the final series wrapped things up, making this topic the most searched event of 2019.
Though not everyone’s goblet of wine, the eighth season saw Sansa Stark take the throne in the North and so we created this cocktail in memory of one of the best players of the Game of Thrones.
Ingredients
- 2 oz dry gin
- 1 oz elderflower
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/2 oz Ocean Spray Cran-Blackberry Juice
Instruction to make
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add some ice.
- Add the dry gin, elderflower, lemon juice and cran-blackberry juice.
- Shake well.
- Fill a whiskey glass with ice and pour the cocktail over the ice.
- Garnish with some skewered blackberries.
Aside from the Queen of the North, here are a few other cocktails you can check.
The Debt Payer
A tribute to royalty, this cocktail is one for the show.
- 2 tbsp gold sprinkles
- 1 1/2 oz Goldschlager
- 6 oz champagne
- Pinch of Wilton Gold Sugar Sprinkles
Instruction to make
- Rim a tall glass by wetting it with a wedge of lemon and dipping it into gold sprinkles.
- Fill the glass with the Goldschlager and champagne.
- Add a pinch of edible gold sprinkles. Stir until the sprinkles is dissolved and a golden-colored cocktail is achieved.
Dragon Mother
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Morton Kosher Salt
- 2 tbsp Happy Belly Chili Powder
- 1 c water
- 1 c Domino Granulated Sugar
- 1 pc jalapeño pepper
- 3 oz Tropicana Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
- 1 oz mezcal
- 1 oz bitter citrus liquor
- 1 oz jalapeño-infused syrup
Instruction to make
- Make a simple sugar by adding 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water into a saucepan. Let cool.
- Steep a jalapeño pepper in the simple syrup for at least an hour. For a spicier drink, steep overnight. Drain.
- Rub a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass. Dip it into the salt-chili pepper mixture.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the grapefruit juice and mezcal, bitter citrus liquor and jalapeño-infused syrup. Shake well.
- Fill the chili-salt rimmed glass with ice. Pour the cocktail into the glass and serve.
Winter is Here
If winter comes with a cocktail like this, who cares? Creamy and chocolatey, just what you need to keep you warm on that nippy winter evening.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1 c extra stout beer
- Ghiradelli Chocolate Premium Syrup
- Whipped Cream
- Chocolate shavings from Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
Instruction to make
- Add 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream into a blender. Add the beer and blend until smooth.
- Pour some chocolate syrup along the sides of a beer mug.
- Pour the ice-cream beer smoothie into the beer mug.
- Top with whipped cream (heavy cream powder mixed with water), more chocolate syrup and chocolate shavings.
Ice Zombie
This version of the zombie is a refreshing and creamy alternative to the usual recipe and is a good tribute to the Song of Ice and Fire novel-inspired HBO series.
Ingredients
- 1 can Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Milk, fat only
- 1 tbsp Indian Tree Super Fine Sugar
- 1 tbsp CK Blue Sanding Sugar
- 1 tbsp Wilton White Sparkling Sugar
- 1 oz white rum
- 1 oz Dole Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz blue curacao
Instruction to make
- In a bowl, slowly scoop the fat from the coconut milk. Chill the can of coconut milk overnight to separate the fat from the milk.
- With an hand mixer, whip the coconut fat until smooth.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add a splash of coconut milk (leftovers from the coconut fat). Set aside.
- Combine the blue sanding sugar and white sanding sugar in a saucer.
- Wet the rim of a glass sling with some pineapple juice. Dip it into the sanding sugar for a beautiful rim.
- In a cocktail shaker, add some ice, then the white vodka, pineapple juice and blue curacao.
- Transfer into the rimmed glass. Top with the whipped coconut fat.
Need more Moscow Mule recipes, check it here. You can also also buy some wine glasses and beer mugs. Beer too strong and wine too boring for you? Maybe you’ll be interested with the beer-wine hybrid.
This article was written by Damon Culbert from The Spirits Embassy, online whiskey marketplace.
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