Looking Back at a Great Year of Cocktails

Looking back, 2006 was a spectacular year for cocktails, spirits and the entire culture that surrounds them. Rightfully so, as this year we celebrated the 200th birthday of the cocktail.

In 2006, many people began to break away from vodka and explore more of the mixability of tequila and whiskey. Across the board we have definitely seen that top shelf is back! Sales of premium and super premium brands increased over the year as many realized good liquor yields good cocktails. This increase was highlighted with infused spirits of all kinds, intriguing luxury liqueurs and new brands that raised the bar.

It has been wonderful seeing the explosion of gourmet cocktails created by mixologists with artistry in mind and filled with fresh, exotic ingredients and those new spirits. Infusions found their home behind the bar once again and added interesting twists to some old favorites. Instead of purchasing bottles of mixers, more mixologists are visiting the produce market and harvesting from the garden (which has also proven a resource for stunning floral garnishes).

The classic cocktails also made a come back as a new generation opened their eyes to drinks that tantalized their grandparents' palates. You'll notice that Joseph Mailander's list of the Top 10 Cocktails for 2006 is filled with drinks that made their initial mark around the beginning of the 20th Century. Joseph's number one pick uses an old school technique that has also seen gainful employment in the past year: Muddling. Yes...Sazeracs, Mojitos and Caipirinhas are back (if they ever went anywhere) and with them, the muddlers of the world's bars were dusted off and saw the light of day again, mashing away at lime wedges and mint leaves.

Undoubtedly the top flavor of the year was pomegranate. Even with a surge of espresso cocktails and spirits that hit the scene late in the year (and may be signs of what is to come), this was the year of the POM.

Gin Toddy Photo Courtesy of: Tanqueray London Dry Gin