Kamikaze Cocktail

The kamikaze's origins can be traced to an American naval base in Japan after World War II. It didn't become really popular until the 1970s, though. In his book "Cocktail" (which inspired the Tom Cruise movie), writer Heywood Gould calls it a classic disco-era cocktail invented by teenagers. For years, the kamikaze was primarily served as a shot and often employed sweetened lime juice (particularly Rose's). Bartenders eventually found that fresh lime juice creates a more enjoyable mix, and the cocktail version became a popular addition to modern martini menus.

In Japanese, the word kamikaze translates to "divine wind." It initially referred to the typhoon that the Mongols were met with while trying to invade Japan in the 13th century. It's also often erroneously attributed to a name used by the Japanese military for its pilots and their missions—although it seems they later adopted the phrase despite the fact that the word used for their pilots was slightly different. It's most likely that the drink took on the name due to its origins in Japan, bold flavors, and alcohol kick.