35 Delicious Party Drinks Better Than Any $20 Cocktail (for Reals)

In a pitcher combine 20 oz. tomato juice, 5 oz. fresh lemon juice, 4 tbsp horseradish, 1 oz. hot sauce, 1 oz. worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp. sea (or celery) salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, and fresh aromatic herbs. Make sure the pitcher is closed well and shake until mixed. Rub a lemon or lime wedge around the rim of 1o highball glasses, fill each glass with ice, add Grey Goose vodka to 1/3 of the glass, and top off with the Bloody Mary Mix. Garnish the glass with a long celery stalk, a long cucumber slice, and a lime wedge.

Recipe by Grey Goose

Stir 1 part whiskey (like The Glenlivet) and 1 part blood orange syrup over ice. Strain into a rocks glass. Top with 3 parts G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Rosé. Garnish with dehydrated blood orange and blood orange cubes.

Recipe by G.H. Mumm

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to a short glass. Separately, shake 1 part Kahlúa coffee liqueur and 2 parts espresso together with some ice. Pour the mixture over the ice cream. Sprinkle with a pinch of chocolate flakes to finish.

Fill a cocktail shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add ¾ oz. gin, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Cover and shake for 10 to 15 seconds, or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain into a flute glass and top with champagne.

Recipe by Taste of Home

Pour 25 ml. Malibu Strawberry, 100 ml. Sparkling wine, and .25 ml. of soda water into a glass with ice. Then sip!

Recipe by Malibu Rum

Pour 2 parts Milagro Silver, 1 part fresh lime juice, 2 parts pink Agua de Tuna, ¾ part agave nectar into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

(To make Agua de Tuna: Peel and roughly chop 5 prickly pear fruits, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp.)

Recipe from MILAGRO SILVER

Heat 8 parts milk and 8 parts white chocolate in a pot until melted. Add a pinch of sea salt. Pour into a mug + add 1 part Glenfiddich 14 whisky. Garnish with star anise.

Recipe by Kevin Canchola at Glenfiddich

Shake 5 oz. Starward Two Fold Australian Whisky, 1 oz. cherry jam, 1 oz. lime, and 1 oz. soda over ice, then strain into a wine glass of ice. Garnish with 2 strawberries on a skewer, a large mint tip, and a fun (ahem, not plastic!) straw.

Recipe by Two Hands NYC

Combine 1.5 parts Reyka Vodka, .5 parts Cloudy Apple juice, .25 parts lemon juice, .5 parts maple syrup in a shaker with ice.

Recipe from Reyka Vodka

Combine 2 oz. Volcan Blanco, ¾ oz. fresh lime juince, .5 oz. of grapefruit juice, a pinch of salt, and ¾ oz. agave syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Recipe from Volcan Blanco Tequila

Combine 2 oz. Los Arango Añejo, ¾ oz. lime juice, ½ oz. agave syrup, and ½ oz. grenadine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to chill and combine ingredients. Fine strain into a coupe glass. Garnish & Enjoy!

Recipe by Los Arango Añejo

Stir 1 part Hendrick’s Gin, 1 part Dolin Blanc Vermouth, and 1 part Suze with ice and strain onto fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish by pressing a thin slice of lemon peel over the drink.

Recipe from Hendrick’s Gin

Add 1 oz. white cranberry juice, ½ oz. lime juice, and ½ oz. Cointreau to a cocktail shaker. Fill ¾ of the shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Recipe from Moody Mixologist

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add 1⅓ parts Absolut Vodka, ⅔ part Kahlúa, and ⅔ part espresso to the shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 whole coffee beans.

Recipe from Absolut Vodka

Pour 5 oz. Ilegal Mezcal, .5oz. fresh grapefruit Juice, .5 oz. fresh Lime, and 4 oz. of tonic over fresh ice in a highball glass and stir. Salt half the rim and garnish with a grapefruit slice. ​

Recipe by Ilegal Mezcal

Combine 1 ½ oz. Don Papa rum, 1 oz. apple juice, ½ oz. spiced maple syrup, ½ oz. lemon juice, and ½ oz. egg white with ice and shake vigorously. Finely strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pink peppercorn and rosemary sprig.

Recipe from Ben Rojo

For the cocktail:

Combine 1/2 parts Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 1/2 part cinnamon-pomegranate syrup, 1/2 part fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1 part fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and 2 dashes black walnut bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold. Strain into a double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprig of rosemary.

For the cinnamon pomegranate syrup:

Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice and 5 cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan on the stove. Bring to a light simmer to release the flavor from the cinnamon sticks. Add 1 cup granulated sugar, and gently stir to dissolve (do not bring to a boil). Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe from Elliot Clark, Apartment Bartender

Combine 2 oz. dark rum, 4 oz. pineapple juice, 1 oz. orange juice, and 1 oz. cream of coconut (e.g. Coco Lopez) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds until cold. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Recipe from The Cocktail Snob