Where can I find a new distillery near me? What are the best craft cocktails for happy hour these days? Which drink is served more often? How can I discover new craft spirit flavors and popular craft cocktail recipes? 

Keep reading! Today, we’re diving into the stats to uncover the most popular cocktails and craft drinks of 2023. And we’ll go even further to share new insights and details about where to find distillery tours that focus on crafting these beloved spirits. This is where you’ll find something new to sip and exciting to order!

The Dirty Martini

One of the most popular cocktail recipes of 2023 also happens to be a traditional cocktail legend. The Dirty Martini isn’t new. But it’s a classic taste and cocktail experience that exudes opulence. The Dirty Martini is bold and briny and can be customized to your liking. Ordering “extra dirty” will splash some extra olive juice for a rich flavor, too.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/4 oz. extra dry vermouth
• 1/4 oz. olive juice

Notable Gin Distillery Tours

• Caledonia Spirits
• McClintock Distilling
• Alpine Distilling
• Deviation Distilling
• Big Cypress Distillery
• Los Poblanos Botanical Spirits

The Vodka Gimlet

Bartenders and mixologists will tell you another frequently ordered craft cocktail is the Vodka Gimlet. And it’s loved for being both sweet and tart at the same time. This is a logical step up from your everyday vodka soda blend. And it’s a sipping experience that is oh-so elevated and perfect for any social outing.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup

Notable Vodka Distillery Tours

• Vermont Spirits Distilling Co.
• 619 Spirits
• Red River Brewing Company & Distillery
• Middle West Spirits
• Cardinal Spirits
• Smuggler’s Notch Distillery

The Honey Bee

Here’s a new craft cocktail to add to your must-try list. The Honey Bee is a tad sweeter than most, blending honey and white rum. It’s also refreshing with its citrus hues. Order The Honey Bee next time you’re out and give it a try. And while many hail it as the perfect spring or summer blend, it’s tasty enough to drink all year round.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp. honey
• 1/2 tbsp. water
• 2 oz. white rum (you can also sub Golden rum or a dark Jamaican rum)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice

Notable Rum Distillery Tours

• The Cadushy Distillery
• Topper’s Rhum Distillery
• Crab Island Rum Distillery
• Habitation Clement
• Hampden Estate
• Casa BACARDI

The Rosita

Discover a new way to enjoy tequila without the salt or the lime! The Rosita is an upscale and complex craft cocktail, oozing with Mexican, Trinidadian, and Italian influences. This is definitely a sipping drink, not a shooter. It’s satisfying and robust, too. And it’s the perfect compliment to a patio party with friends. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tequila reposado
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Campari
• 1 dash Angostura bitters

Notable Tequila Distillery Tours

• The Agave Experience Tequila Tour
• Francisco Yosemite Miranda Rodriguez
• Tequila Tour by Mickey Marentes
• La Jima Experience
• Experience Agave Tours
• Cofradia Turistico 360

The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush is a sweet twist on bourbon. And while it seems simple enough, with only three ingredients, your choice of bourbon can truly enhance each sip. Try different bourbon flavors to anchor this popular cocktail and see which is your favorite. But after one taste, you’ll see why it’s one of the most-ordered cocktails of 2023.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Bourbon
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 3/4 oz. honey

Notable Bourbon Distillery Tours

• Buffalo Trace Distillery
• Heaven Hill
• Four Roses Distillery
• Lux Row Distillers
• Woodford Reserve
• Old Forester Distillery

The Brain Duster

When you’re looking for a go-to craft cocktail for a high-energy night out with friends on the dance floor, ask the bartender for The Brain Duster. This rich cocktail can liven any party in a big way. And it’s a blend that marries whisky and absinthe with vermouth, packing a flavor punch. 

Ingredients

• 1 oz. rye whiskey
• 1 oz. absinthe
• 1 oz. Italian vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura bitters

Notable Whisky Distillery Tours

• Jack Daniel Distillery
• Sagamore Spirit Distillery
• Westland Distillery
• Rabbit Hole Distillery
• Balcones Distilling
• Castle & Key Distillery

Other Top Favorite Cocktail Recipes of 2023

Ask your local bartenders and mixologists which craft cocktails are served up most often. And if the aforementioned bar drinks aren’t at the top of their lists, these popular cocktail orders usually will be. 

• Paloma
• Rose Cocktail
• Tequila Sunrise
• Gin Rickey
• Cosmopolitan
• Cape Codder
• Painkiller

FAQs About Craft Cocktail Recipes

Explore these commonly asked questions about craft cocktails and popular recipes. Find quick answers to some of the most popular questions about hot tastes for 2023. 

What is the difference between a craft cocktail and a cocktail?

The term craft cocktail refers to an upscale version of the “cocktail” that requires a little more craft and skill to create. Craft cocktails usually also feature special ingredients, are complemented with garnishes, and take more than a few minutes to make. Craft cocktails will always be more elevated in creation and tasting experiences than more classic “cocktails.”

What do you call someone who makes craft cocktails?

Any barkeep or bartender can serve a cocktail. But a true master with craft cocktails is a mixologist. A mixologist will have a complete understanding of pairing and blending cocktails, including classic iterations and modern recipes. And many mixologists have undergone official certification or training in the fine arts of cocktail mixing.

What is the basic rule of cocktails?

When it comes to blending your own craft cocktails, there is a basic rule worth considering. You can, of course, stray from this rule when trying new concoctions. But most every recipe, from the Gimlet to the Daiquiri, adheres to this basic ratio: 2:1:1. This refers to two parts spirits, one part sweet, and one part sour to complete the “Golden Ratio.”

Your Quest for the Best Starts with Distillery Nearby

Next time you head up to your local establishment, order one of these craft cocktails and see why they’re the most ordered of 2023. Try something new and explore new ways to enjoy your classic spirit favorites. And when you’re looking for the best, especially in craft distillery tours and cocktail recipes, let Distillery Nearby be your guide!