Cocktail Backstories

Have you ever wondered where some drinks have gotten their unusual names? Read about these classic cocktails with unusual backstories.

Screwdriver

This classic brunch staple originated in Turkey sometime in the 1940s, when a group of American engineers snuck vodka into their morning orange juice. They stirred the sneaky concoction with—you guessed it—a screwdriver.

Harvey WallBanger

Leave it to an annoyed bartender to make lemonade out of lemons. In the 1950s, a southern California bartender had a customer named Harvey who liked to add Galliano, a sweet herbal liqueur, to his screwdrivers. Harvey had a few too many, though, and often collapsed against the walls on the way out.

Sidecar

Picture it. Paris, 1920s. Harry’s Bar is typically credited with inventing this classic cocktail. As the story goes, at the end of World War One, an Army captain rolled up to the bar on a motorcycle with a sidecar looking for something to warm him up. A pour of Cointreau and lemon juice later, the sidecar was born.

Bloody Mary

Cocktail enthusiasts tend to fall into two camps when it comes to the origin of this spicy, hangover chaser. This classic was either invented by Ernest Hemingway—the margarita-loving writer with about as many hangovers to his name as beloved stories—or it was created in tribute to the Tudor queen, Bloody Mary, who made a name for herself by beheading (and burning) heretics to the Catholic faith.

Mojito

This refreshing, summer classic cocktail is quintessentially Cuban. This mix of rum, sugar, mint, and lime juice was originally crafted with a harsh liqueur. Sugar and lime juice are added to make it more palatable. The name of the drink comes from a Cuban marinade, Mojo, made with limes.