Various cocktails to choose from

13 Best President’s Day Cocktails: Homemade Edition

Various cocktails to choose from

President’s Day commemorates the birthday of George Washington, the first US President. But this holiday is no longer restricted to Washington but as a homage to the whole office. 

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Since popular US Presidents fancy a drink of their own, what better way to celebrate this holiday than to make the best President’s Day cocktails inspired by American history. So, get your shakers and glasses up with these easy yet tasty drinks you can make at home.

1. Bloody Mary

A glass of bloody mary with garnishes

One of John F. Kennedy’s favorite drinks aside from daiquiris and Heineken beer is the sweet and refreshing taste of Bloody Mary. This cocktail has remained popular for more than 100 years already as the balance of earthy, fruity, and spicy hints go well together. 

One of John F. Kennedy’s favorite drinks aside from daiquiris and Heineken beer is the sweet and refreshing taste of Bloody Mary. This cocktail has remained popular for more than 100 years already as the balance of earthy, fruity, and spicy hints go well together. 

Ingredients

  • 32 oz. Tomato juice
  • 8 oz. Vodka
  • 1 Medium-to-large cucumber (peeled and seeded)
  • ⅓ cup Distilled vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Celery seed
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. Hot sauce
  • 1 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Medium cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
  • ¼ tsp. Salt (optional)
  • Lemon or lime wedges
  • Kosher salt for the rims of your glasses
  • Lots of ice
  • Garnishes (choose any): Celery stalks, skinny carrots with leafy tops, mini bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, dill pickle spears, pickled okra, or green cocktail olives

Steps to Make

  1. In a blender, combine the tomato juice, vodka, cucumber, vinegar, celery seed, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Fasten the lid and blend at high speed until completely smooth.
  2. Taste, and add more hot sauce for more heat. Add the black pepper and garlic. Fasten the lid and blend for just a few seconds.
  3. Stir in ¼ tsp. salt for more overall flavor. Set aside.
  4. Rim your glasses with salt, run a lemon or lime wedge around the outside rim. Pour kosher salt onto a small plate and roll the glass’s wet edge across the salt at a 45-degree angle. 
  5. Fill the glasses with ice, and pour the Bloody Mary mix on top. Stir with a spoon, and garnish with a lemon or lime wedge and garnishes of your choice. Serve immediately.

2. Jack Rose

Glasses of Jack Rose with some apricot

Another best President’s cocktail is the well-known Jack Rose. This drink is associated with Abraham Lincoln. Though the former president wasn’t fond of drinking alcoholic beverages, he once served applejack (base spirit of Jack Rose) before he was appointed into office. 

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Laird's Applejack
  • 3/4 oz. Grenadine (preferably homemade)
  • 3/4 oz. Fresh-squeezed juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 dash Peychaud's bitters
  • Lemon twist

Steps to Make

  1. Combine applejack, grenadine, lemon juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled, about 15 seconds.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. 
  3. Squeeze lemon twist over the surface of the drink, skin-side-out to release fragrant oils. 
  4. Rub the rim of the glass with the skin side of lemon twist and discard twist. Serve immediately.

3. Mckinley’s Delight

A glass of Mckinley's Delight

This unique take on the classic Manhattan first came to popularity during President Mckinley’s presidential campaign. What makes this different is instead of the usual Angostura bitters, the recipe calls for cherry liqueur and absinthe. 

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. Bourbon
  • .75 oz. Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Cherry Liqueur
  • 1 dash Absinthe

Steps to Make

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice.
  2. Stir and strain into a coupe glass.

4. Mint Julep

Glasses of Mint Julep

Mint Julep’s minty and sweet flavors with some kick from the liquor make it one of the best President’s Day cocktail. Even Theodore Roosevelt himself loved the cocktail so much that he would always ask for refills when his cup has gone empty. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. In a Julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.
  2. Add the bourbon, then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.
  3. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.
  4. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional).

5. El Presidente

A glass of El Presidente

El Presidente is a Cuban cocktail made explicitly for the country’s president in the 1990s. However, this does not mean that you should shy away from creating your version in celebration of President’s Day in the US. The marriage between white rum, curacao, and dry vermouth results in a sharp and less sweet finish. 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz. White rum
  • ¾ oz. Orange curaçao
  • ¾ oz. Dry vermouth
  • 1 dash Grenadine

Steps to Make

  1. Add the white rum, orange curaçao, dry vermouth, and grenadine to a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

6. Aviation Cocktail

A glass aviation cocktail

Planes are significant in the United States history, so it’s just right to try this cocktail in time for President’s Day. The Aviation is a classic drink that boasts of its bright and beautiful blue and purple hue. Its aesthetics is also partnered with the tasty citrus and herbal notes. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Pour the gin, liqueurs, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake well.
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 
  4. Garnish with a flamed lemon peel. Serve and enjoy.

7. Bermuda Rum Swizzle

Glasses of Bermuda Rum Swizzle

This best President’s Day cocktail is a favorite of Franklin Roosevelt. Well, who wouldn’t fancy a glass or two of this rum-based drink that is loaded with hints of orange, herbs, and sour notes. Plus, the bright orange color is just so pretty you would want to take a photo first!

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Fill a pitcher 1/3 full with crushed ice.
  2. Add all ingredients and stir or shake vigorously until a frothing head appears.
  3. Strain into sour glasses.

8. M&M Cocktail

A glass of m&m cocktail

The M&M cocktail doesn’t really have any chocolate in the recipe. However, the combination of coffee liqueur and amaretto gives off a close chocolate flavor that will excite your sweet taste buds.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 oz. Amaretto
  • 3/4 oz. Coffee liqueur

Steps to Make

  1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake well.
  3. Strain into a chilled shot glass. Serve.

9. Wild Sacramento

Glasses of Wild Sacramento drink with apples

Named after the city of Sacramento, California, this President’s Day cocktail is like other drinks that use three or more ingredients. The difference? It only uses little servings of each component. The mixture of bitter and robust flavors of three liquor types, plus the citrus and zesty hints from the lemon and sweet and sour mix, make up an inviting drink. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add everything but the bitters and lemon juice to a blender with four ice cubes. 
  2. Blend for less than a half minute. The ice cubes should not be totally disintegrated.
  3. Pour into a highball glass, add the bitters and lemon juice, and serve.

10. Blue Hawaiian

Blue Hawaiian with fresh pineapples

This bright colored President’s day cocktail is associated with Barack Obama. Some say that this drink describes the former president’s political party (Democratic) that uses blue as its official political color and his favorite Hawaiian vacation spot. The result? A rum-based cocktail with pineapple juice, blue curacao, and sweet and sour mix. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Prepare the drink in a highball glass. 
  2. Add ice (filled to the top).
  3. Garnish with an orange twist and house-made cherry.

11. Washington Apple

Washington Apple drink

Another fantastic President’s Day cocktail to make at home is Washington Apple. It would make sense to prepare a drink that (1) is the city where the White House is; and (2) a surname of one of the previous presidents. The Washington Apple is everything you need if you crave a fruity, sweet, and sour drink. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake well.
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

12. Long Island Iced Tea

Glasses of Long Island Iced Tea

This classic President’s Day cocktail is a part of American history as its foundation goes a long way. Robert Butt at Oak Beach Inn in Long Island, New York created this drink in 1972. The combination of gin, tequila, rum, vodka, and triple sec with sour mix and soda is not for the faint-hearted. It’s quite strong but very much tasty. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add the vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice to a Collins glass filled with ice.
  2. Top with a splash of the cola and stir briefly.
  3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
  4. Serve with a straw.

13. Manhattan

Glasses of Manhattan

Any occasion calls for a Manhattan, and President’s Day is no exception. Originating at the Manhattan Club in New York City, this cocktail is well-celebrated simply because of its timeless taste and beauty. This President’s day cocktail is a mixture of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters that results in a bitter, earthy, and slightly sweet drink. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make

  1. Add all the bourbon (or rye), sweet vermouth, and both bitters to a mixing glass with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  3. Garnish with a brandied cherry.

Conclusion

Were you able to choose what President’s Day cocktail you will whip in your home bar? If you can’t decide which one to make, you can try them all. Whatever you pick, we know you’ll enjoy this holiday with your chosen drink.

Happy President’s Day! Let us know in the comments which drink you would love to have.

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Cocktail Recipes Themed Cocktails

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