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The 10 Most Popular Cocktails in March
From Martini variations to spicy Margs, spring ushered in some surprising cocktail searches this month.
Abby Mercer / Dotdash Meredith Video Studios
As we reach the end of March, and are now on the other side of daylight savings with longer days and more sunlight, we are dipping into full-on springtime mode and your cocktail searches have reflected that.
It might not be as warm as we’d like in much of the country, so this time of year always evokes a craving for a range of recipes from spirit-forward classics to spicy Margarita variations to lighter, more refreshing drinks that bring the sunshine to us in a glass.
Here are 10 of the most popular cocktails for March 2024.
Aviation
Tim Nusog
This lavender-hued pre-Prohibition classic is essentially a Gin Sour dressed up for spring.
The purple stunner combines gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, and creme de violette — the crucial floral liqueur that provides the drink with its signature color and aromatics.
New York Sour
This vibrant take on a Whiskey Sour contains the standard build of whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, but with the addition of a fruit-forward, dry red wine as a float atop the drink.
This recipe, which can be traced to the late 1800s, calls for a bourbon base but can easily be swapped for a spicy rye whiskey. There is also the option to add an egg white for more viscosity to the drink and to create a frothy top, providing a more dramatic contrast to the dazzling red wine topper.
Cucumber Basil Martini
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
This botanical-forward cocktail comes from renowned chef and restauranteur Laurent Tourondel and combines fresh cucumber, ginger, basil, and lime juice. The result is a crowd-pleasing cross between a refreshing Mojito and a classic Gin Gimlet.
The balance of aromatic herbs, cool cucumber and spicy ginger make this a perfect springtime cocktail to welcome warmer weather and longer days.
Manhattan
Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Few cocktails have remained as popular for as long as the Manhattan has — well over a century — so it’s no surprise the iconic classic tops our most popular list for the month.
The combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, with a maraschino cherry garnish, firmly puts this late 1800s creation in the aromatic, spirit-forward camp of cocktails.
This recipe calls for rye whiskey as its base, though bourbon also can be subbed out for a slightly sweeter Manhattan. The type of sweet vermouth used will also impact the sweetness, herbal complexities, and depth of the drink. Just know that because there are so few ingredients in a Manhattan, quality is key.
Espresso Martini
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
This modern classic, created by bar legend Dick Bradsell at the Soho Brasserie in London in the 1980s, has seen a surge in popularity in recent years.
As cocktail lore has it, the drink was born when an American supermodel requested a drink that would “wake me up, and then fuck me up” and the espresso machine just happened to be nearby.
This drink combines vodka, freshly brewed espresso (cooled to room temperature), and coffee liqueur. Simple syrup could be added to taste for additional sweetness.
Affogato Martini
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
If you love an Espresso Martini but want to make it even more indulgent, this boozy ice cream treat is for you.
This cross between a traditional affogato and the buzzy modern classic was created by Patrick Smith from New York City’s now-closed Maialino (vicino) and combines aged rum, coffee liqueur, freshly brewed espresso, and cherry liqueur poured over a scoop of vanilla gelato and topped with maraschino cherry.
Dark 'n Stormy
Julia Hartbeck
Similar to the vodka-based Moscow Mule, this drink calls for ginger beer and fresh lime but the base spirit in this drink is a dark rum instead.
Legally, if the drink is called a Dark ’n Stormy on a menu, it must include Goslings Black Seal Rum. The brand trademarked the drink in 1991 and claims the moniker. But, if you are creating this at home, another rich dark rum will do.
Classic Martini
Matt Taylor-Gross
The Martini has gone through countless iterations through the years and besides the hotly debated decision whether or not to have a base of vodka or gin, the ratio of gin to vermouth is the most contested.
This classic gin-based variation is taken from the pages of The Maison Premiere Almanac and skews “wetter” and slightly less dry, with a full ounce of dry vermouth as the modifier. A generous amount of orange bitters further adds complexity and ups the citrus aromatics.
Desert Rain
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco and Addelyn Evans
This three-ingredient cocktail, created by Sam Geller for Corima New York City, was made to feature Sotol, an herbaceous distilled spirit made from a group of plants in the dasylirion genus, also referred to as desert spoon.
The floral, bittersweet fortified wine, Cocchi Americano, and dry vermouth rounds out the drink, adding herbal complexity and slight spice. The result is an earthy, herbaceous Martini-like cocktail with a perfume-like bite.
Pineapple Habanero Margarita
Abby Mercer / Dotdash Meredith Video Studios
Celebrity chef and restauranteur Guy Fieri has created this take on a spicy Margarita by combining the standard trio of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice with a homemade pineapple habanero puree, orange juice, agave nectar and ginger beer.
This “more is more” version with a Tajin seasoning garnish, is a sweet, tropical upgrade to the iconic classic we know and love.
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