11 signature cocktails from different countries that you might not know about.

Kir royale: France

This sweet cocktail is an upgraded version of the already famous French Kir cocktail. The Kir originated in Burgundy and gained fame thanks to the Mayor of Dijon, Canon Félix Kir. It's a traditional aperitif combining dry white wine with crème de ceneer – a dark liqueur with a sweet blackcurrant flavor. Kir Royale, on the other hand, offers a more refreshing experience by using champagne instead of the original white wine. Many believe the Kir Royale was Canon Félix Kir's favorite cocktail, as it was often served as a popular aperitif at official national receptions hosted by the Canon.

Sangria: Spanish

Sangria's origins can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, where wine was mixed with sugar and spices. However, today, this popular cocktail is closely associated with Spain. Historically, when the Romans conquered Spain around 200 BC, they brought wine and grape varieties to cultivate. This led to a flourishing viticulture in the Mediterranean region, paving the way for the booming Spanish wine industry. At that time, water was unsafe to drink, leading to the creation of other beverages, including Sangria. Sangria is actually a Spanish word, meaning "with" or "the essence of the word.""sangre"It means blood and it's usually made with red wine, spirits, spices, and fruit. For a more unique experience, try sangria blanca (made with white wine) or sangria de cava (a sparkling version made with sparkling wine).

Pisco sour: Peru

The main ingredient of the drink is a spirit called Pisco. While there is debate surrounding which country holds the copyright to the Pisco Sour cocktail, most agree that it is a Peruvian drink, not one originating from Chile, as it has been present in Peru since the 16th century. Historically, Peru was colonized by the Spanish, who brought grape varieties and planted vineyards to create their own distinct distilled spirits. In the 1920s, the modern pisco sour cocktail recipe, combining egg whites, lime, and bitter orange peel, was created by Victor Vaughen Morris in a Lima bar. In 2013, the European Commission officially declared Peru the owner of pisco sour. Since then, the first Saturday of February has been designated as "Pisco Sour Day" to celebrate the delicious flavor of this cocktail.

Sazerac: New Orleans

The Sazerac was officially declared a New Orleans signature drink in 2008, but few know that this cocktail actually originated in the 19th century. In the 1830s, Antoine Amédée Peychaud, who ran a pharmaceutical factory, began serving his first customers drinks made from his family's secret recipe, which included bitters and cognac. The drink became so popular that a bar called the Sazerac Coffee House bought the rights to Peychaud's recipe and replaced the cognac with Sazerac whiskey. And although the recipe for the Sazerac cocktail has changed over the years, its captivating and powerful flavor has remained consistent.

Pimm's: London

Pimm's – a cocktail with gin as its base ingredient – ​​was once used as a tonic but quickly became a phenomenon. In the 1840s, fisherman and landowner James Pimm began marketing his "health-boosting" drink. Over the next 20 years, Pimm's grew increasingly popular as a delightful alcoholic beverage. By 1859, Pimm's was widely available and soon reached international destinations such as England, Australia, India, Canada, and the Caribbean. Each year, around 200,000 Pimm's cocktails (made by mixing gin with lime juice) are consumed at the Wimbledon tennis tournament, which lasts just two weeks.

Aperol Spritz: Venice

Many people might be surprised to learn the origin of the Aperol Spritz, but the truth is that Venetians have been enjoying this sweet, sparkling cocktail for decades. During the Napoleonic Wars, Austria-Hungary occupied the Veneto region in northern Italy, which is why the German "spitz" was introduced to the area, slightly modified by adding a little water to Italian wine. In 1919, when the Aperol cocktail recipe was created, it was primarily marketed to athletic women due to its low alcohol content and quickly became a popular cocktail. In the 1950s, the Aperol was further refined with a unique recipe to become the Aperol Spritz.

Black Russian: Belgium

Powerful, mysterious, and dreamy – despite its name, the Black Russian cocktail was actually invented more than 1,000km from the Russian capital. In 1949, in Belgium, bartender Gustave Tops created a signature drink for the US Ambassador to Luxembourg, Perle Mesta. The combination of vodka and coffee liqueur gave it the name "Black Russian," due to its color and the use of vodka – a famous Russian drink.

Cosmopolitan: New York

Despite its late appearance on bar menus, the Cosmopolitan has become a popular drink, featured on almost every cocktail menu today. Launched in the late 1980s and solidified throughout the 1990s, this vodka-and-blueberry cocktail was a particularly favored and popular drink on Miami Beach and in Provincetown, Massachusetts. People tended to want a drink that was martini-like but easier to drink, and there was no better choice than the Cosmopolitan. Furthermore, its popularity was amplified by its appearance in the television series "Sex and the City".

Mojito: Havana

The Mojito had humble beginnings and wasn't the sophisticated cocktail we know today. It was a creative blend of inexpensive but potent rums found throughout Cuba. To enhance its flavor, locals in Havana would add lime juice, sugarcane, and mint to the Mojito mixture. It later gained worldwide recognition after the US lifted its embargo on Cuba, and Americans were among the first to embrace the Mojito.

Singapore sling: Singapore

This colorful fruit cocktail was created with women in mind. In 1915, Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, noticed that while gentlemen often drank gin and whiskey in bars, women were not allowed to drink alcohol in public. Instead, many women opted for tea or fruit juice. This led Boon to create the Singapore Sling, layering gin and liqueur in a fruit-based cocktail, making it more suitable and easier for women to drink. It is for this reason that the Singapore Sling has become a signature cocktail of the Lion City.

Margarita: Mexico

No one really knows for sure who invented the margarita, but it's safe to say it originated in Mexico. There are quite a few anecdotes about the drink! One story says a bar owner from Tijuana – who first created the margarita – wanted to console a dancer who only drank tequila with a milder cocktail. Another story claims a well-connected Texas woman named Margaret Sames, or Margarita, brought the drink to the lavish parties she attended, contributing to its widespread popularity. The margarita cocktail became so famous that it has its own national day in Mexico, celebrated annually on February 22nd.

Quynh Anh