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Swank Cocktail Guide

Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 Cocktails in 80 Days

We found our Swank Cocktail Guide, which looks to be from the 1950s, at a Cape Cod flea market. Eighty cocktails are displayed on the front of the gadget in alphabetical order. The red wheel is used to scroll through the paper roll to find the desired cocktail’s recipe.

We set off on a quest to sample all 80 cocktails listed, per the Swank recipes, in 80 days.

Cocktail reviews

Cocktail Reviews

We each rate the cocktail based on our personal preference from 1 to 5 🍸. Unlike most online cocktail reviews, we don’t love every cocktail. Again, it’s our preferences and yours may vary. Our scale can be interpreted as:

🍸 One sip. Ugh. Pour it out.
🍸🍸 If handed this cocktail at a party, it would casually disappear after a few sips. Check behind the plant.
🍸🍸🍸 If handed this cocktail at a party, it would be consumed, but never ordered in a bar.
🍸🍸🍸🍸 Yes, please.
🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸 Can I have another?

avorite cocktails with an average 4-5 rating.

Favorite Cocktails

Our favorite cocktails with an average 4-5 rating.

Cocktails by type or style

Gin
cocktails

Vodka
cocktails

Rum
cocktails

Whisky
cocktails

Tequila
cocktails

Applejack
cocktails

Brandy
cocktails

Champagne
cocktails

Dubonnet
cocktails

Sloe Gin
cocktails

Chartreuse
cocktails

After dinner
cocktails

Fizzes

Punches

N

New Orleans Fizz

O

Old Fashioned
Orange Blossom

P

Perfect Martini
Pink Lady No. 2
Pisco Punch
Planter’s Punch

Q

R

S

Salome
Screwdriver
Shamrock
Sidecar
Silver Fizz
Silver Stallion
Singapore Sling
Sloe Gin Fizz
Stinger

T

U

V

W

Ward 8
Whiskey Sour
White Lion
Widow’s Dream

X

Y

Z

Early Cocktail Resources

Jerry Thomas' How to Mix Drinks, The Bon-vivant's Companion, 1862 — Jerry Thomas’ How to Mix Drinks, The Bon-vivant’s Companion, 1862

Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, 1882 — Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, 1882

Joseph Fleischman’s The Art of Blending and Compounding Liquors and Wines, 1885 — Joseph Fleischman’s The Art of Blending and Compounding Liquors and Wines, 1885

James C. Maloney, The 20th Century Guide for Mixing Fancy Drinks, 1900 — James C. Maloney, The 20th Century Guide for Mixing Fancy Drinks, 1900

Jacques Straub's Drinks, 1914 — Jacques Straub’s Drinks, 1914

Harry McElhone, "Harry" of the New York Bar Paris (Late of Ciro's'), ABC of Mixing Cocktails, 1930. — Harry McElhone, “Harry” of the New York Bar Paris (Late of Ciro’s’), ABC of Mixing Cocktails, 1930.

Leo Englel's American and Other Drinks, 1878 — Leo Engel’s American and Other Drinks, 1878

Albert Barnes’ The Complete Bartender, the Art of Mixing, 1884, Title page — Albert Barnes’ The Complete Bartender, the Art of Mixing, 1884

Official Hand-Book and Guide Bartenders’ Association of New York City, 1895 — Official Hand-Book and Guide Bartenders’ Association of New York City, 1895

Frederick Lawrence Knowles’ The Cocktail Book, A Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen, 1902 — Frederick Lawrence Knowles’ The Cocktail Book, A Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen, 1902

J. A. Grohusko, Jack's Manual, 1916. — J. A. Grohusko, Jack’s Manual, 1910.

Hon. William T. Boothby, "Cocktail Bill" Boothby's World Drinks and How to Mix Them, 1934. — Hon. William T. Boothby, “Cocktail Bill” Boothby’s World Drinks and How to Mix Them, 1934.

Ryans’s Liquor Shop, Bottoms Up, Ryan's Guide to Pleasant Drinking, 1900 — Ryan’s Liquor Shop, Bottoms Up, Ryan’s Guide to Pleasant Drinking, 1950

Yeatman and Company, Drinks and How to Make Them, 1879 — Yeatman and Company, Drinks and How to Make Them, 1879

George Winter's How to Mix Drinks, Bar Keepers' Handbook, 1884 — George Winter’s How to Mix Drinks, Bar Keepers’ Handbook, 1884

Frederick Davies’ Drinks of All Kinds for All Season, 1896

Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks, 1913 — Straub’s Manual of Mixed Drinks, 1913

J. A. Grohusko, Jack's Manual, 1916. — J. A. Grohusko, Jack’s Manual, 1916.

Albert Stevens Crockett, The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book, 1935. — Albert Stevens Crockett, The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book, 1935.

Many more cocktail books… EUVS Vintage Cocktail Books

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Zazarac, Cocktail #80

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Zazaracis cocktail number 80 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Zazarac cocktail history The last cocktail on the Swank cocktail guide is […]

XYZ, Cocktail #79

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The XYZ is cocktail number 79 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. XYZ cocktail history In 1930, Harry Craddock included the XYZ cocktail […]

Widow’s Dream, Cocktail #78

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Widow’s Dream is cocktail number 78 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Widow’s Dream cocktail history An April 1908 article in the […]

White Lion, Cocktail #77

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The White Lion is cocktail number 77 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. White Lion cocktail history Jerry Thomas included a White Lion […]

Whiskey Sour, Cocktail #76

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Whiskey Sour is cocktail number 76 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Whiskey Sour cocktail history Given the simple ingredients of the […]

Ward 8, Cocktail #75

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Ward 8 is cocktail number 75 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Ward 8 cocktail history As with so many cocktails, there […]

Hot Toddy, Cocktail #74

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Hot Toddy is cocktail number 74 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Hot Toddy cocktail history The Hot Toddy is believed to […]

Stinger, Cocktail #73

🏠 » Cocktails » Swank Cocktail Guide: 80 cocktails in 80 days The Stinger is cocktail number 73 on the Swank Cocktail Guide. Stinger cocktail history A simple cocktail, the Stinger consists of only […]