Macho Mixology: 21 Manly Cocktails That Pack a Punch

For the discerning gentleman who's looking for something macho, these manly drinks are the perfect solution. Whether something refreshingly herbaceous or classically biting with bourbon, there's a rugged cocktail fit for any desire. Which of these timeless and manly drinks will you start with? 

Macho Cocktails With Fruit or Mint

Fruit, mint, and hard liquor go together, so even a burly man shouldn't turn their nose up at fruity or minty cocktails. After all, what's the perfect accessory for a well-dressed man? Why, a cocktail with a sprig of mint or a dash of fruit, of course! And if your idea of a delicious drink is a fruity tiki cocktail with an umbrella in it, then, by all means, drink it with gusto. Or, give some of these fruit-forward or minty cocktails with a masculine edge a try.

Greyhound

Buses! Dogs! Regardless of what manly things greyhounds make you think of, they can't be better than this simple vodka and grapefruit cocktail. It's one of those basic bartending drinks that has a hint of fruit, and it's the perfect cocktail for the man (or gal) who enjoys his mixed drinks on the sour side. Because this cocktail is so simple, choose a premium vodka for the best flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces grapefruit juice
• 1½ ounces vodka
• Ice
• Lemon or lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, grapefruit juice, and vodka.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a citrus wedge.

Whiskey Smash

Whiskey and mint go together, so gentlemen, start your engines! While the quintessential version of the whiskey smash, the mint julep, is associated with horse racing and the Kentucky Derby, you can create your own manly outing (Billiards? Surfing?) to go along with this one. Use your favorite whiskey for a satisfying citrusy and minty cocktail.

Ingredients

• 8 mint leaves
• 2 lemon slices
• 1 sugar cube
• 2 ounces whiskey
• Crushed ice
• Mint sprig and powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with lemon and sugar.
2. Add ice and whiskey.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
5. Garnish with a mint sprig and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Vodka Cranberry

Real men drink pink! Sure, cranberry juice may make pink drinks, but that doesn't mean it can't be part of a manly cocktail. This simple cocktail is pleasantly tart and satisfactorily strong to boot.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cranberry juice
• 1½ ounces vodka
• Ice
• Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, cranberry juice, and vodka.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Moscow Mule

Perhaps you've heard that Russian men (and women) love their vodka. Now, add some lime and ginger beer, and you've got a real, manly cocktail, especially when you serve it in a cool copper mule cup. The Moscow mule is fizzy with a hint of warm spice and a nice lime flavor — kind of like your favorite aftershave scent. To add more fruit flavor, you can also add muddled fruit, such as a few blackberries.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1½ ounces vodka
• Ice
• Ginger beer to top off
• Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lime juice, and vodka.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a copper mug or rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with ginger beer.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Stinger

What floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee? Nope — not Muhammad Ali (although that would also be a correct answer), but the stinger cocktail. It's a simple drink with a punch-you-in-the-face boozy mint flavor for a strong beverage made for mint-loving men who want a drink that packs a wallop.

Instructions

• 1 ounce white créme de menthe
• 2 ounces Cognac
• Ice
• Mint sprig and lemon wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, add ice, white créme de menthe, and Cognac.
2. Stir rapidly to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with mint sprig and lemon wheel.

Pimm's No. 1 Cup

British gents like booze too, and Pimm's is a sophisticated British fruity liqueur. This cocktail is the perfect refreshing summer drink for the dashing British gentleman.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ounces Pimm's No. 1
• Ice
• Ginger ale to top off
• Cucumber slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon juice, and Pimm's.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with ginger beer.
5. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

Sweet and Sour Masculine Drinks

Many men like a little sour with their sweet, making classic sours a perfect expression of idealized manhood. Mixed drinks with sweet and sour in them have a beautiful flavor balance that makes a refreshing, manly cocktail.

Kamikaze

Just the name of this drink has macho appeal. The kamikaze is a classic sour cocktail with a cool name with a tart and refreshing blend of flavors.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce orange liqueur
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, orange liqueur, and lime juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Tom Collins

Is there anything that says manly drink more than a cocktail named after a dude? Well, actually, it's named after a hoax from the 1870s called the Tom Collins Hoax in which people would claim some guy named Tom Collins was talking smack about other men. It spawned sightings, stories, and eventually this classic cocktail, a simple fizz cocktail — a sour mixed with a fizzy element.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounces simple syrup
• 1½ ounces London dry gin or Old Tom gin
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with club soda.
5. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Gin and Tonic

Men, you can't go wrong when you order a gin and tonic. It makes you the kind of guy who enjoys simple pleasures because the G&T is another classic drink many men love.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• Tonic water to top off
• Ice
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice and gin.
2. Top off with tonic water.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Whiskey Sour

Just the name, 'whiskey sour' sounds like something a dude would drink. And the whiskey sour is a great way to enjoy whiskey. It's a classic sour cocktail made with whiskey, which some would argue is the most macho hard liquor of all. You can also try a pisco sour, a similarly structured drink made with the Chilean brandy called pisco.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• 1½ ounces whiskey
• Ice
• Orange wedge and cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and whiskey.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a cherry and an orange wedge.

Penicillin

For the man who likes his whiskey on the smoky, spicy side, raise a glass! Because even nice guys like a bit of heat. The penicillin cocktail is a smoky and spicy sour cocktail.

Ingredients

• ¾ freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce ginger-infused simple syrup
• 2 ounces blended scotch
• ½ ounce Islay scotch
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and scotches.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Classic Gallant Mixed Drinks

Men of the world can never go wrong with the classics. Of course, classic 'manly cocktails' aren't for men only, just as girly bar drinks aren't just for the ladies. So go with your taste buds and order what pleases your palate. And if you like your drinks to fit comfortably like your favorite pair of jeans, then enjoy these classic manly cocktails.

Old-Fashioned

The old-fashioned is a classic cocktail that has been beloved by men (and ladies) for generations. It's also an exceptionally balanced way to enjoy your favorite whiskey.

Instructions

• 2 ounces whiskey
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• 1-2 dashes orange bitters
• 3-4 dashes aromatic bitters
• Ice
• Orange twist for garnish

Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, add ice, whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters.
2. Stir rapidly to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with an orange twist.

Rusty Nail

Tell the world you chew on nails and spit them out of your manly mouth by ordering a rusty nail.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces scotch
• ¾ ounce Drambuie
• Ice
• Lemon twist and orange wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, add ice, scotch, and Drambuie
2. Stir rapidly to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist and an orange wedge.

Dark and Stormy

This dark rum cocktail is no fruity tropical drink. Instead, it's a brooding, dark tiki drink made from dark rum and ginger beer that tells the world that sure, you might be on a tropical vacation, but inside, you're just as dark and mysterious as a growing storm on the Bermuda horizon. If you like ginger and the warm flavors of dark rum, this is the drink for you.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dark rum
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Ginger beer to top off
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice, dark rum, and lime juice.
2. Top off with ginger beer.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Dirty Martini

Oh sure, a martini is a manly enough drink. After all, it was good enough for 007, who especially loved a vesper martini. But why not dirty it up a bit with olive brine? The dirty martini says, "I'm suave and sophisticated with a little bit of an edge," the perfect manly message to send with your cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces vodka
• ¾ ounce olive brine
• ¼ ounce dry vermouth
• Ice
• Olives for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add ice, vodka, olive brine, and dry vermouth.
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with olives.

Four Horsemen

Heck, this drink has man in the name — or, more specifically, men — and it uses hard liquors named after dudes. How could it not be one of the manliest drinks of all time? So swagger on up to your nearest bartender and ask for a four horsemen drink so you can spend time with your friends Jack, Jim, José, and Johnny. This drink is strong with a distinct boozy burn.

Ingredients

• ¼ ounce Jim Beam bourbon
• ¼ ounce Jack Daniels whiskey
• ¼ ounce Johnnie Walker Scotch
• ¼ ounce Jose Cuervo gold tequila
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, whiskey, scotch, and tequila.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Boilermaker

"Liquor before beer, nothing to fear; beer before liquor, never sicker," or so the saying goes. But what if it's liquor in beer? What could be more macho than that? The boilermaker is easy to make. Drop a shot of bourbon or rye into a mug of beer and take it down.

Instructions

• 1 ounce whiskey
• 8 ounces beer, pilsner or lager

Instructions

1. In a pint glass, add beer.
2. In a shot glass, add whiskey.
3. Drop the shot glass into the pint glass.
4. Chug!

Vodka Soda

Highball cocktails put spirits to the forefront, with just a little fizz. To really amp it up, make it a double.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces vodka
• ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add vodka and lemon juice.
2. Top off with club soda.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Bloody Mary

At first glance, the Bloody Mary can seem like an ordinary brunch drink, but with a little heat, this cocktail quickly becomes a fiery sip.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces black peppar vodka
• 4 ounces tomato juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce pickle brine
• ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ ounce horseradish
• 2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 dashes hot sauce, to taste
• Pinch paprika
• Ice
• Celery stick and lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, pickle brine, lime juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and paprika.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into the highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a celery stick and lime wheel.

Hot Toddy

This warm drink is simply whiskey warmed up, with nothing between you and the spirits but warm water and the softest touch of honey.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce rye
• 1 ounce cinnamon whiskey
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce honey
• Hot water to top off
• Orange slice and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

1. Warm a mug by filling it with hot water.
2. After mug is warm to the touch, pour out the water.
3. In the mug, combine the whiskeys, lemon juice, honey, and hot water.
4. Stir to combine well.
5. Garnish with orange slice and cinnamon stick.

Long Island Iced Tea

No sweet tea for you, Mr. Manly. We've got the macho version of tea that shows the world you can knock it back with the best of them. 

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce gin
• ¾ ounce white rum
• ¾ ounce silver tequila
• ¾ ounce vodka
• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Cola to top off
• Ice
• Lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
2. Top off with cola.
3. Stir gently to mix.
4. Garnish with a lemon slice.

More Manly Drinks

Any drink can be a manly drink. Still, if you're looking for a drink to order at a bar that gives you the liquid courage to go out and wrestle alligators, then give these macho beverages a try.

• Whiskey, neat — Nothing is easier than a splash of whiskey in a simple rocks glass.
• Scotch on the rocks — Whether it's a blended scotch or a smoky single malt, scotch on the rocks is a satisfying sipper.
• Tequila shot — Sometimes, the easiest option is to just belly up to the bar and order a shot of tequila — lime and salt optional.
• Whiskey-based cocktails — Whiskey isn't just for men, but a lot of men like it, and it makes a great cocktail base.
• Cognac or Armagnac — French brandies drunk neat are the perfect, sophisticated sippers for debonnaire gents.
• Absinthe — This anise-flavored green liquor made from wormwood is making a comeback, and it's gaining popularity among members of both sexes.
• Alcohol shots — Efficient drinkers of all genders enjoy easy alcohol shots that go down quickly and smoothly but get the job done.
• Jack Daniels cocktails — A Tennessee whiskey with a man right in the name, mixed drinks made with Jack Daniels are definitely macho.

Manly Drinks Are Not Just for Men

Whether you like an austere whiskey neat or prefer a slightly more whimsical Batman-themed cocktail, these are the manliest drinks around. But gender is a social construct, so don't let that stop you from ordering any drink your heart desires. And of course, manly drinks aren't just for men. So, regardless of whether you identify as cis, masc, femme, or anywhere along the gender spectrum, feel free to set aside your usual cocktail and have a drink with the boys. The simplicity of the cocktails and the strong flavor profiles are perfect for everyone.