Because they lean heavily on large quantities of ice and a mechanical means of blending it, frozen cocktails are very much a twentieth-century invention. Here are our top 5 super-cooled favourites.

If there’s one stand-out perk of summer, it’s the joy of pimping your standard spirit-and-juice combo with a metric tonne of fruit salad and calling it a cocktail.

The early-nineteenth-century fusion of spirit, sugar and water known as a ‘sling’ laid the foundations for the rainbow of cocktails we drink today.

For every bottle of unwanted Metaxa in the understairs cupboard, there’s a cocktail that has the ability to transport you to a sunnier, happier state of mind.

The evolution of modern-day tequila is an interesting story. Its origins lie in a sticky, kombucha-style, ceremonial ‘pulque’ made from raw agave sap in pre-Hispanic Mexico and thought to be a gift from the gods.

A brilliant cocktail standard with a unique and herbal flavour profile that’s particularly well suited to fruity, zesty combinations. Here are a few of our favourite tequila-based cocktails.

In an era where the concept of luxury is constantly being redefined through extravagant high-end cars, watches, hotels and couture, champagne remains a reassuringly authentic indulgence.

While lemon, lime and orange juices are consistent cocktail staples, grapefruit is generally less common – possibly even seen as a little old-school, especially when compared to its more exotic counterparts like passionfruit, lychee and kumquat...

Elegant, indulgent and romantic, Champagne is capable of imbuing gravitas and frivolity in equal measure, making it the perfect choice for special occasions of every stripe.