For years, the cocktail world seemed to be driven by sweetness: fruit-forward drinks, flavored syrups, sweet liqueurs and elaborate garnishes. But in 2026, bartenders and home mixologists are taking cocktails in a more savory direction—and the results are anything but ordinary.

IIf you’ve ever enjoyed a Margarita, a Sidecar, or even a Cosmopolitan, you owe a debt of gratitude to a drink you may have never actually ordered: The Daisy.

The Paper Plane is a modern classic cocktail that proves great drinks don’t need a long history to earn a permanent place on the menu. Created in 2008 by renowned bartender Sam Ross at the famed New York bar Milk & Honey, the Paper Plane quickly took off thanks to its perfect balance and approachable flavor profile. Inspired by the equal-parts structure of classics like the Last Word, this cocktail is both easy to make and impressively complex in taste.

Walk into any good cocktail bar today and you’ll likely find a menu that blends the past with the present. Some drinks feel timeless — the kind your grandparents might have ordered — while others showcase unusual ingredients, creative techniques, and unexpected flavor combinations. These two approaches generally fall into two categories: classic cocktails and modern cocktails.

Few cocktails strike the balance between elegance, history, and pure drinkability quite like the Clover Club. With its soft pink hue, velvety texture, and bright, bracing flavor, the Clover Club has become a favorite for bartenders and home mixologists alike, especially when the occasion calls for something a little romantic.

Cocktails have come a long way from the days of the classic Old Fashioned or Martini. While those timeless drinks still have their place, the modern cocktail scene is all about creativity, fresh ingredients, and innovative techniques.