Strong Cocktails
Explore 136 Strong cocktail recipes.
Strong cocktails make no apology for their alcohol — they're built around it rather than around it. The Long Island Iced Tea is the obvious anchor: vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec stacked together with lemon and a splash of cola, the only thing keeping the proof from being obvious. The Earthquake puts cognac and absinthe in equal parts and lets the absinthe do the texture work.
The BVD pulls brandy, vermouth and Dubonnet together for a higher-proof aperitif that still reads as drink-shaped rather than shot-shaped. Across the list you'll see both flavours of strong — the multi-spirit stack like the Long Island, and the high-proof stir-down where two or three potent ingredients sit honestly together. Spirit-forward Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, Vespers and Boulevardiers tend to land on this list as well, even though they're not advertised as boozy in the same loud way.
What ties them together is structure rather than mixer — these drinks don't lean on soda or juice to do their work. Most are stirred or shaken short, most are best served in smaller glassware than the long-format equivalents, most reward the better spirits because there's nowhere for cheap booze to hide, and most are not session drinks. One properly built strong cocktail is usually enough; two is sometimes too many.
They reward sipping rather than chugging — the heat is part of the drink, not a side effect.
Top Strong cocktails
Aunt Roberta
Brandy, Vodka, Absinthe, Gin, Blackberry liqueur
Venom
Whiskey, Vodka, WKD blue, Orange
Zombie Punch
Absinthe, Dark rum, Gold rum, Overproof rum, Aromatic bitters, Grapefruit juice, Grenadine, Lime juice
Vieux Carré
Bourbon, Cognac, DOM Benedictine, Red vermouth, Peychaud's Aromatic Bitters, Aromatic bitters
Kamikaze Shot
Vodka, Triple sec, Lime juice
Frisky Witch
Vodka, Sambuca (black)
Extra strong Whisky sour
Bourbon, Lemon juice, Gomme syrup, Egg
Anaconda Shooter
Sambuca, Whiskey