10 Classic Lime Cocktails

One of the most famous lime cocktails of them all: the classic daiquiri! This perfectly balanced cocktail stars lime juice, rum, and simple syrup. A classic daiquiri is not frozen at all: it's served straight up in a cocktail glass and thought to have been invented in the 1800’s in Cuba.

Also try: Hemingway Daiquiri, Strawberry Daiquiri, Lime Frozen Daiquiri

Tied for the top lime cocktail: the Gimlet! This classic features lime juice, gin and simple syrup, a textbook sour cocktail. While it became ultra popular in the 1950's, a recipe was included in a 1930’s cocktail book, so it stems back to at least that far!

Also try: Vodka Gimlet, French Gimlet, Basil Gimlet

Perhaps it's a three-way tie for the top lime cocktails? Don't forget the most famous of them all: the Margarita! Likely originating in the 1930's, the margarita is one of the most classic sours of all time: drinks that feature liquor, sweetener and citrus. The classic recipe is tequila, lime, and Cointreau, and it's perfect in its simplicity.

Also try: all our Best Margarita Recipes, like Jalapeño, Skinny, Mezcal, Beergarita, Cadillac, Mango, Italian, and more!

Yet another ultra popular lime cocktail...the Mojito! Some say it was invented in the 1500s, others in the 1800's with the birth of the Bacardi rum company. In any case, its place as an iconic Cuban cocktail was solidified by the 1930's when Ernest Hemingway helped to popularize the drink. It's perfectly. balanced with lime, rum and fresh mint and equally as popular today (if not more so).

Also try: Limoncello Mojito

Another great lime cocktail starring vodka: the Moscow mule! This classic was born in the 1940’s: made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime and always served up in a copper mug. Why the mug? The coolness of the glass when you sip makes it taste ice cold.

Also try: Mexican Mule, Mezcal Mule, Kentucky Mule, Irish Mule, Gin Gin Mule, Watermelon Mule, Cider Mule

Just 3 ingredients make up this classic lime cocktail: the Dark and Stormy! This refreshing highball drink has quite the reputation…because it’s just that good. Each ingredient has lots of personality: the rich, earthy dark rum, with vanilla and brown sugar notes. Add to that spicy ginger beer, fruity and filled with effervescent bubbles. Top it off with a squeeze of tangy lime, and there’s not much better for sipping...any time and any season.

Also try: Cuba Libre

There’s truly no drink like it. Meet the classic pisco sour! This lime cocktail from Peru is mega popular for a reason. It’s just that good. There are lots of famous sours, from the Whiskey Sour and Amaretto Sour to the two-toned New York Sour. But there’s really nothing like a pisco sour. The way the pisco melds with the lime makes it bright, mellow, and distinctly magical.

Here’s a bubbly drink that’s equally as refreshing as a cocktail or mocktail: the Lime Rickey! This refreshing drink is a cousin of the classic Gin Rickey, though some people consider it the same drink. Make it with gin or whiskey, or use our mocktail substitutes. Take one sip and it’s fizzy, bubbly, and ultra tangy: with effect of jumping into a cold pool on a hot summer day.

Want a Mojito topped off with champagne? (Yes, please.) Enter the Old Cuban cocktail: one part Mojito, one part French 75. This mashup cocktail is a modern classic created by a famous bartender in the early 2000’s. It’s truly an incredible drink. It’s minty fresh, with complexity from the bitters and vanilla and coconut notes from the aged rum. Combine it with a splash of bubbles, and it’s a cocktail masterpiece if you ask us!

If you haven’t tried a Caipirinha, well: you haven’t lived! Yes, the national drink of Brazil is just that good. In fact, it’s one of our favorite cocktails because there’s truly nothing like it. It’s made with cachaça, a liquor made of sugar cane, which tastes like a funky version of rum. Combine that with lime, sugar and lots of ice, and you’ve got one of the uniquely refreshing lime cocktails on the planet.

Rounding out our lime cocktails is another classic: the Southside! This gin cocktail recipe features bright citrus, herbaceous mint, and botanical gin. It's almost like a gin mojito! While it's not always made with lime, the lemon lime combination is often used and particularly stunning.

Also try: Southside Fizz, Sake Southside