Shaken, Stirred, or Blended: The Best Cocktails for Any Mood or Occasion

There's something about that first sip of a delicious drink that's like nothing else in this world. After all, water being turned into wine was the first miracle 😉. Each person has a unique palette, which is sometimes why it takes a little while to find that perfect drink for you. No worries, a little help never hurt anyone and you've come to just the right blog post😌.

First things first. What do you know about drinking? Outside of what everyone does socially, it is important to know that a specfic alcohol almost always goes with a chaser. A chaser is a mild drink used to ease the burn of hard liquor and gives the entire drink a contrasting flavour, making the entire experience more bearable. Popular chasers in Jamaica are Ginger Beer, Ting, Cola and Cranberry Juice. More experienced drinkers prefer not to chase their alcohol, and have their drink of choice “on the rocks”. HA! This simply means that the glass only contains ice and alcohol. Yes, that's right, the cubes of ice are the rocks in question.

PRO TIP: For my fellow Jamaicans reading, the best mix is to chase your alcohol, specifically rum, with water 😂 ...Just go to any community bar, look for the oldest man inside, draw a chair and he’ll tell you how it goes!

Now that the basics have been covered, I've compiled five of the most-likely occasions one may find themselves in, and the best drink(s) I'd recommended in each instance.

Occasion 1: Girls'/Guys' Night Out (GGNO)

A night out with the gang calls for nothing short of absolute FUN! Good, clean, FUN! How else do we have that without an Ultimate Musgrave Madness from T.G.I. Friday’s? You simply don’t. 🍻

Ultimate Musgrave Madness

This drink is made with a variety of rum, has a tiffany blue finish, and does its job to give nothing short of a buzz to last the night. If you’re one to manage your liquor well, maybe 2 of these drinks will give you the necessary VIBE. Conveniently located in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica, T.G.I. Friday's will be your one stop to beginning (and maybe ending) your night out. Get the gang together, and paint the town blue with an Ultimate Musgrave Madness. 🤩

Occasion 2: WHAT THE STRESS!

POV: It’s only 10:00 AM in the work day and you already want to SCREAM?! You start counting down the hours til work ends for that drink which will help to calm the nerves? It’s best you get yourself a Long Island Iced Tea! Another drink with a mixture of alcohols, traditionally: Gin, Vodka, Rum, Brandy, Triple Sec, Lime Juice and Cola.

Long Island Iced Tea

You see that? Without a doubt gets the job DONE. Don't you mind the colour. Just get that stress OFF you, sweetheart. If you don’t know who I am, you’ll know now that MicsDrinks is biased to T.G.I. Friday's. I'm here to let you know that they serve the BEST Long Island Ice Teas in Kingston. Period🤌🏾

Scenario 3: Finally Legal Drinking Age

Here's the situation. You've just turned 18 (21 in the United States), it's your first time at a bar, not afraid to be carded by the bartender, but clueless on what to choose from the drink menu. Look for the Amaretto Sour.

Amaretto Sour - photo courtesy of Imbibe Magazine

The light brown/orange-esque colour, topped with a light foam and a cocktail cherry? The tangy taste is the ‘sour’ that sends an electric rush through your body. It brings your life a kind of joy you didn’t know you needed. 🤤 10 out of 10, every time, everywhere. Don’t forget to try using your tongue to tie a knot with the cherry stem, drinkers' tradition!

Imagine your first time, and you fall in love? Is this not what we all look for? 😭As we age, we may venture into trying the many other alcohol beauties out there, but make your first time(s) as great as possible.

PRO TIP: If you don’t wanna dive in head first into something too strong, go for a Daiquiri! It’s fruity, refreshing and always a great option for first time/non-seasoned drinkers.

Scenario 4: It’s a Celebration!

Tick-tock on the clock, what time is it? Drink o’clock! 🎶 A great thing has happened, be it a promotion, an engagement or just having life! and what better way to celebrate than to pour it up and dance the night away!? Well, go grab the Tequila and some shot glasses (from @drinkboxshop of course) and let’s go!

Tequila, whether white or red, delivers the party every time. Not great with shots? Grab a Margarita! It’s made with Tequila, Triple Sec, with Lemon & Lime Juice. The best part about this drink? A bartender can add your favourite fruit flavour to cater to your needs. So strawberry maybe? Or even peach? The answer is always YES! Just make sure that whatever it is, the Tequila keeps you up, moving and always grooving! 💃🏽

Scenario 5: Whatever Happens, Happens 🤫

Let’s top it all off with a little bit of Cognac 🥰, and the most popular, Hennessy! When you start, you aren’t exactly sure where you’re gonna finish, just know it will be memorable (if you actually remember anything). An article published in Quartz (2021), reported LVMH (Owner of Moët & Hennessy) Chief Financial Officer saying, “We could certainly sell more if we had more bottles”. Americans seem to have Hennesy as their top drink of choice, with a bit of Redbull or Cranberry juice as a chaser. Henny on the rocks? Quite doable, but be sure to know your limit before going in.

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If you've made it this far, comment below and tell me what's your favourite drink, alcoholic or not!

The trick to making sure you get where you need to, is to ensure your glass is never empty, and always toast to something! Give thanks for life, *clink*, give thanks for health, *clink*, give thanks for the ability to have a good time, *clink clink clink*!

Disclaimer: In Jamaica, one must be 18 years or older to purchase and/or consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly. All views are that of the author. This post is not sponsored.

About the Author: Hi, I’m Mics, AKA MicsDrinks, because (obviously) I like to drink. Who am I? A digital marketer from Jamaica, with a love for everything entertainment. So yeah, I like to drink, and go out, and drink, and go out, and the list might not be much longer 😭 . Let’s chat about drinking, and hopefully we can grab a drink together some time (once I’m not busy with work of course 😋).

While you’re here, check out my podcast The 876 Industry, and buy a gift box from @DrinkBoxShop on Instagram!

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