Movie cocktails for a blockbuster night in this awards season

A Pink Lady

You’ll be Popular with this classic, pink concoction on offer. You’ll need:

• 50ml (1.75ml) London Dry Gin

• 25ml (0.75oz) Triple Sec

• 25ml (0.75oz) lemon juice

• Lemon peel

• 10ml (0.3oz) grenadine

To make:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes

• Using a jigger, measure the gin, triple sec and lemon juice into the shaker

• Shake the mixture vigorously until the surface of the cocktail shaker feels chilled and strain into your class

• Cut a piece of lemon peel and twist it over the rim of the glass to garnish.

The Gin Cucumber fizz

It’s crisp and effervescent - with flavours that take flight on your tastebuds.

You’ll need:

• 45ml (1.5oz) Tanqueray No Ten gin

• 25ml (0.75oz) Vermouth Bianco

• 25ml (0.75oz) lemon juice

• 25ml (0.75oz) simple syrup

• 3 to 5 thick slices of cucumber

• Ice cubes

• 30ml (1oz) sparkling water

To make:

• In a mixing glass or shaker, muddle the cucumber slices well

• Pour and add in your vermouth, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup

• Shake well for about 15 seconds

• In a fresh glass, place a couple of slices of cucumber before filling three-quarters full of ice

• Pour in your cocktail mixture and top with sparkling water.

James Bond’s Vesper Martini

Arguably the most famous celluloid cocktail, James Bond’s classic ‘Shaken, Not Stirred’ Vesper Martini was first ordered by Sean Connery in 1964’s Goldfinger.

But many people might be surprised to hear the drink was actually created by author Ian Fleming and first appeared in the 1953 Bond novel, Casino Royale. Even the drink’s name came from 007’s fictional love interest, Vesper Lynd.

Today, the Vesper remains one of the most sophisticated ways to enjoy a martini, but like Bond himself over the years, it’s had something of a transformation. Bond’s Vesper has had to change since its debut as it originally included Kina Lillet (pronounced lee-lay), a French aromatic wine which is no longer produced. Today, a dry vermouth can take its place.

To make a Vesper Martini at home, you’ll need:

• 35ml (1.2oz) vodka (we love Ciroc for a premium treat)

• 25ml (0.75oz) London Dry gin

• 10ml (0.3oz) dry vermouth

• One lemon peel.

To make:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes

• Using a jigger, add the vodka, gin and vermouth

• Shake the mixture vigorously until the surface of the cocktail shaker feels chilled. Use a cocktail strainer to strain into a martini glass

• With a sharp knife slice the peel from a lemon on a chopping board and twist over the rim of the glass to garnish.

The French 75, as seen in Casablanca

Of all the movie cocktails in all the towns in all the world, Casablanca’s French 75 is one of the most glamorous.

The bona fide classic – often considered one of the best films ever made – mostly takes place inside Rick’s Café Américain. A stylish bar, owned by Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine, there’s plenty of cocktails flowing to take inspiration from.

However, leading up to one particularly poignant scene, Yvonne (Madeleine Lebeau) orders the French 75. Named after a French artillery cannon, the sparkling wine cocktail features gin, lemon juice, sugar and Champagne. And it’s not an unintentional choice, as the bar erupts into a defiant rendition of the French national anthem not long after.

Get the tissues out, prepare to swoon and sob, and pour yourself a French 75 – it could be the start of a beautiful friendship between you and this sweet, tart cocktail.

You’ll need:

• 30ml (1oz) gin (we love Tanqueray No Ten)

• 15ml (0.5oz) sugar syrup (two parts sugar dissolved over heat into one part water)

• 15ml (0.5oz) lemon juice

• Champagne or sparkling wine to top.

To make:

• Fill a shaker with ice

• Add gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup

• Shake until cold and strain into a champagne flute

• Top with champagne

• Twist a slice of lemon peel and add as garnish.

The Scotch Mist from The Big Sleep

Feel like turning the lights down low and creating a sultry mood for your movie night? Channel one of the most alluring screen goddesses of all time, Lauren Bacall, with this elegant, no-nonsense drink, as seen in her classic film noir, The Big Sleep.

You’ll need:

• 60ml (2oz) of your preferred scotch whisky – we like Talisker 10 or Johnnie Walker Black Label

• 25ml (0.75oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 10ml (0.3oz) simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved)

• Soda water

• Lemon peel or twist, for garnish.

To make:

• Fill a highball glass with ice cubes, filling it about three-quarters of the way

• Add your choice of whisky, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and simple syrup

• Use a long bar spoon or stirrer to mix the ingredients, and then add soda water

• Garnish your Scotch Mist with a twist of lemon peel or a lemon twist, gently expressing the oils for an aromatic touch.

The Cosmopolitan, a Sex and the City classic

Popularised in the TV show and brought back to the forefront of pop culture with the hugely successful movie in 2008, Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw and co have made Cosmopolitans a go-to drink for decades.

You’ll need:

• 40ml (1.3oz) Smirnoff vodka

• 20ml (0.6oz) Cointreau

• 25ml (0.75oz) lime juice

• 50ml (1.75oz) cranberry Juice

• Sugar syrup

• Orange twist to garnish.

To make:

• Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice

• Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe glass

• Express an orange twist over the top.

The Singapore Sling, from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Hunter S. Thompson's antihero, Raoul Duke, recalls ‘sitting in the Pogo Lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel – in the patio section, of course – drinking Singapore Slings with mezcal on the side’ in the iconic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

It’s a drink which packs a punch – a beguiling mix of gin, cherry brandy, and Bénédictine - so we’d recommend nixing the chaser of Mezcal, but to make a signature Singapore Sling

You’ll need:

• 30ml (1oz) Tanqueray London Dry

• 10ml (0.3oz) orange liqueur

• 10ml (0.3oz) Cherry Brandy

• 10ml (0.3oz) Benedictine liqueur

• 30ml (1oz) lime juice

• 10ml (0.3oz) grenadine syrup

• 60ml (2oz) pineapple juice

• A dash of Angostura Bitters

• 40ml (1.3oz) soda

• One maraschino cherry and orange wedge to garnish.

To make:

• Using a jigger, measure all ingredients except the soda and ice into a cocktail shaker

• Shake the mixture vigorously until the surface of the cocktail shaker feels chilled

• Strain into an iced highball glass

• Top with soda and one dash of bitters

• Garnish with an orange wedge and a maraschino cherry.

The Big Lebowski’s White Russian

As much a part of the Coen brothers’ 1998 comedy as The Dude’s cardigan is his choice of drink. Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski drinks a White Russian as standard, throughout the cult classic. You’ll need:

• 30ml (1oz) Ketel One vodka

• 30ml (1oz) Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur

• 50ml (1.75oz) double cream

• 10ml (0.3oz) sugar syrup

• One piece of nutmeg (to grate)

To make:

• Dry shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker

• Shake again with ice

• Double strain into a rocks glass

• Garnish with a pinch of grated nutmeg.

The Mississippi Punch, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s

With her swept up hair and timeless Little Black Dress, Audrey Hepburn’s turn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s remains one of the most iconic and stylish film characters of all time - and her drink of choice was just as potent.

Credited as one of Holly party drinks, here’s what you'll need for the Mississippi Punch:

• 50ml (1.75oz) cognac

• 25ml (0.75oz) bourbon (we love Bulleit!)

• 25ml (0.75oz) dark rum (consider Zacapa 23 for a more luxe serve)

• 12.5ml (0.4oz) lemon juice

• 12.5ml (0.4oz) sugar syrup.

To make:

• Shake all the ingredients except the rum with crushed ice

• Pour into a Collins glass, unstrained

• Top the glass with more crushed ice

• With a jigger, add in the rum

• Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.