Disco Drinks
Disco drinks remind us that colour has always been part of cocktail language. Long before Instagram, bartenders were manipulating hue to signal sweetness, seduction, and spectacle under the mirrorball.
Disco drinks have never been subtle, and that’s kind of the point. Long before anyone cared about balance or build, these were drinks designed to catch your eye across the room and taste like a good decision in the moment.
For this feature, we took our cue from David T. Smith and Keli Rivers’ delightfully over-the-top Disco Cocktails: More than 50 Classic and Kitsch Drinks from the 70s and 80s, pulling a seven-colour lineup that reads like a liquid light show: red, orange, yellow, pink, green, blue, violet. Some recipes are lifted straight from the source material; others are nudged into the present, a little tighter, a little cleaner, but still very much dressed for the dance floor.
Because while today’s bartenders might talk about acid structure and dilution curves, disco drinks were never that serious. They were about spectacle, sugar, and a certain kind of optimism that feels worth revisiting. Consider this your permission slip to lean in, embrace the glow, and make something at home that looks fun and tastes just as good.
The rules are simple: have fun, and use fresh citrus.
Ra-Ra Rasputin
“This is a variation on the Rasputin cocktail, which is part sea breeze, part cosmo, with the fabulously festive finesse of a fizz! A fine way to celebrate.”
Ingredients:
1.75 oz Vodka (raspberry flavoured vodka preferred)
0.75 oz Cranberry Juice
0.75 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice
⅓ oz Maraschino Liqueur
Sparkling Wine (to top)
Garnish: Sparkler & cherries
Method:
Shake all ingredients (except the wine) vigorously with ice, then pour into a larger coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a mini sparkler, weighted by two cocktail cherries, and a thin spiral of lime peel.
Note: Be sure to carefully and safely remove and dispose of the sparkler (once it has burnt out) before drinking. The sparkler adds flair but is not integral to the drink's taste.
Harvey Wallbanger
“The Harvey Wallbanger started as a screwdriver (vodka and orange juice) before Galliano, an Italian vanilla and spice liqueur, was added. Some early recipes called it the ‘Italian Screwdriver’. To add to the lore, Galliano created a frazzled cartoon surfer character, named Harvey Wallbanger, to promote the cocktail to Americans.”
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Vodka
3.5 oz Freshly squeezed Orange Juice
0.5 oz Galliano
Garnish: Orange twist or slice
Method:
Add the vodka and then the orange juice to a tall, ice-filled glass and stir. Pour the Galliano on the top. Add a twist of orange peel or orange slice to garnish plus a straw or stirrer and serve.
Cable Car Martini
Ingredients:
1.75 oz Spiced Rum
0.75 oz Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
⅓ oz Simple Syrup
Garnish: Cinnamon Sugar Rim & Orange Twist
Method:
Rim a martini glass with cinnamon sugar. Shake ingredients with ice, fine-strain into the glass and garnish.
Murder on the Dancefloor
“Think of this as an adult lemonade that brings you back to the carefree energy of school dances and disco nights, reimagined with a more balanced, modern edge. A subtle red wine float adds visual drama and a touch of depth, giving the drink a layered, moody look.”
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Dry Gin
⅔ oz Dry Vermouth
⅔ oz Triple Sec
1.5 oz Sparkling Lemonade or Lemon Soda
Red Wine Float
Garnish: Lime Slice (optional)
Method:
Build the cocktail in a glass over ice. Add all ingredients except wine. Stir to chill and dilute. Pour the wine over a barspoon to layer.
Flamboyant Flamingo
Ingredients:
2.5 oz Rosé Wine
0.75 oz Bianco Vermouth
0.75 oz Lime Juice
0.75 oz Simple Syrup
Garnish: Red Berries
Method:
Add the ingredients to an ice-filled blender and blitz. Pour into a wine glass, garnish with red berries.
Blue Lagoon
“This cocktail was invented in the 1960s by Andrew MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. According to Bréviaire de l’amour sorcier (1969), the drink was served in a bowl for two people with crushed ice, candied fruits, and two straws.”
Ingredients:
1.75 oz Vodka
0.75 oz Blue Curaçao
⅓ oz Fresh Lime Juice
4.0 oz Lemonade
Garnish: Orange Slice & Cherry
Method:
Shake vodka, curaçao, and lime with ice. Strain into a glass with fresh ice. Top with Lemonade, stir gently, and garnish.
Japanese Slipper
Despite its name, the Japanese Slipper was actually created in Australia in 1984 by Jean-Paul Bourguignon as a vibrant, crowd-pleasing way to showcase the newly launched Midori. This fruity cocktail is a must-try for fans of sour candy, such as Sour Patch Kids or Haribo Tangfastics!
Ingredients:
0.75 oz Midori
0.75 oz Orange Liqueur
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Garnish: Cocktail Cherry
Method:
Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice and then fine-strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and serve.
