While bartending isn’t an easy job and mixology takes creativity and skill, there is no harm in attempting some amateur, at-home cocktails every once in a while. And when there are not many ingredients, your risk of failure is practically zero!

Whether bartending at your own house party, or just feel like mixing yourself up a weekend cold glass to relax, here are some 2-ingredients (sometimes maybe 3!) cocktails using easy ingredients so you can whip one up at anytime.

Screwdriver

Having first appeared in a 1944 article in American magazine Newsweek, the screwdriver is a classic highball (an alcoholic beverage with a spirit base and larger-proportion non-alcoholic mixer).

Recipe:
1 part vodka, 2 parts orange juice.
Recommended serving amount: 5 ml and 10 ml respectively.

Serving tips:
If you like it cold and your orange juice isn’t chilled enough, add on crushed or cubed ice cubes.
And if you’re freshly squeezing your orange juice, then save a little slice of orange to garnish your glass.

Enjoy a wide selection of vodka brands on GemSpot including Belvedere, Grey Goose, Snow Leopard, Reyka and more. (Lavo Wine)

Mimosa

Another orange juice mixer drink, but this time with champagne! Having grown in popularity (or shall we say, notoriety) for being the brunch drink that “is socially acceptable to start drinking before noon”, mimosas are also often served at weddings and in business- or first-class travel.

Recipe:
Equal parts champagne (or sparkling wine) plus orange juice.
Recommended serving amount: Depending on the size of your glass or flute, to get equal parts.

Serving tips:
Being half champagne, mimosa is served in a flute (or if unavailable, wine glass), with both the champagne and orange juice chilled beforehand. As always, going for freshly squeezed juice over store-bought is recommended.

Get yourself some proper French champagne with brands like Moet & Chandon and G.H. Mumm (Lavo Wine).

Cuba Libre

Disclaimer: This might be a recipe where we admittedly try to squeeze in a 3^rd ingredient, but as the Cuba Libre is also known by its other name “Rum and Coke”, this cocktail qualifies for this list.
As its name suggests, this drink originated in Cuba, and has been around since the early 1900s when Coca-Cola began being imported into the country from the United States.

Recipe:
2 parts rum, 5 parts Coke
Recommended serving amount: 60ml rum, 150ml coke

Serving tips:
Here’s where the 3^rd ingredient comes in: lime (about 15ml).
True Cuba Libre lovers must absolutely have their squeeze of lime juice in their cocktail, and feel free to drop that wedge of lime right into the glass with some ice after.

For when making Cuba Libre, stick to the beloved preferred rum brand: Bacardi.


Bellini

A classy and more low-key cocktail, the Bellini is versatile enough to be had as a party-starter, and light enough to be enjoyed with dinner. Having been created by Harry’s Bar in Venice Italy, the drink gets its name from 15^th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini.

Recipe:
1 part peach puree, 2 parts prosecco (Italian sparkling wine)
Recommended serving amount: An easy alternative measurement would be to put about 60ml (or ¼ cup) of peach puree into the bottom of your champagne flute, then simply topping off with prosecco.

Preparation & serving tips:
It is recommended that you make your own fresh peach puree with white peaches specifically if available, otherwise yellow peaches will do. Making your puree ahead of time will also give you the chance to make sure it’s chilled before serving, and by using fresh fruit you won’t need any added sugar syrup to your cocktail.

In the case that prosecco isn’t available, you can use sparkling white wine. But be warned, French champagne is not a recommended pairing for the peach puree.


Gin & Tonic

The perfect 2-ingredient cocktail where the recipe is in the name, the creation of this highball is credited to the army of the British East India Company for when they were in India. Now a refreshing summer favourite, the best G&T is always refreshing and never too heavy on the alcohol content.

Recipe:
1 part gin, 3 parts tonic water.
Recommended serving amount: 60ml of gin, 180ml tonic.

Serving tips:
A glass of gin & tonic is commonly served with ice and garnished with a wedge or slice of lime in the glass (not as decoration on the corner) to give it a refreshing citrusy hit; but trendy fans of this cocktail have been known to switch up the garnish with food items like cucumber sticks, herbs, citrus peel, and other flavour-lending garnishes.

Find these base liquor and more at Lavo Wine on GemSpot. First time user of GemSpot or first time ordering from Lavo Wine? Use promo code “FIRST30” and get RM30 slashed off the price at checkout.

Enjoy RM6 OFF delivery fee with a minimum spend of RM30.