Cocktail

Alcoholic mixed drink, the origin of whose name (cock's tail) is the subject of a number of different versions. The best-known version is derived from cockfighting, which was popular in the south of the USA in the mid-19th century. The tail feathers of the losing rooster were torn off and given to the owner of the winner. The victory and the trophy won were then sealed with a drink "on the cock's tail". Later, the drink was simply called a cocktail. A second version dates back to the US War of Independence in 1777, when Betsy Flanagan, a pub landlady in New England, favoured entertaining rebel soldiers. One evening, she mixed a drink of fruit juice and rum, which she decorated with a feather. This had previously been the centrepiece of a British soldier's cockerel. A young French rebel officer honoured the composition with the words: Vive le coq's tail! (Long live the cockerel's tail).

To read the full text, you must be a Premium Member of wein.plus. You are currently not logged in to wein.plus. Become a Premium Member or log in with your credentials .

Become a Premium Member of wein.plus

Voices of our members

In the past, you needed a wealth of encyclopaedias and specialist literature to keep up to date in your vinophile professional life. Today, Wine lexicon from wein.plus is one of my best helpers and can rightly be called the "bible of wine knowledge".
Prof. Dr. Walter Kutscher
Lehrgangsleiter Sommelierausbildung WIFI-Wien

Welcome back!

Cocktail

To read the full text, you must be a Premium Member of wein.plus. You are currently not logged in to wein.plus. Become a Premium Member or log in with your credentials .

Voices of our members

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

EVENTS NEAR YOU