16 Crowd-Favourite Party Cocktails for Hosting Like a Pro

Take the stress out of your party planning with the best party cocktails recipes that are real crowd-pleasers. With just a few ingredients, they can be made in big batches and kept refrigerated until your guests arrive. From outdoor gatherings to fancy cocktail parties, we got you covered! 

 1. Mojito Pitcher

This crowd-pleasing Mojito pitcher skips the muddle thanks to mint simple syrup, and it’s a breeze to spin into fruity twists like strawberry, pineapple, or peach.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 cups Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum (opens in new window)

• 1 cup Mint sugar syrup

• 1 cup Fresh lime juice

• 3 cups Soda water

• 2 Limes, sliced

• 1 cup Fresh mint leaves

• Ice

• Garnish: Extra lime slices and mint sprigs

Method

1. Add lime slices and mint leaves to a large pitcher

2. Pour in rum, mint sugar syrup, and lime juice

3. Top with soda water and fill with ice

4. Stir gently to combine

5. Garnish with extra lime slices and mint sprigs

6. Serve straight from the pitcher

2. Frozen Margarita

There are endless variations to the classic Margarita, but we love the frozen version, which is closest to the original. This ice-cold goodness is a boozy, citrussy slushie that has summer in every sip. 

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 2 cups Espolòn Tequila Blanco (opens in new window)

• 4 cups triple sec

• 4 cups Fresh lime juice

• 1 cup Sugar syrup

• 8 cups of ice

• Garnish: Lime wheels and coarse salt rim

Method

1. Rim serving glasses with lime and salt, then set aside

2. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sugar syrup, and ice to a blender

3. Blend until smooth and slushy

4. Pour into prepared glasses

5. Garnish with lime wheels and serve immediately

3. Aperol Spritz

It wouldn’t be a true happy hour without an Aperol Spritz. This Italian aperitif cocktail is as easy to make as it is to sip, combining Aperol (opens in new window) and Prosecco. It’s the perfect drink for any occasion ― bittersweet and not too strong to keep the spirits and conversations alive.  

4. Blue Lagoon

All you need to know about this Blue Lagoon cocktail is in its name: as blue as the clearest sky, this drink blends rum, Blue Curaçao and lemonade in a mix worth diving into! Usually, the ingredients are first shaken and then strained, however you can also blend them with crushed ice to get a frozen drink. 

5. Dirty Martini

Take the level of your party up a notch by serving homemade Dirty Martinis to your crowd. This recipe only takes 5 minutes and three ingredients, namely vodka, vermouth, and olive brine, that are stirred in a Martini glass – not shaken, sorry Mr Bond. The Dirty Martini can be made with gin or vodka according to preference and tastes delicious with the best cocktail party appetisers, like shrimp cocktail, devilled eggs and crostini. 

6. Aviation Cocktail

Stylish and retro, the Aviation cocktail is a classic to serve at your dinner parties, even better if Roaring 20’s themed. Its distinct lavender colour comes from crème de violette, a rare liqueur that is made from and tastes like violets. Needless to say, this gin-based cocktail is a delicate treat to slow sip over dessert, like a rice pudding or a berry shortcake. 

7. Moscow Mule

Boozy and tasty, the Moscow Mule is one of the best party cocktails when the sun is high and temperatures are warm. With its distinctive combination of vodka and ginger beer and a hint of cucumber, it’s the perfect easy drink to serve to a large crowd. Top tip: don’t add the ice into your pitcher as it will water your Moscow Mule batch, just add ice to each individual cup before serving. Smart! 

8. French 75

Feel like New Year’s Eve in Paris sipping this simple yet luscious cocktail. Invented in 1915, the French 75 blends Champagne, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup in a concoction that is as easy to make as opening a bottle of wine. This drink is also highly customisable with a variety of flavours. Try for example adding blood orange juice, and rhubarb syrup or swapping gin with tequila for incredibly tasty alternatives.  

9. Strawberry Daiquiri

It’s officially happy hour with the sweet and refreshing Strawberry Daiquiri, made with fresh or frozen strawberries and with just enough citrus juice to kick the flavour up a notch. Remember that your Daiquiri is only as good as the rum you choose, so really invest in a high-quality spirit. Double or triple the ingredients to make a batch ahead and never have to buy pre-mixed Daiquiri again!  

10. Espresso Martini

What a way to start a cocktail party! Since the 1980s the Espresso Martini has been a legendary cocktail, jumpstarting and fuelling nights out and events. Invented by Dick Bradsell in London, it combines vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur in a sublime and strong mix. You can make it ahead by adjusting ratios and mixing all ingredients in a pitcher ready to go.  

11. Paloma

If you want to feel like you’re sipping on a ray of sunshine, a Paloma is what you need. This simple cocktail combines tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave syrup in a cocktail that feels like a long Margarita with extra fruity flavour. Make a large batch and serve your Palomas alongside a smoking hot barbeque. Thank us later. 

12. Piña Colada

There’s something about coconut and rum that just evokes the best vacation memories. The Piña Colada is a staple tiki drink that is an indulgent sip all year long. It’s creamy, boozy and delicious and it will be the start of your outdoor parties. To nail the thick texture of the drink we recommend blending all ingredients in a blender rather than shaking them.  

13. Pineapple Mimosa

This sunny twist on the classic Mimosa blends pineapple vodka, citrus, and honey with the sparkle of Champagne — perfect for brunch or a quick party crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

• 30 ml SKYY Pineapple Vodka (opens in new window)

• 30 ml Orange juice

• 15 ml Lemon juice

• 15 ml Honey syrup

• 90 ml Lallier Champagne (opens in new window)

• Ice

• Garnish: Orange wheel or pineapple wedge

Method

1. Add pineapple vodka, orange juice, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a shaker with ice

2. Shake briefly to chill and combine

3. Strain into a Champagne flute

4. Top with Champagne

5. Garnish with an orange wheel or pineapple wedge

14. Summer Peach Tea

This light, fruity cocktail turns classic iced tea into a party pitcher, spiked with whisky and peach schnapps for laid-back summer sipping.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 3 cups Freshly brewed iced tea

• 1.5 cups Wild Turkey Bourbon (opens in new window)

• 1.5 cups Peach schnapps

• Ice

• Garnish: Peach slices and mint sprigs

Method

1. Add iced tea, bourbon, and peach schnapps to a large pitcher

2. Stir well to combine

3. Fill with ice

4. Garnish with peach slices and mint sprigs

5. Serve chilled in tall glasses

15. Salty Dog

If you’re a Paloma fan but need to please a crowd of gin lovers, this tangy pitcher is the way to go — bright grapefruit, crisp gin, and that all-important salted rim.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 4 cups Fresh grapefruit juice

• 2 cups Bulldog Gin

• Ice

• Garnish: Salt rim and grapefruit wedges

Method

1. Fill a large pitcher two-thirds with ice

2. Add grapefruit juice and top with gin

3. Stir gently to combine

4. Rim serving glasses with salt

5. Pour into glasses and garnish with grapefruit wedges

16. Peach Punch

Punch is always a party favourite, and this elegant version mixes peach vodka with elderflower liqueur for a fruity crowd-pleaser you can enjoy year-round.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 2 cups Peach vodka

• 1 cup Elderflower liqueur

• 3 cups Soda water

• 2 cups Peach nectar

• 1 Lemon, sliced

• 1 cup Peach slices

• Ice

• Garnish: Extra peach slices and raspberries

Method

1. Add peach vodka, elderflower liqueur, soda water, and peach nectar to a large pitcher

2. Stir well to combine

3. Add lemon slices and peach slices

4. Fill with ice

5. Garnish with extra peach slices and raspberries

6. Serve chilled

There you have it, friends! Everything you need to know about making the best party drinks. For more ideas and cocktail inspiration sent to your inbox, remember to sign up for our newsletter!