All About Drinks & Cocktails That Start With The Letter N

The N list of cocktails dazzles with European recipes and European-inspired cocktails. With a few cocktail selections named for famous politicians as well as a handful of tasty after-dinner drinks, the N list of cocktails is well-balanced and worth checking out.

Napoleon Cocktail
Naughty Red Head
Negroni
Negroni Bianco
New England Sour
Nightcap
Nixon
Noble Punch
Nuts & Berries
Nutty Irishman
The Final Letter

Napoleon Cocktail

First appearing in a bar book published in 1946, the Napoleon Cocktail is named for none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military general. Hailing from New York City’s famed Stork Club, the Napoleon Cocktail is a sophisticated gin cocktail. Made with gin, curacao, Fernet Branca, and Dubonnet (a type of sweet vermouth), the Napoleon Cocktail is cold-shaken and strained into a coupe glass. Lastly, this drink is garnished with an expressed (twisted to release the rind’s oils) lemon peel.

Naughty Red Head

Though not much is known about this cocktail’s origins, the Naughty Red Head is a sweet, fruity beverage perfect for unwinding with. The Naughty Red Head is a tasty mix of Jagermeister, peach liqueur, cranberry juice, strawberry puree, and fresh lime juice. The ingredients are dry-shaken and poured over ice into a sling glass. The strawberry puree gives this drink a rich red color and deep, fruity flavor. Lastly, the Naughty Red Head is garnished with a fresh strawberry.

Negroni

Born in the 1860s in Milan, Italy, the Negroni is an aperitif with global popularity. One of the most celebrated European cocktails, the Negroni is delicate, stiff, and sophisticated. A Negroni is built over ice in a rocks glass. It’s made with gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari bitters. Traditionally, the Negroni was garnished with an orange slice, however, nowadays, it’s just as common to garnish it with an orange peel.

Negroni Bianco

The Negroni Bianco is a spinoff of the classic Negroni described above. Named “Bianco” because it’s white in color instead of brown like the classic version, the Negroni Bianco is also a popular Italian aperitif. The Negroni Bianco is made with dry gin, Bianco Liqueur, and Bianco Vermouth. Essentially, this lighter version of the Negroni substitutes both lighter vermouth and lighter bitters. Like its classic counterpart, the Negroni Bianco is built over ice in a rocks glass and garnished with an orange slice.

New England Sour

Another of many additions to the Sour family of cocktails, the New England Sour is the Northeast’s spin on a Sour drink. Created at New York’s Bounce Sporting Club in celebration of the New England Patriots’ trip to the Super Bowl, the New England Sour has an interesting yet tasty flavor profile. Of note, the New England Sour is made with vodka, maple syrup, grapefruit juice, and bitters. These ingredients are layered over ice in a highball and garnished with a lemon wedge. Go Pats!

Nightcap

A Nightcap, much like its name suggests, is a ubiquitous after-dinner drink. Originating sometime in the mid-1930s, the Nightcap is a cold coffee drink mixed with rum, maple syrup, orange zest, bitters, and tonic water. Though the ingredients don’t logically make sense together, the mix is an incredible beverage that you’ve got to taste to believe. The ingredients of the Nightcap are cold-shaken and strained over ice into a highball and garnished with an orange peel.

Nixon

Created in honor of U.S. president Richard Nixon, the Nixon was developed by legendary bartender Joe Gilmore at London’s Savoy Hotel. Created in celebration of Richard Nixon’s 1969 visit to Britain, this cocktail was an instant hit. Notably, the Nixon is made with whisky, sloe gin, and two dashes of peach bitters. It’s served over ice in a rocks glass and garnished with a delicate peach slice.

Noble Punch

The Noble Punch is a fruity and refreshing tequila drink that will have you sipping on island time. This tasty summertime classic is a simple drink to make by the glass or by the pitcher. The Noble Punch is a blend of tequila, pineapple juice, simple syrup, lime juice, and bitters. These ingredients are mixed on ice and topped with club soda. The Noble Punch is served in a highball and garnished with a pineapple wedge.

Nuts & Berries

Nuts & Berries is a well-balanced clever blend of two compatible flavor profiles. Nuts & Berries is the penultimate after-dinner drink, dessert cocktail, or nightcap. Nuts & Berries is simply made with raspberry vodka, regular vodka, hazelnut liqueur, black raspberry liqueur, and lemon-lime soda. The first four ingredients are stirred together in a chilled coupe glass and topped with the soda. Finally, the Nuts & Berries are garnished with a raspberry.

Nutty Irishman

The Nutty Irishman is a hot coffee drink perfect for after-dinner sipping. Sweet, warm, and nutty: the perfect trifecta of soothing flavors to warm up with on a cold day, the Nutty Irishman is a must-try. Simply, a Nutty Irishman is made in a footed mug with hot black coffee, Frangelico (a hazelnut liqueur), and Irish cream. The drink is topped with a healthy dollop of whipped cream.

The Final Letter

The N list of cocktails comes through with wonderful classics, fruity delights, mouth-watering dessert drinks, and a highball or two. Whether you’re here for vodka, gin, rum, tequila, or beyond, the N list of cocktails has something for everybody.