The year is 1963. Sputnik hums silently above the Earth, jazz crackles on the hi-fi, and your cocktail shaker gleams like a chrome rocket. This isn’t just happy hour — it’s a launch sequence for the senses. Tonight’s mission: crafting retro cocktail recipes so smooth, they could be served in any retro lounge from Miami to Mars. Every sip in this list carries that signature Retroverse flair.
Discover the Retroverse and see how we bring vintage and space-age worlds together.
1. The Sputnik Spritz
The first of our retro cocktail recipes! Like Sputnik itself, this drink is sleek, sparkling, and ready for liftoff. The bright citrus and delicate elderflower give it a crisp, sophisticated taste, while the bubbles add just the right amount of orbit-worthy fizz. Perfect for toasting at your next retro-futuristic soirée.
Ingredients
3 oz Prosecco (well chilled)
1 oz elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain)
1 oz soda water
Lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
1. Chill a champagne coupe in the freezer for 5 minutes.
2. Pour elderflower liqueur and soda water into the glass.
3. Top with Prosecco and give a gentle stir.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve immediately.
2. Cosmic Cosmo
The Cosmic Cosmo takes the classic glamour of a cosmopolitan and gives it a space-age upgrade. Tart cranberry and zesty lime mingle with the subtle floral notes of hibiscus, while the sugar rim sparkles like stardust under party lights. One sip and you’ll feel ready to dance on the moon — and it’s a shining star among our retro cocktail recipes!
Ingredients
1 ½ oz vodka
1 oz cranberry juice
½ oz triple sec
½ oz fresh lime juice
¼ oz hibiscus syrup (optional, for floral note)
Granulated sugar, for rimming glass
Lime wheel or twist, for garnish
Instructions
1. Rim a wide martini glass with sugar and set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, lime juice, and hibiscus syrup.
3. Shake vigorously until chilled.
4. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wheel or twist.
3. Rocket Fuel Royale – A Retro Cocktail Recipe
As dazzling as a midnight countdown at Cape Canaveral, the Rocket Fuel Royale blends the depth of cognac with the effervescence of champagne. A dash of bitters adds a sophisticated edge, while the shimmering gold hue makes every sip feel like a first-class ticket to the stars.
Ingredients
1 oz cognac
4 oz champagne (well chilled)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Lemon twist or metallic drink stirrer, for garnish
Instructions
1. Pour cognac into a tall champagne flute.
2. Add two dashes of aromatic bitters.
3. Top slowly with chilled champagne to preserve the bubbles.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist or metallic stirrer.
4. The Martian Mule
This isn’t your average Moscow Mule — The Martian Mule glows like it just landed from the outer rim. Crisp vodka and spicy ginger beer meet the bright, melon-sweet kick of Midori, all served in a chilled copper mug that will make this retro cocktail recipe gleam under the neon lights. One sip and you’ll be over the moon… or perhaps Mars.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
½ oz Midori (melon liqueur)
4 oz ginger beer
½ oz fresh lime juice
Lime wedge or wheel, for garnish
Crushed ice
Instructions
1. Fill a copper mule mug with crushed ice.
2. Add vodka, Midori, and lime juice.
3. Top with ginger beer and stir gently to combine.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
5. Zero Gravity Gimlet
The Zero Gravity Gimlet floats effortlessly between crisp and herbal. Classic gin and fresh lime juice get a cosmic upgrade with basil-infused simple syrup, creating a drink that’s refreshing, aromatic, and just the right shade of space-age green. Serve it in cut crystal and you’ll have a standout in our retro cocktail recipes collection — it looks as good as it tastes.
Ingredients
2 oz gin
¾ oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz basil simple syrup*
Basil leaf, for garnish
*To make basil simple syrup: Combine ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, and a handful of fresh basil leaves in a small pot. Heat until sugar dissolves, then let steep for 15 minutes. Strain and cool.
Instructions
1. Fill a shaker with ice and add gin, lime juice, and basil simple syrup.
2. Shake until well chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled cut crystal glass.
4. Garnish with a basil leaf.
6. Atomic Apricot Sunset
The Atomic Apricot Sunset is a tropical twist on the classic sour, bursting with sunny apricot sweetness and smooth, creamy texture. Apricot brandy, pineapple juice, and coconut cream are shaken with fresh lime to create a luscious, frothy golden drink. Finished with a vibrant apricot wedge and served in a sleek midcentury coupe, it’s a standout in our retro cocktail recipes collection — like sipping the last warm rays of an interplanetary sunset.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz apricot brandy
2 oz pineapple juice
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz coconut cream (like Coco López)
Ice
Apricot wedge for garnish
Instructions
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add apricot brandy, pineapple juice, lime juice, and coconut cream.
3. Shake well until chilled and slightly frothy.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with an apricot wedge and serve immediately.
7. Moonwalk Martini – Retro Cocktail Recipe
The Moonwalk Martini is as sleek and otherworldly as its namesake. Crisp vodka and dry vermouth take a cosmic leap with the vibrant hue and sweet citrus notes of blue curaçao. Finished with a bright lemon twist, it’s a must-try in our retro cocktail recipes lineup — the perfect launchpad for a glamorous night among the stars.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
½ oz blue curaçao
½ oz dry vermouth
Lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
1. Fill a mixing glass with ice and add vodka, blue curaçao, and dry vermouth.
2. Stir until well chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.
8. The Comet Collins
The Comet Collins is a sparkling blast of citrus and botanicals, shooting across your tastebuds like a stylish space-age streak. Gin meets fresh lemon and a whisper of elderflower, topped with effervescent soda for a refreshingly light sip. Garnished with a lemon wheel and mint sprig, it’s as crisp and cool as a midnight cruise under a cosmic sky.
Ingredients
2 oz gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz elderflower liqueur (like St-Germain)
Soda water
Ice
Lemon wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
1. Fill a Collins glass with ice.
2. Add gin, lemon juice, and elderflower liqueur.
3. Top with soda water and stir gently to combine.
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and mint sprig.
9. Galactic Grasshopper
The Galactic Grasshopper is a creamy, mint-chocolate dream that’s as cool as an interstellar breeze. Crème de menthe and crème de cacao swirl together with silky cream, topped with chocolate shavings for a decadent finish. It’s a sweet star in our retro cocktail recipes galaxy — simply out of this world.
Ingredients
1 oz crème de menthe (green)
1 oz crème de cacao (white or dark)
1 oz heavy cream
Ice
Chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream.
3. Shake until well chilled and frothy.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
5. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
10. Solar Flare Sangria
The Solar Flare Sangria blazes onto the scene with the warmth of a vintage summer soirée, swirling together deep red wine, smooth brandy, and a burst of citrus brightness. Hints of cinnamon and spice weave through each sip, like the golden glow of a setting sun at a rooftop party. A retro cocktail recipe that’s perfect for summer gatherings. Served in a retro punch bowl surrounded by atomic starburst glasses, this drink invites you to ladle out a little starlight and pass it around, one cosmic toast at a time.
Ingredients
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
½ cup brandy
¼ cup orange liqueur (optional)
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 apple, cored and sliced
2–3 cinnamon sticks
2–3 tbsp sugar (optional, to taste)
Ice cubes
Instructions
In a large punch bowl, combine wine, brandy, orange liqueur (if using), sugar, and cinnamon sticks.
Add sliced fruit and stir gently to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight for deeper flavor).
When ready to serve, add ice cubes and ladle into retro starburst glasses.
From the sparkle of the Sputnik Spritz to the rich glow of the Solar Flare Sangria, these retro cocktail recipes aren’t just drinks — they’re time machines in a glass. Whether you’re hosting a midcentury modern soiree, a space-age movie night, or just want to sip something stylish, these recipes will keep your guests orbiting your living room all night long. Mix one up, turn up the jazz, and let the Retroverse transport you to a world where the future is always fabulous. 🍸✨For even more bubbly inspiration, check out these 12 spritz recipes to make all year from Liquor.com — perfect for adding a refreshing twist to any Retroverse soirée.
Share your creations and tag us on socials — we’d love to see your cosmic concoctions!
