The concept of the Basic Drink or “cocktail” was laid out by David A. Embury in the The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks first published in 1948. The book breaks down cocktails into simple categories (much more simple than we have in mixdrinkipedia!): aromatic and sour.

The principles behind the basic cocktail are:

• It should be made from good-quality, high-proof liquors.
• It should whet rather than dull the appetite. Thus, it should never be sweet or syrupy, or contain too much fruit juice, egg or cream.
• It should be dry, with sufficient alcoholic flavor, yet smooth and pleasing to the palate.
• It should be pleasing to the eye.
• It should be well-iced.

Other key details to the basic cocktail include freshly squeezed juices and only high-end spirits. David Embury believes the cocktail is only as good as its lowest grade ingredient. A basic cocktail will include three key ingredients:

• Base: core spirit itself, whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.
• Modifying Agent: bitters, vermouth, etc.
• Flavoring/Coloring Agent: Grand Marnier, grenadine, orgeat syrup, etc.

In general, many of the basic cocktail techniques are used in today's cocktails but to a higher degree of complexity and sweetness. Tastes have changed over the years while many of the core concepts, such as quality liquor, iced and pleasing to the eye, continue to be the focus of many great drinks.