9Gin And Tonic
Few drinks are as widely prevalent in pop culture as gin & tonic. It's just gin and tonic water, typically garnished with lime, created in India by the British East India Company. Originally used to prevent malaria, officers used tonic water mixed with gin to keep the soldiers healthy.
The taste was underwhelming, so soldiers began adding lime, sugar, and gin to quinine in tonic water so that it would taste better. They drank it in the interests of survival, while today we drink it for fun. Who knew?
10Martini
For some, it is America's best invention. For the rest it's still the world's most famous cocktail, combining vodka or gin with dry vermouth and either olives or a lemon twist. It's a favorite of many celebrities and household names, including one who prefers it "shaken, not stirred". The rise of the chocolate martini, the appletini, and espresso martini are just a few results of the cocktail of the 20th century. But for the wise guys, there's nothing like the original.