A grand passion prevails among drinkers of alcoholic beverages for new, strange and mysterious mixtures of various kinds. There is one typical compound of this character which has gained a great vogue and which is known as a class by the name "cocktail." A cocktail is a mixture of an alcoholic beverage, usually brandy, whisky or gin, with various bitters and flavors. It is served, usually before dinner with a piece of lemon peel or a dash of lime juice as an additional spice. These beverages are employed usually before a meal, though by no means confined to consumption at the table. The name of these preparations is legion and as a rule gives no indication of composition.

Common cocktails are known under such names as Bronx, Manhattan, Martini, Saratoga, Rob Roy, Sunshine, Sazarack, etc. One prime condition of the cocktail is that it should be be chilled to as low a degree as possible.