How the Cosmopolitan Made Its Comeback

By Mel How

Mel How is the Founder and Director of The Cocktail Shop Discover the Cosmopolitan and other bottled cocktails on thecocktailshop.com.au

Remember Sex and the City? It was the show that taught us everything we needed to know about designer clothes, dating, friendship and, of course, cocktails. And while it was the show that turned Sarah Jessica Parker into a fashion icon, don’t forget that other icon – the Cosmopolitan.

Sips on a Cosmo between sex talk and shoe stories became the done thing. We cried and laughed and cringed through six glorious seasons, tasting every sip of every cocktail vicariously through the Fab Four. It was the cocktail they turned to on birthdays and in moments of regret, “Another Cosmopolitan, please!”

As pretty and sophisticated as the characters it was inextricably linked to, the Cosmo became a symbol of success, independence and female comradery. Uninhibited women in their thirties, gallivanting around New York, doing as they please and drinking pink cocktails from glassware on stems as thin and long as their heels. It was glorious.

Like so many great things to come out of the 80’s, the Cosmopolitan stepped out of the fluoro-soaked decade with style. The blend of vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime was invented by New York bartender Toby Cecchini, and quickly became the most popular cocktail in London and New York after drawing the attention of bartenders everywhere. The 90’s was a blur of Cosmos, right up until bartenders grew sick of them and people stopped ordering them for fear of having to apologise.

It’s a strange thing when zeitgeisty turns to hated. The list of cringeworthy things to come out of the 20th Century is endless (think men’s fashion in the 70’s and Demi Moore in Striptease, for God’s sake!), but the Cosmo? What were those bartenders thinking, hating on something so pink and fabulous? The mind boggles.

As a cocktail that became wrapped up in the identity of striving career woman, it was inevitable that something would reinvigorate its image. That something would of course be Madonna, photographed at a Sony Grammy Awards after-party sipping on a Cosmo at the World-famous Rainbow Room in Manhattan. The only thing bartenders could do to avoid making them was literally refuse, and they did.

Like everything trendy, the Cosmopolitan became passé eventually and drifted into oblivion. Now, twenty years on, it’s making a triumphant comeback to rival the scrunchie. What was cast aside as a girly drink for two decades is now back in pop culture. Bartenders are no longer knocking them, and celebrities like Jennifer Lopez have been spotted imbibing.

It shouldn’t be that surprising that the Cosmo is back. We’re in the depths of a cocktail renaissance and bartenders have been reintroducing all the lost and forgotten classics. They know that all they need is a pop star, celeb or supermodel to be seen sipping and fans scramble to get their lips around one. Instant notoriety.

If you’re ready to try a Cosmo and want to know how one tastes, it's the perfect blend of sweet, tart and sour. Perfectly refreshing, especially when served ice cold in a chilled martini glass, making it a superb alternative to a Rosé on a summer day. See, it’s not just a fashion accessory after all.

With Cosmos cool again, we’ll be seeing more trendy drink brands landing in local bottlo’s and online. Non-alcoholic cocktail bases are popping up, making it simple to just add alcohol and shake-up a Cosmo. For those that can’t be bothered with the fuss of measuring and shaking, keep your eye out for ready to drink, bottled Cosmos you simply chill and serve. Either way, Cosmos are set to be all the rage this summer as Aussies find ways to add some glamour to their home imbibing.

It may be impossible to popularise the Cosmo as much as they did in the ‘80s, 90’s or early naughties, but the second coming of the Cosmo is set whether those pesky bartenders like it or not. It’s time to channel your inner Carrie Bradshaw and prepare yourself for a nostalgic reunion. The Cosmo is back in vogue.