Raise a glass, a coup, a mug or flute, National Cocktail Day is today, March 24.
The word cocktail, according to Saveur barroom historian David Wondrich has its origin in the ginger suppositories given to horses before they were paraded for sale. A “cocked-up” tail was a surefire sign of a spirited animal and came to be used as a synonym for a strong drink that would similarly “spirit” a human being.
There you have it folks, from the horses a– to your highball glass.
English playwright and unrepentant booze hound Ben Johnson urged, “Drink today, and drown all sorrow; you shall perhaps not do it tomorrow; best, while you have it, use your breath; there is no drinking after death.”
In honor of National Cocktail Day and the common cause of drowned sorrows and being spirited away from the gloom of the everyday, we bring you a list of the zodiac signs as cocktails.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
Bloody Mary
As the first born sign in the zodiac, Aries are drawn to blood sports and red hues and can usually be convinced to start firing off and drinking hard at brunch, making the Bloody Mary an appropriate cocktail for the ram contingent.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Mojito
The power color of Taurus is green; for creeping jealousy, fertile fields, emerald mines, overpriced succulents, cash money, and fresh mint. Bulls are predisposed to the Mojito for its hue, aggressive preparation, and taste, a combination of garden beds, melted popsicles and early summer boob sweat.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
Cosmopolitan
With their silver tongues, obscure knowledge and rabbit hole curiosity, Gemini is something of a social lubricant. Ruled as they are by Mercury, planet of communication and PR, it tracks that twins would get down and bottoms up with the Cosmopolitan, a martini made famous by “Sex and the City” and the drink of choice for talking s–t, spilling tea and comparing sexcapades and divorce attorneys.
Check out more of The Post’s food astrology content:
- Here’s which beer embodies your zodiac sign
- What kind of pizza are you based on your zodiac sign?
- What wine are you based on your zodiac sign?
CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
Margarita
Moon ruled and moody AF it tracks that a Cancer cocktail would contain notes of sour, sweet and seriously salty. In a bit of contested history, the Margarita is said to have been invented in El Paso in 1942 by bartender Pancho Morales during the high heat of Cancer season. Contrary to popular lore, Morales named the drink not after a woman, but a flower. In a full circle or full tit coincidence, Cancer rules the mammary glands and Morales went on to become the self-proclaimed, ‘Best Milkman In Texas,’
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
French 75
Ever looking for someone or something to celebrate, Leo is the champagne of the zodiac, a crucial component in this classic cocktail. In terms of the physical body, Leo rules the heart and as such is both deeply romantic and deeply dramatic. Fittingly, the French 75 rose to fame after a floozy ordered it in the sweeping love story/gin joint propaganda film “Casablanca.”
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Whiskey Sour
Virgo loves anything vaguely medicinal born of necessity and in need of improvement; enter the seafaring Whiskey Sour. In the 16th century the Spanish Navy began preserving lime juice in spirits to stave off scurvy and discourage mutiny, a citrus spiked hooch that become the bitter foundation for the Whiskey Sour. Akin to their cocktail, the mood of a Virgo can often be gauged by the condemning arch of their eyebrows and/or a sour a– expression.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Mint Julep
The Mint Julep is practically a character itself in Libra F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary and utterly Libran ode to excess, acting above your raising, doomed love and la dolce vita, ladies and gentlemen “The Great Gatsby.” Add to this that Libras LIVE for a themed party where they can place bets, get drunk, act fancy and wear obnoxious, expensive hats and the Mint Julep is the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
Long Island Iced Tea
Rulers of the eight house of sex, secrets and secretions, Scorpio loves anything done under the table, in the shadows or above the law. In kind, this cocktail is rumored to have been invented during prohibition. The drink contains no actual tea, fitting for Scorpios who reveal nothing about themselves but love when others spill their secrets, lapping it up like blood on a full moon.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
White Russian
There is perhaps no more quintessential Sagittarius protagonist than Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, played by real life archer and king among men Mr. Jeff Bridges. A philosophical, truth spouting, wayfaring wearing stoner prone to excess whose drink of choice is the boozy, tastes like a melted milkshake, White Russian.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Old Fashioned
Capricorn is ruled by stern Saturn and is synonymous with dad energy. As such, there is a top note of traditionalist about these folks, making the Old Fashioned an apt choice. According to my friend Blake, an Old Fashioned is also a euphemism for a hand job and I’ve never met a Cap that wasn’t also a horny goat, so there you have it.
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Vodka Martini
Aquarius has two planetary rulers and the vodka martini, jut two ingredients and yet neither drink nor sign can be accused of simplicity. The vodka martini is the official drink of international spies and Aquarians are predisposed in espionage. In Ernest Hemingway’s “A Farewell To Arms,” the narrator Frederick Henry describes the experience of drinking martinis as, “I had never tasted anything so cool and clean. They made me feel civilized…I sat on the high stool before the pleasant mahogany, the brass and the mirrors, and did not think at all.” Cool, clean, civilized transcendence on a barstool? A benchmark for water bearers.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Mai Tai
Often decorated with the kind of fruit and f–kery that make it look like a drunken unicorn or sideways sea horse, the Mai Tai perfectly encompasses the Pisces spirit. Emperors of excess it tracks that these booze hounds would be embodied by a drink that doubles down on liquor. Escape from reality and into the warm womb of a dream state is the preferred past time of Pisceans and the Mai Tai smells like suntan lotion and tastes like a maraschino belly button.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
