What’s the Origin of the Word “Cocktail”?

Despite the name, the real root of the word cocktail doesn’t have anything to do with chickens but does involve horses. The term cock-tailed originally described a horse with a docked (or clipped-short) tail.

There are plenty of other theories on the word — all pretty convincing. But it took alcohol expert David Wondrich to trot out the truth, after extensive research.

The sanitized version

From its tail-clipping origins, “cock-tailed” became a sort of insult for nonpedigree racehorses with mixed lineage — Hogwarts-level elitism, quite frankly.

So people in days of yore may have given the name to alcoholic drinks that were similarly blended (rather than pure spirits). But is that the full story?

The more likely (and pretty gross) version

Wondrich distills the story like this: A perky, cocked (or raised-up) tail on a horse is a sign of vim and vigor. Unscrupulous horse traders in the 18th century would put ginger and/or pepper up their butts to make them look a little more frisky.

Ginger and pepper were also common ingredients that barkeeps used to liven up alcoholic drinks (and by extension, those who consumed them). The theory goes that they applied the term “cock-tail” to those invigorating drinks, after the practice of unpleasantly surprising horses with spicy suppositories.

You asked.

But that doesn’t sound much like a Long Island Iced Tea?

At some point, folks replaced the plain old ginger or pepper component of drinkable “cocktails” with bitters. According to Wondrich, a doctor named Richard Stoughton gets credit for adding those aromatic, complex flavor boosters to sweetened booze. Right on, Stoughton!

The good doctor sold his own blends of distilled roots, citrus peels, and bark as a tonic (and, erm, hangover cure) in his London apothecary shop. By then, the common name had become inseparable from the drink.

Even later on, “cocktail” came to encompass all the many variations of the shaken and stirred boozy tipples we enjoy today, and the origin of the word itself faded into obscurity (until now).

We may never know precisely when the first cocktail was made or who invented it. (But oh, thank goodness they did!) But a few theories have circulated that seem pretty convincing.

We do know that the term cocktail originated in America, showing up in publications around the early 19th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest definition appeared in the May 13, 1806 edition of Balance and Columbian Repository, a federalist newspaper in Hudson, New York:

“Cock tail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.”

This old-timey definition is surprisingly accurate for modern-day cocktails — with the caveat that “cocktail” originally referred only to a specific blend of alcohol, sugar, water, and bitters (that’s right — an old-fashioned), not to a wide range of mixed drinks as it does now.

Possible historical roots of the word cocktail

There’s a lot of speculation about the actual etymology of the word cocktail, but none of the theories have been verified.

During the Colonial period, tavern keepers stored their spirits in casks. When the casks got near empty, the dregs, or tailings, would be mixed together into one barrel and sold at a reduced price. The keepers then poured these mixtures from the spigot (also known as the cock — yes, we know).

Patrons wanting this cheaper alcohol would come in asking for “cock tailings.” We’re pretty sure they’d have balked at the price of a modern Manhattan.

Another popular story comes from New Orleans, where an apothecary by the name of Peychaud (of Peychaud bitters fame) served a mixed brandy drink in a French eggcup.

Eventually, Peychaud named the drink a coquetier, the French term for an eggcup. Peychaud’s guests shortened the name to “cocktay,” and eventually it became “cocktail.”

Those both sound totally legit, right? Or you could even entertain other popular theories, like those involving the mythical Aztec maiden Xochitl, or the one mentioning Betsy Flanagan, the enterprising (but fictional) tavern-keeper who garnished her drinks with feathers.

Give guests something to sip on while they digest their newfound knowledge.

Old-fashioned

This one’s pretty much the OG cocktail formula! Spirits (in this case, whiskey, whether rye or bourbon), sugar, bitters, and ice mix with club soda in place of regular water for a little extra lift.

Moscow mule

Knowing what we now do about the equine origins of the word cocktail, the “mule” in this ginger-heavy drink’s name packs a double meaning.

Bonus points if you serve this in the iconic copper mug — but it tastes just as good from any other glass.

Frozen ginger peach margarita

Here’s another gingery pick, but one that’s far removed from the original cocktail.

Can you imagine Dr. Stoughton’s reaction to a frozen margarita machine and its gloriously slushy, sweet output? Not a trace of bitters in sight, but plenty of tequila.

Chardonnay coverup

Here’s another fantastic historical tidbit: George Washington, while arranging the surrender of New York by the British, hosted a sort of cocktail hour at which he offered wine and bitters.

We still love wine cocktails — and this one combines oaky chardonnay with bittersweet Aperol, which maybe even our first president would’ve enjoyed.

Perfect martini

“The name’s Bond. Ja—” Yeah, yeah, we know.

Even more stripped-down than the original cocktail, the martini is a more modern — yet equally timeless — creation, strictly for lovers of gin and vermouth. (And olives, if you’re a dirty martini fan.)

Now, at your next cocktail party you can show off your knowledge of the true origins of this weird word. Just don’t make anyone with a different theory feel like a horse’s ass, and you can all enjoy your drinks and discussions.

Bottoms up!