Interesting two-ingredient cocktails?

[Craig E]

Having found myself fascinated with the silky and intriguing Cynar Flip, I began to wonder what the most interesting two-ingredient cocktails are. A web search turns up listicles of pretty pedestrian ideas like screwdrivers and gin-and-tonics. 

Better ideas?

[cyalexa]

Don't laugh: as an after dinner drink I'll put a generous splash of coffee liqueur in what's left of the malty ale I was drinking with dinner. 

Edited July 14, 2014 by cyalexa (log)

[weinoo]

Of course, the Cynar Flip actually has 3 ingredients.

[Czequershuus]

I guess the obvious answer is the Martini, as long as you call an olive a garnish and not an ingredient. My other though is an equal parts mixture of sweet and dry vermouth, served over ice, although this can be improved by the addition of bitters, which makes it a Vermouth Cocktail.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Czequershuus (log)

[weinoo]

I like the Bamboo. But, as I like my Martinis with orange bitters, the bamboo also has bitters, making them both 4 ingredient cocktails.

 

I can't see how we discount the ice/dilution.  It's a 1/3 of the drink.

[Craig E]

Of course, the Cynar Flip actually has 3 ingredients.

Not the one I drank. Cynar and egg.

What's your third ingredient? Simple syrup? Or you're already including ice.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Craig E (log)

[Craig E]

I'm amused by the idea of the Camparty (Miller High Life and Campari) but haven't yet tried it.

[weinoo]

Not the one I drank. Cynar and egg.

What's your third ingredient? Simple syrup? Or you're already including ice.

Ice is indeed the 3rd ingredient and it is 1/3 of your drink.

[Craig E]

Ice is indeed the 3rd ingredient and it is 1/3 of your drink.

Granted. But I guess by that accounting there may be very few two-ingredient cocktails indeed!

[Anna N]

Black Russian - vodka and kahlua. Still my all-time favourite.

[tanstaafl2]

I guess the obvious answer is the Martini, as long as you call an olive a garnish and not an ingredient. My other though is an equal parts mixture of sweet and dry vermouth, served over ice, although this can be improved by the addition of bitters, which makes it a Vermouth Cocktail.

 

I think of a "classic" martini as having orange bitters as well as a twist (or an olive I suppose but more typically a twist if I am making them) giving it four ingredients if you are going to count the garnish. 

[Hassouni]

Wray & Nephew and Ting!

[SamChevre]

Counting ice as an ingredient, I'll nominate bourbon and water (typically chilled water, with no ice)--the classic "bourbon and branch" as the most interesting.

[slkinsey]

It's a bit facetious to count ice or water as an ingredient, isn't it? Yes, yes, yes, we all know a Manhattan has water and bitters and a garnish. It's still considered a two-ingredient drink. Anyway, I have a fondness for equal parts two-ingredient (pre-dilution for the pedants) drinks, and two of my best creations are of this type: the Tango Sardo is equal parts Laird's bonded and Tramontis mirto, and the Kinsey Report (I didn't give it this name!) is equal parts Smith & Cross and Bonal. Both are good up or on a rock.

[weinoo]

(pre-dilution for the pedants) 

Who you called a pedant?

[weinoo]

Americano!

[weinoo]

I happened to be at a bar where a few of us had a shot that was 50/50 appejack and Cynar.

[lesliec]

A few years back, in our very early cocktail days, my son and I came up with a pair of drinks; the Cheech and Chong.  I don't remember exactly what we put in the Cheech - the name essentially came from chocolate/peach, so there's a clue that Curaçao and peach schnapps were involved - but the accompanying Chong (chocolate/orange) was half a shot glass of white Curaçao with an equal amount of Grand Marnier gently poured over the top.  If done right, you get a subtle gold layer floating on the clear, and it's best drunk in one shot and held in your mouth as long as you can stand it.

 

But would we call it a cocktail?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

A cocktail is a bittered sling.  I prefer the less pretentious term "drink".

[Craig E]

I happened to be at a bar where a few of us had a shot that was 50/50 appejack and Cynar.

 

It does seem like Cynar is a good candidate for this kind of minimalist investigation, since by itself it has sweet, and bitter, and "vegetal" facets, so it can serve double and triple duty. I've never had Bonal but maybe it fits the project in a similar way.

[EvergreenDan]

Who you called a pedant?

Well, actually ....

[EvergreenDan]

It does seem like Cynar is a good candidate for this kind of minimalist investigation...

With 4 ingredients but only 1 alcoholic, a Cynar Sour is spectacular, supporting your hypothesis.

[Craig E]

Isn't maraschino an alcoholic ingredient?

 

(Uh-oh, the pedantry is catching!)

 

Or did you just mean one alcoholic can find the four ingredients in the drink spectacular? 

[mgaretz]

Bourbon and ice...

[DerekW]

Reductio ad absurdum: Ice water.

Improbably refreshing: Dog's nose

Cheating: Gimlet [using lime juice and cordial is really three ingredients]