They are used to complement and enhance the flavors in a drink by stimulating the special nerve cells in the nose and mouth[2]
A large variety of cocktail garnishes are used. Many
rum-based cocktails, especially those with fruit flavors, tend to be decorated with
tropical-themed garnishes or slices of fruit.
Tequila-based drinks favor limes and other
citrus fruits.
Gin- and
vodka-based drinks tend toward garnishes with a more dignified flair (olives, onions, or possibly a citrus twist or a single maraschino cherry), unless they are variations of a fruity rum-based drink.
Whiskey- and
brandy-based drinks tend toward minimal garnishment, if any.
Restaurant chains and
hotelbars tend to use larger and more ostentatious garnishes, and
neighborhood bars tend to go the other extreme.
Some garnishes are essential to completing the recipe, as in the case of the olive in the
Martini, the
maraschino cherries in the
Queen Mary and the
Manhattan, or the onion in the
Gibson. Another reason for garnishes is to make cocktails more "camera ready" so that when photos are taken for the press or social media, different drinks will not look so much alike.[3]
Common edible garnishes
Among common edible garnishes are the following:[4][5]
Bitters dashed onto the egg-white foam atop a shaken cocktail such as a
whiskey sour.