From ‘Black Panther’ to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody:’ 5 Movie-Inspired Oscars Cocktails

These custom-crafted drinks all deserve a trophy.

Cocktail Academy, which originated as a secret speakeasy in a downtown Los Angeles loft, has grown to become one of Hollywood’s top cocktail consulting and bar catering companies. Launched in 2014, the boozy outfit now slings craft cocktails at events for the likes of Victoria’s Secret, SpaceX, Nike, and Disney. 

Cocktail Academy also creates custom drinks inspired by Oscar-nominated movies, and serves them every year at some of Tinseltown’s top Oscars parties. 

Below, check out five movie-themed cocktails that will instantly elevate any Academy Awards viewing bash on Sunday, as well as an explanation of each drink by Cocktail Academy founder and CEO Matt Landes.

Vibranium

Inspired by “Black Panther”

“We had a lot of fun when coming up with this drink,” Landes says.”Given Black Panther has a lot of elements of fantasy we knew we could create something a bit more out of the box. Using Vibranium and Wakanda as our inspirations, the result is a drink that’s is exotic, sexy and forceful with underlying rich flavors like cherimoya, anise and hibiscus.”

• 1.5 oz Cognac
• .5 oz hibiscus-infused absinthe
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• .75 oz sorrel-cherimoya Syrup 
• .5 dashes of butterfly pea flower extract
• Red sorrel to garnish
• Black lava salt to garnish

Rim your glass with black lava salt. Add all ingredients to your shaker tin and fill with ice. Shake hard and fast. Pour over crushed ice and garnish with red sorrel.

Mercury Rising

Inspired by “Bohemian Rhapsody”

“For this drink we wanted to play on a variation of a classic Pimm’s Cup, a drink often associated with London,” Lanees says.”The film, which chronicles the rise of Freddie Mercury and Queen, masterfully captures their superstardom with lots of eye opening musical scenes. This drink was crafted to complement that – composed of sweet flavors that are more cunning and deep than they look with a bit of pizazz.”

• 1 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• .75 oz fresh lemon juice
• .5 oz simple syrup
• Club soda
• 1 large strawberry
• 2 English cucumber slices

Muddle cucumber and strawberry in a shaker tin. Add all ingredients, except club soda to shaker tin and fill with ice. Shake and double strain over ice. Top with club soda and garnish with additional cucumber slice and halved strawberry.

Let The Waves Wash Over

Inspired by “Roma”

“Director Alfonso Cuaron’s sweeping narrative set in Mexico City was a touching and personal tribute that we loved this year,” Landes says. “We played with a cocktail from Michael Madrusan at New York’s Little Branch called ‘Sea Way’ which to us, represents the Sofia families’ trip to the sea to wash away their collective pain and even shot the drink in black and white to play homage to the imagery in the movie.”

• 1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio
• .5 oz Cherry Heering
• .25 oz Islay scotch
• 2 dashes of mole bitters

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir cocktail until properly chilled. Stain over a large ice cube and garnish with grapefruit floret. 

Greener Pastures 

Inspired by “Green Book” 

“When developing drinks for Green Book, we thought it would be important to connect two seemingly opposing flavors into one cohesive drink,” Landes says. “Much like how Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) forge a great relationship by the end of this film, our drink becomes more balanced and nuanced as it comes together.”

1.5 oz gin


.5 oz green Chartreuse

.75 oz fresh lime juice

.75 oz Peach Schnapps

Add all ingredients to your shaker tin and fill with ice. Shake and double strain into a cup glass. Garnish with ripe, sliced Georgia peach.

Fit For A Queen

Inspired by “The Favourite”

“The Favourite is all about competing for the affections and access to power,” Landes says.”Looking at the time-period when the film takes place and the cheeky nature of Yorgos Lanthimos’ film we we’re inspired to great a drink that was decadent and over the top. The fizzy nature and dark tea notes represent the dual facades the two leads (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) must play when tending to Queen Anne (Olivia Coleman) and her needs.”

• 1.5 oz gin
• .5 oz strawberry-infused blanc vermouth
• .75 oz fresh lemon juice
• .5 oz Earl Grey syrup
• Top with champagne

Add all ingredients, except champagne to shaker tin and fill with ice. Shake and double strain into a flute. Top with champagne and a strawberry slice for garnish.