So now we know what brands sell best in the world’s best bars, but let’s drill down. Are there certain brands for certain cocktails? We picked out some classics and asked our sample of bartenders to tell us what they put in them.

MANHATTAN

The purists will lean to rye in their Manhattans, but some go for bourbon. Either way, the brand 32% of our bartenders for a Manhattan was Bulleit. Rittenhouse is a favourite in the rye stakes and 23% of our sample made it their number one for this cocktail, while Maker’s Mark (12%) was just a little more popular for the Manhattan than Woodford Reserve (11%).

VIEUX CARRÉ

This American whiskey-cognac mix was always going to throw up a blend of brands across the two categories. The brands used most are the largest cognac house Hennessy (said 21% of our bars), the smaller but bar industry favourite Pierre Ferrand (17%) and Diageo’s bourbon, Bulliet (13%).

BRANDY JULEP

The Brandy Julep might as well be called the Cognac Julep, such is the popularity of the French region’s brand among our polled bars. Gosh was it close. 28% of polled bars said Pierre Ferrand, 26% Hennessy and 25% Rémy Martin. Martell came in fourth with 14% of bartenders saying they work with it in their Juleps.

CORPSE REVIVER

Here’s a fun cocktail you are unlikely to drink in Cognac… but more than likely has cognac in it. The Corpse Reviver is best made with either Hennessy (said 28% of bars), Pierre Ferrand (25%) or Rémy Martin (21%), according to our sample of the world’s best bars.

SIDECAR

The Sidecar is perhaps the most famous brandy cocktail and at the world’s best bars 31% of bartenders polled put Hennessy in the driving seat. Pierre Ferrand was the choice in 26% of bars and Rémy Martin

in 17%.

DAIQUIRI

The Daiquiri is a hallowed cocktail among top bartenders, so it’s a big win for Bacardi to see it is its rum that our sample of bars chooses most. 35% said Bacardi, while Havana Club was the choice at 30% of those polled. Plantation may not have Cuban heritage but many bartenders say it makes a great Daiquiri – 15% in the case of our polled bars.

MOJITO

The Mojito is perhaps not a favourite of elite bartenders but it is a popular drink among customers. 34% of our 100 bars give the drink the Bacardi treatment, 29% say Havana Club, while 17% go for the less authentic option of Plantation.

RUM OLD FASHIONED

If the Daiquri and Mojito call for a lighter style, the Rum Old Fashioned requires a heavyweight. Our bars are more likely to opt for Zacapa than any other brand. 27% went for the Guatemalan brand, while 13% said the Venezuelan Diplomatico, and 12% Guyana’s demerara style, El Dorado.

MAI TAI

This tropical drink was first made with Jamaican rum at Trader Vic’s so it’s no surprise to see Appleton take top spot – 24% of our sample said they were exponents of the Gruppo Campari brand, while 19% opted for Plantation and 10% Bacardi.

NEGRONI

It’s a clear one-two-three for the big brands of gin, with Tanqueray the choice for the Negroni in a huge 38% of our polled bars. Beefeater was second with 24% attesting to its suitability, while Bombay Sapphire accounted for 14%. Closest of the chasing pack was Ford’s gin.

DRY MARTINI

The ultimate test of any gin is the nowhere-to-hide Martini glass. Our polled bartenders again stayed true to their pouring deals, with 28% saying Tanqueray, 21% Beefeater and 12% Bombay Sapphire. Ford’s once again was the gin that got closest to breaking the big three’s domination.

AVIATION

Once again, the gins used in the Aviation are provided by the big three producers – Diageo, Pernod Ricard and Bacardi. 30% of polled bars use Tanqueray, 18% Beefeater and 16% Bombay Sapphire. Plymouth, though a little behind Bombay Sapphire, was in fourth.

MOSCOW MULE

This simple ginger and vodka for the masses is most likely made with Ketel One (32%), says our poll. Absolut and Stolichnaya were equal with 11% of the pie apiece. A mention goes out to Aylesbury Duck, which beat Grey Goose to the front of the queue for the podium.

BLOODY MARY

The Bloody Mary is more likely to be made with Ketel One than any other brand at the world’s best bars, suggests our poll, with 33% getting behind the brand. There was fragmented opinion beyond the Diageo vodka, with Absolut being the choice for 14% of those surveyed and Aylesbury Duck for 8%.

ESPRESSO MARTINI

This coffee and vodka cocktail is best made with Ketel One, according to 27% of our sample of the world’s best bars, while 22% were absolute about Absolut. Plucky Aylesbury Duck, with 10% support, continued to punch above its weight, easily knocking Grey Goose into fourth.

MARGARITA

Diageo’s Don Julio is the most popular tequila in the world’s best bars, according to our poll, so it’s no surprise to find it’s the most popular choice for a Margarita. 22% went with Don Julio, Brown-Forman’s El Jimador had support from 11% of bartenders, as did Pernod Ricard’s Olmeca Altos.

PISCO SOUR

As the most popular pisco among our sample of the world’s best bars, Barsol is the top brand for the Pisco Sour. With 36% support, that leaves a number of brands fighting over the remaining places in our three-brand list – fellow Peruvian pisco Campo De Encanto was favoured in 13% of bars, while Chilean Capel was the brand to use in 12%.

BLOOD & SAND

This blood orange, Cherry Heering, vermouth and scotch cocktail tends to be made with blends. It’s no surprise that Johnnie Walker came out top (27%), such is its dominance in top bars, but mixed malt Monkey Shoulder (16%) took second place. Famous Grouse was the choice in 10% of polled bars, ahead of Dewar’s and Chivas Regal.

ROB ROY

This Manhattan in tartan is most likely made with scotch category leader Johnnie Walker, says 32% of our bars. Monkey Shoulder was the second most popular with 14%, while Famous Grouse was ahead of the rest of the field with 8%.

PENICILLIN

This neo-classic is normally made with a blend of unpeated and peated scotch, but the brands to include, our poll reveals, are Johnnie Walker (24%), Laphroaig (11%) and Monkey Shoulder (10%). Ardbeg was a close fourth.