Kamikaze Cocktail

The kamikaze is an iconic drink in the bar. It's one of the best-known vodka "martinis" and offers a sweet-tart taste that many will enjoy. In fact, it's such a popular mix that there's also a kamikaze shooter and a number of other variations to explore.

The history of the drink is as interesting as the history of the name. In Japanese, the word Japanese translates to "divine wind" and initially referred to the typhoon that the Mongols were met with while trying to invade Japan in the 13th century. But it's also often erroneously attributed to also a name used by the Japanese military for its pilots and their missions, either, although it seems they later adopted the use of the phrase despite the fact that the word used for their pilots was slightly different. To some extent, you can chalk it up to the classic old-fashioned telephone game, where words and meaning become lost in translation the further they go.

The drink's origins can be traced to an American naval base in Japan after World War II. It became popular in the 1970s, according to writer Heywood Gould in his book "Cocktail," who calls it a classic disco era cocktail invented by teenagers.

If you look at the recipe, you'll notice that the kamikaze is quite simply a vodka margarita, and it's also very similar to a daiquiri. The proportions of the famous tequila-lime cocktail are different, but the ingredients are the same. So, if you don't like tequila for one reason or another, this is a great option.