Shaken or stirred? The actual rule

Juice, cream or egg? Shake it

Shaking whips air into a drink and mixes ingredients that would otherwise separate. Citrus, cream, syrups and egg all need that. Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for about 12 seconds. A Daiquiri, a Whiskey Sour and a Corpse Reviver No. 2 are all shaken.

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  Daiquiri

  Rum, lime and sugar. Shake hard for 12 seconds.

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  Whiskey Sour

  Lemon and egg white: shake once dry, then with ice.

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  Corpse Reviver No. 2

  Gin, Lillet, triple sec and lemon, shaken hard.

Only spirits? Stir it

A drink made only of spirits, vermouths and bitters should be stirred. It gets just as cold and diluted, without the cloudiness and foam, and keeps a silky texture. Stir with ice for 20 to 30 seconds. The Martini, the Manhattan and the Martinez are stirred.

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  Martini

  Gin and dry vermouth, stirred until cold and clear.

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  Manhattan

  Rye, sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred for 30 seconds.

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  Martinez

  Gin, sweet vermouth and maraschino, stirred.

Never shake soda

Shaking a fizzy mixer knocks the bubbles out, and the pressure can pop the shaker open. Shake everything else, strain it into the glass, then top with the soda, tonic, ginger beer or Champagne. El Diablo works exactly like that.

Egg white? Shake it twice

Shake once without ice, a "dry shake", to build the foam. Then add ice and shake again to chill it.