When Should You Shake a Cocktail?

The rules say that you should shake cocktails when the recipe includes fruit juices, cream liqueurs, simple syrup, sour mix, egg, dairy, or any other thick or flavorful nonalcoholic mixers.

Which cocktails should be shaken?

Cocktails that should be shaken are ones that contain dairy, cream liqueurs, fruit juices, eggs, or sour mix. These drinks get a better balance of flavor and alcohol when there is more diluting involved.

When should a cocktail be stirred?

While exact times vary depending on the drink, you're usually in good territory if you stir a drink for 30–45 seconds. That's long enough for the drink to reach its ideal temperature where dilution mostly levels off. Some bars insist a perfect martini must be stirred 60–75 seconds, while others opt for less.