This Cocktail Trend Keeps Finding Ways To One-Up Itself

There was once a time when the hardest part of ordering a cocktail was deciding if you wanted it frozen or on the rocks, shaken or stirred, or rimmed with salt or sugar. Over time, drinks have evolved into full-scale productions perfect for your Instagram story, better known as stunt cocktails. In short, the base of a stunt cocktail is typically a simple cocktail you should know how to make, with an unexpected prop or ingredient that elevates the overall presentation. One of the first documented stunt cocktails, dating back the 1850s, used flames to produce a brief spectacle, but the concept has since taken on a life of its own. From a Halloween margarita stored in blood bags to drinks topped off with dry ice and even insects, these cocktails break the mold of average beverages like the classic dirty martini.

Since their inception, however, stunt cocktails have only grown in scale and spectacle, challenging bars — like those in cities with a heavy nightlife, such as New York City, Miami, and Las Vegas — to repeatedly one-up their game, making it a more challenging trend. One drink that didn't make our list of 13 magnificent martini recipes (but is still surprising nonetheless) is an escargot martini. The cocktail includes all the makings of the traditional drink but also calls for a splash of escargot juice and the snail itself as a garnish.

In the 1850s, bartender Jerry Thomas cemented his legacy with the "Blue Blazer." This cocktail was less about the recipe and more about theatrics, combining three simple ingredients: whiskey, raw sugar, and boiling water. The magic kicked in when the bartender set the cocktail on fire and poured it between two glasses to create a blue flame, thus earning the drink its name. After the flame was extinguished, the beverage was topped with a lemon and ready to sip. After that, flaming cocktails were the pinnacle of stunts. Throughout the 1940s and '50s, bartenders traded metal mugs for eye-catching tiki bowls. These drinks featured tropical flavors and liquors, but the star of the show was the garnish: a hollowed-out lime filled with 151-proof rum that was lit on fire.

In the 1970s and '80s, bartenders kicked it up a notch with flammable shots. If you've ever heard of the Flaming Moe from "The Simpsons," you may know the "Flaming Dr Pepper," in which a bartender would mix Amaretto and overproof rum before lighting the flame. Instead of extinguishing the fire with a garnish, they would simply drop it into a glass of beer — a two-for-one special. In 2007, mixologists began opting for smoke over fire thanks to bartender Eben Freeman. He paired bourbon and Coca-Cola with smoke to enhance the drink's taste and presentation.

From adorable to outrageous, there's a stunt cocktail out there that will probably pique your interest. At Lounge Bohemia in London, bubbles aren't reserved solely for Champagne. The bar offers a Bubble Bath Martini formulated with lavender and poppyseed vodka mixed with lychee liqueur that foams at the top, and a rubber duck — because it wouldn't be a bubble bath without it. Seafood lovers get their cocktail with a side of an entire seafood spread at Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille in Pittsburgh. The restaurant offers the tomato and vodka cocktail with prawns and a whole fried soft-shell crab on top.

On the West Coast, Barton G. Weiss, owner of Barton G. in Los Angeles, added a personal touch to its cocktail menu with the Sabrinatini. Inspired by his monkey, Sabrina, the cocktail features White Tiger, citrus vodka, watermelon sorbet, and a Nitro-Champagne popsicle that doubles as dry ice for that smoky effect. If that wasn't enough, a chocolate monkey hangs off the side of the glass to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Lost a bet? The Sourtoe cocktail could be a harmless but hilarious punishment. The drink, served at Dawson City's Sourdough Saloon in Yukon, Canada, is a shot garnished with a real human toe that's been dehydrated and topped with salt. According to the Dawson City website, "You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe." Its membership club has garnered 25 donated toes to keep the tradition strong. The next time you're looking to spruce up your night out, ask your bartender for their recommended stunt cocktail.