Orgasm

The Orgasm is a sweet, creamy cocktail made with several liqueurs, served either on the rocks or layered as a shooter. It belongs to the family of coffee and cream liqueur drinks that became popular in bars and nightclubs.

History

The sources do not give a documented date or author for the origin of the Orgasm, so its precise history remains largely unestablished. What is known is that it is a bar cocktail that has been served for years in all kinds of venues.

Over time many variations have appeared. One of the most cited recipes in bartending manuals combines equal parts Amaretto, Kahlúa and Baileys Irish Cream. Another version, named after its ingredients, uses Baileys, Amaretto, half and half cream and Kahlúa, one part each. Other recipes add vodka, triple sec and white crème de cacao, with a smaller amount of light cream.

The Screaming Orgasm is usually made with vodka, Kahlúa, Amaretto and Baileys, plus a splash of milk. Its popularity helped it become a recognised bar cocktail, though rarely with a single fixed recipe.

Since 2011 the Orgasm is no longer part of the official IBA list of cocktails, a reminder of how classics change over time.

Culture

The Orgasm is designed for the lively atmosphere of bars and nightclubs, where it is served either as a long drink or as a one-gulp shooter. Its playful, sweet character has made it popular with people who want easy-drinking drinks with a dessert-like profile.

Its identity lies in its many versions: each bar has its own, and the proportions change from recipe to recipe. This flexibility explains why it coexists with the parent liqueurs that make it up, such as coffee, bitter almond and Irish cream.

Today it still appears on the menus of many venues, although no longer as an official IBA cocktail. Its presence depends more on bar custom than on any internationally recognised standard.