Citrus cocktail
A citrus cocktail or citrus-forward cocktail is a cocktail whose dominant taste is that of a citrus fruit. Examples include the Bee's Knees, margarita, caipirinha, or Spanish-style gin and tonic. Citrus tonics are often gin-based because of the citrus and other floral elements used in the distillation process. Limoncello is also sometimes used. Mint is sometimes used as a cooling element to citrus-forward cocktails. Spicy vodkas, such as a green chile vodka with lime and cilantro, can also be used.
Citrus cocktails are often paired with piquant Mexican and Asian foods so that the tartness will serve as a foil for the spices. Citrus-forward cocktails are also sometimes paired with seafood.
The opposite of a citrus cocktail would be a spirit-forward cocktail, in which the spirit is the core flavor, and other ingredients such as bitters and shrubs are used to highlight the base spirit.
