According to the International Bartenders Association the original recipe is based on vodka citron, lemon-flavored vodka.[1] The cosmopolitan is a relative of cranberry coolers like the Cape Codder.[2] Though often presented far differently, the cosmopolitan also bears a likeness in composition to the kamikaze cocktail.
The origin of the cosmopolitan is disputed. It is widely believed that the drink was created independently by different bartenders since the 1970s.[3] Generally, people have recognized that John Caine brought the drink to San Francisco around 1987[4] from Ohio.[4][5] The same year in Manhattan, the internationally recognized version of the cocktail was created by Bradley Umane,[6] based on a poorly described version of Cheryl Cook's creation.[6] According to Sally Ann Berk and Bob Sennett, the cosmopolitan appears in literature as early as 1993 and derives from New York.[7][8][9][10]