A cocktail is a mixed drink, originally composed of spirit, sugar, water and bitters. Gradually, the term has expanded to encompass most single-serving mixed drinks. Many such cocktails follow a rough template: a base spirit, a modifier (e.g., a liqueur, wine or citrus juice), and an accent (bitters or other flavoring). Cocktails are typically chilled and diluted by shaking or stirring with ice, and then strained into stemware.
