Coming out of Mietta’s Restaurant in Melbourne courtesy of French expat bartender Jean-Paul Bourguignon in the heady heights of the 1980s, the Japanese Slipper gives serious Flanagan’s Cocktails & Dreams vibes. In a redemption story for the ages, the much-maligned Midori finds its salvation in the Japanese Slipper with Cointreau and a generous slug of fresh lemon juice. And never skip the maraschino. Where to try it: In a fitting nod to the notorious Sydney CBD nightspot that used to occupy the space, the new-look Jacksons on George makes a mean Japanese Slipper at the rooftop bar.

While we’re not advocating a return of dirty drinks names (hang your head in shame, slippery nipple and friends), we might brave the bartender’s eye-roll to order this naughties favourite. Coming out of one of London’s hottest cocktail bars in 2002, the blend of vanilla-flavoured vodka, passion fruit purée, passion fruit liqueur, lime and a chaser of prosecco is just the right level of seedy and sweet. Where to try it: Midtown Bar in Brisbane’s pocket rocket dining precinct Fish Lane features the Pornstar in its martini flights and regular martini happy hours.

On paper it just shouldn’t work. Creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and heavy cream in equal parts: indulgent, slightly foamy and bright, bright green. But this classic has hopped in and out of fashion for more than 100 years. Coming out of New Orleans in the dawn of the last century, the Grasshopper tastes like an After Eight dinner mint in a glass, and who doesn’t low-key love that. Our pro tip – grate a little dark chocolate on top. Where to try it: Melbourne purveyor of cocktail and oysters Pearl Diver has featured a pandan-infused update on the Grasshopper; while The Roosevelt in Sydney includes it on a retro loving cocktail list that nods back to the venue’s 1940s namesake.

Scrubs fans might have kept this one limping along ironically for a while, but fresher takes on the historically super-sweet and sour apple cocktail are sweeping the Appletini along with the indefatigable ’90s cultural revival. Coming out of LA’s nightclub scene, the blend of vodka, sour apple liqueur and fresh lemon or lime juice is face-puckering fun. Where to try it: The sister bar to Melbourne’s Gimlet restaurant, Apollo Inn recently redeemed the Appletini with a far more refined Champagne cocktail featuring Ketel One, French apple eau de vie, white chocolate and rose Champagne.

This cocktail refers to two birds of slightly different feathers. The gin variation includes advocaat liqueur, triple sec, fresh orange juice and soda, while the simpler white rum iteration only adds advocaat and a dash of heavy cream. Both are alleged to have come out of Sydney in the 1970s and get their signature fluffiness from advocaat, a Dutch egg liqueur with a brandy base, alarming yellow hue and unctuous texture that froths when shaken. Might sound like an odd duck, but if you like a cheeky eggnog try this one for a Christmas in July party. Where to try it: When the Enmore Country Club launched in Sydney’s inner west, it listed a modernised iteration of the classic that made a strong case for hatching a comeback.

You can stop freezing your overripe bananas now – they only need to last until happy hour. From the same fun and fruity family of tropical cocktails coming out of the Caribbean as the Pina Colada (which has never really gone out of fashion in our opinion) the best versions of daiquiris always include fresh fruit. In this case, a banana, piffed in a blender with gold rum, banana liqueur, and fresh lime juice, plus ice if you fancy a frozen daiquiri. Where to try it: The Banana Daiquiri has made cameos on the menu of playful Perth bar Edward & Ida’s, but for us if you’ve got a blender, you’ve got a bar.