round one

The official IBA list is broken into three categories.  I didn't want to complicate matters, so I just made one long, alphabetized list and started pairing the top ones with the bottom ones.  There's a couple of cases where I veered from this method because the drinks called for ingredients that wouldn't last over a week (the Barracuda and Bellini, for example, both needed Prosecco, which wouldn't last long after it's been opened).   Also to note, there's 77 drinks in Round One, so one drink moves on to Round Two by default.  The Kir is the lucky drink to move on without having to compete in this round.  So, without further boring explanation overview, here are the first round competitors:

Alexander vs. Yellow Bird

Americano vs. White Lady

Angel Face vs. Whiskey Sour

Aviation vs. Vesper

B52 vs. Vampiro

Casino vs. Tuxedo
Bacardi vs. Cuba Libre

Barracuda vs. Bellini

Black Russian vs. Spritz Veneziano

Tommy's Margarita vs. Tequila Sunrise

Between the Sheets vs. Stinger

Sidecar vs. Singapore Sling

Bramble vs. Bloody Mary

Caipirinha vs. Sex on the Beach

Champagne Cocktail vs. Mimosa

Clover Club vs. Sazerac

Cosmopolitan vs. Rusty Nail

Sea Breeze vs. Russian Spring Punch

Daiquiri vs. Rose

Dark 'N' Stormy vs. Ramos Fizz

Derby vs. Porto Flip

Dirty Martini vs. Planter's Punch

Dry Martini vs. Pisco Sour

Expresso Martini vs. Pina Colada

French 75 vs. Paradise

French Connection vs. Old Fashioned

French Martini vs. Negroni

Gin Fizz vs. Moscow Mule

God Father vs. Monkey Gland

Mint Julep vs. Mojito

Golden Dream vs. God Mother

Grasshopper vs. Screwdriver

Harvey Wallbanger vs. Mary Pickford

Hemingway Special vs. Margarita

Horse's Neck vs. Manhattan

Irish Coffee vs. Mai-tai

John Collins vs. Long Island Iced Tea

Kamikaze vs. Lemon Drop Martini

Kir