How fattening is your cocktail?

It's misleading to watch fictional characters like Don Draper and James Bond blithely consume drink after drink with seemingly no effect on their enviable abdomens. The truth is that a cocktail can pack just as many calories as a doughnut. Still, not all are equally bad for you—a few aren't much worse than, say, a piece of fruit (hint: your best bet is straight booze on the rocks). Below, we calculated the calorie content for 20 common cocktails—from the diet-friendly Mojito to the fun-but-fattening Mai Tai. Using standard drinks recipes employed by New York City cocktail bars, we broke down the calories per spirit, fruit juice, and liqueur and crunched the numbers. It just might be enough to make you choose more wisely.

Mojito (161 calories) There's a reason the Cuban import remains so popular: the mint leaves add a cool, menthol hint to a stimulating combo of white rum, lime, and sugar. The lesson here: mint is a great low-cal flavor booster.

Daiquiri (163 calories) Bastardized over the years by tropical fruits and blenders, the original daiquiri—just rum, lime juice, and sugar—was a manly drink favored by Hemingway and naval officers. FYI: If you drink a giant frozen daiquiri in a Slurpee cup, you will be drinking way more than 163 calories LOL.

Bloody Mary (168 calories) This brunch cocktail is perhaps still the best savory, vegetal one out there—vodka stays out of the way, simply bringing proof to the party of succulent tomato juice, malty Worcestershire sauce, a dash of bright lime juice, and the heat of a little Tabasco and pepper. The problem with this one, though, is that you rarely drink just one:(

Mint Julep (185 calories) For a cocktail with three ingredients—lots of whiskey, some mint leaves, a little sugar—it's awfully difficult to get made right, and fantastic when it is. But this is one to keep an eye on—juleps, the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, are typically made with bonded or overproof whiskey, which packs more calories than a standard 80-proof spirit.

Manhattan (187 calories) Like the martini, this drink's simple construction—rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters--conceals layers of meditative complexity. But we'd suggest limiting yourself to one after dinner; think of it as a dessert drink instead of an aperitif.

Gin and Tonic (190 calories) Created by British officers abroad as a vehicle for the malaria-fighting effects of quinine, the classic gin and tonic remains one of the most refreshing drinks ever. 

Margarita (192 calories) A dash of freshly squeezed lime juice highlights the agave-fruit flavor of the tequila, while Cointreau supplies a nuanced, orange-tinged sweetener for a juicy, addictive libation. Bonus: add all the salt you want to the rim, since there's no calorie hit there.

Gin Martini (200 calories) When made correctly, this spare, potent mixture of gin and dry vermouth—with a dash of orange bitters imparting a floral touch—is liquid perfection. If you're really watching your weight, opt for cocktail onions as a garnish, as opposed to olives, and you'll reduce the calorie count a bit.

Long Island Iced Tea (213 calories) The famous frat-boy booze mash-up (vodka, gin, tequila, rum, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup, Coke) is bad for you in more ways than one. In addition to putting you on the fast track to Blackout City, a few of these could almost singlehandedly add an inch or two to your waistline. Proceed with caution!

Mai Tai (219 calories) The secret to this cocktail is a good, homemade orgeat syrup (derived from toasted almonds), which lends a creamy texture and nutty flavor to a boozy combo of two rums (light and gold). Throw in some lime juice and Cointreau and it all adds up to a remarkably balanced, but fattening, drink.

Can we get started?  It’s 5:00 p.m. somewhere!!!