Vodka, tomato juice, lemon, heat, and umami — the ultimate brunch cocktail with infinite variations.
The Bloody Mary was most likely created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s, though Fernand Petiot — the bar's bartender — first made the definitive seasoned version at the St. Regis Hotel in New York in the 1930s. The original was just vodka and tomato juice; the Worcestershire, Tabasco, and spices came later.
The word 'bloody' in the name almost certainly refers to the drink's colour. 'Mary' is disputed — various Queen Marys have been proposed. The Bloody Mary is unique among classic cocktails in being openly customisable: your version is the right version, as long as it's balanced between acid, heat, umami, and vegetal.
Replace tomato juice with Clamato (clam and tomato juice). The Canadian national cocktail — saltier, more savoury, and genuinely better according to many bartenders.
Replace vodka with beer (preferably a Mexican lager). Add the juice of 1 lime, 1 oz Clamato or tomato juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Served over ice in a beer mug with a spiced rim.
Use tomatillo juice or green tomato juice instead of red. Add ½ oz jalapeño juice for heat, cucumber instead of celery for garnish. Striking pale green colour.