5 Shots No One Takes Anymore (And That’s Okay)

Some traditions are meant to be forgotten, especially if those traditions involve a gnarly drink. There are lots of shots we used to take, some because we liked them, but some out of pure convenience, that seem like they belong in a different lifetime. Here are five shots that no one takes anymore, which is totally fine by us.

Don’t be lured in by the fact that pudding shots are delicious. When you’re gearing up for a long night of drinking, a mix of dairy, sugar and mystery liquor is the last thing you want to binge on to get things started (or to finish them, for that matter). We don’t care how tempting that $5 Oreo or strawberry shortcake pudding shot looks because we know better than to enjoy its sweet, silky nectar if we want to avoid a massive hangover the next day. Sorry to all the 21-year-olds out there who have to learn the hard way.

Sure, people still take Sake Bombs and the occasional Jäger Bomb, but for the most part, drop shots have thankfully gone out of style. The most ridiculous one of all has got to be the Vegas Bomb, which is made by dropping a shot glass full of equal parts Crown Royal and butterscotch schnapps into a pint glass of Red Bull. Not only is this mixture less than appetizing, it’s also asking for heartburn, the jitters and an annoyed look from your bartender. We’ll take our shot and pint combos side by side in a Boilermaker, thank you very much.

Not only does this shot have one of the worst names ever, but its robust flavor is more hardcore that downing a glass of straight whiskey or tequila. Made with equal parts Sambuca and Irish cream, its thick, viscous texture is enough to make even the most experienced drinker gag. Do yourself a favor and choose one or the other, not both mixed together.

We’re not sure how it went down on your campus, but for us, a 21-year-old’s initiation into the college bar scene was always with a shot of something curdled. It’s very possible that this was a Cement Mixer, which is probably both the first and last time you’ve ever had one. When Irish cream and lime juice come together, the resulting chemical reaction doesn’t just look disgusting, it tastes pretty nasty, too.

There are a lot of things a bold person can drink to look and feel outrageous (extra spicy cocktail, anyone?), but the Smoker’s Cough takes the cake. The mix of Jägermeister and mayonnaise is the king of gross shots, and we’re not sure why anyone in their right mind would feel the need to drink one. This is the type of shooter that’ll launch you into a fit of coughs and gags, hence the name.