Best Vodka Cocktails

1. Black Widow Cocktail

More of a fad than a classy drink, however, Blavod has popped up in bars and clubs in such creations as the “Black Widow,” a colorful but simple cranberry-Vodka drink, or the “Screwed Up Screwdriver,” a Halloween-colored concoction that turns an unappetizing green when stirred.

Ingredients:
– 3 oz. Blavod Black Vodka
– 3 oz. cranberry juice
– Ice

Method:
• Fill small glass with ice.
• Pour in chilled cranberry juice.
• Layer with Blavod.
• Serve unstirred.

Read more: Add Cranberries to your Diet

2. Bread and Butternut

Deep, warming Sherry and butternut squash flavors are balanced by a hint of lemon juice that refreshes the palate.

Ingredients:
– 2 dashes Angostura bitters
– 1 teaspoon Becherovka liqueur
– 1 oz. Absolut Elyx vodka
– 0.75 oz. Lustau East India Solera Cream Sherry
– 0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
– 0.5 oz. Amontillado Sherry
– 0.75 oz. butternut squash simple syrup (see directions below)
– lemon wheel, for garnish

Method:
• Place the Angostura bitters, Becherovka liqueur, fresh lemon juice, Amontillado Sherry, butternut squash syrup, Lustau East India Solera Cream Sherry and Absolut Elyx vodka in a cocktail shaker.
• Add three large ice cubes and shake quickly until chilled.
• Strain into a highball glass tightly packed with small ice cubes.
• Garnish with the lemon wheel, and then top the glass with more ice.

Butternut Squash Simple Syrup
– 1 medium butternut squash
– 4 1/4 cups water
– 4 1/4 cups raw sugar
– Dash of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Deseed and quarter the squash, and then roast for 90 minutes. Remove when cool enough to handle. Place the squash and water in a large pot, and then simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the mixture through a chinois strainer without applying pressure. Add the salt. Place an amount of raw sugar that is equal in weight to the liquid mixture, approximately 4 1/4 cups, in the syrup. Transfer to a glass container.

Read more: Pumpkin Squash Recipes from Celebrity Chefs

3. Citronic Cocktail Recipe

The French consider Grey Goose the “best tasting” vodka so this recipe keeps it simple and refined.

Ingredients:
– 50 ml Grey Goose
– Elderflower cordial
– tonic water

Method:
• Pour Grey Goose over ice into a highball glass.
• Add a dash of elderflower cordial.
• Top with tonic water.
• Stir well.
• Garnish with a lemon wedge.

4. Copper Gimlet

The classic gimlet is made with gin, but this Southern California spin calls for vodka, vanilla simple syrup and absinthe.

Ingredients:
– 2 oz. Absolut Elyx vodka
– 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
– 1 oz. vanilla simple syrup (see directions below)
– 1/2 oz. Pernod absinthe
– 1 lime wheel, for garnish

Method:
• Place the Absolut Elyx vodka, fresh lime juice, vanilla simple syrup and Pernod absinthe in a cocktail shaker and add ice.
• Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a lime wheel, floated.

Vanilla Simple Syrup
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 cup water
– 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. The liquid will be grainy, then cloudy, and is ready when it is completely clear. Turn off the heat, add the vanilla and let sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and store in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to one month.

Read more: The History of Absinthe

5. Diamond Mojito Cocktail

A vodka twist on the classic rum cocktail made with Diamond Standard vodka.

Ingredients:
– 2 oz. Diamond Standard Vodka
– 3 fresh mint sprigs
– 2 tbsp. sugar
– 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
– soda water

Method:
• Muddle the mint, sugar and lime juice in a Collins glass.
• Fill it with ice, add Diamond Standard Vodka>
• Top it with soda.
• Shake or mix the drink.
• Garnish with a lime wedge.

6. Green River

Green Chartreuse liqueur casts a verdant glow and adds an herbal, floral flavor, enhancing this drink’s citrus notes.

Ingredients:
– 1 1/2 oz. vodka
– 6 basil leaves
– 3 large grapefruit peels, with minimal pith
– 0.25 oz. simple syrup (see directions below)
– 0.25 oz. Green Chartreuse
– 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
– a few grains of salt
– 1/4 grapefruit wheel, for garnish

Method:
• Place the vodka, four basil leaves, grapefruit peels, simple syrup, Green Chartreuse and fresh lime juice in a shaker.
• Add ice cubes and shake hard for 15-20 seconds.
• Double strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
• Garnish with the remaining two basil leaves and a quarter wheel of grapefruit.

Simple Syrup
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 cup water
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. The liquid will be grainy, then cloudy, and is ready when it is completely clear.

7. Jubilation

Cherries Jubilee inspired this sweet sip, which gets its stone fruit flavor from kirschwasser.

Ingredients:
– 1 oz. Oryza vodka
– 3/4 oz. kirschwasser
– 1 oz. Amaro Montenegro
– 1 oz. lemon juice
– 0.75 ounce pineapple juice
– Peychaud’s bitters
– lemon wheel, for garnish

Method: Place the Oryza vodka, kirschwasser, Amaro Montenegro, and lemon and pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Add a float of Peychaud’s bitters. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Read more: Pineapples Health Benefits

8. Lavender Lemonade

Floral notes from violet liqueur and lavender simple syrup elevate this summery sip.

Ingredients:
– 1 1/2 oz. Woody Creek potato vodka
– 2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 0.75 oz. lavender simple syrup (see directions below)
– 1 dash violet liqueur
– lemon twist, for garnish

Method:
• Place the Woody Creek potato vodka, freshly squeezed lemon juice and lavender simple syrup in a shaker.
• Add ice and shake.
• Strain into an ice-filled rocks or Collins glass.
• Add a dash of violet liqueur.
• Garnish with a lemon twist.

Lavender Simple Syrup
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 cup water
– 1 tablespoon food-grade dried lavender
Combine the sugar, water and dried lavender in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Simmer for 20 minutes, and then remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain and store in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to one month.

Read more: All About Water, Bottled Water, Enhanced Water

9. Mountain Rose

Sparkling wine and a low alcohol content make this floral, subtly sweet and hoppy beverage the perfect aperitif.

Ingredients:
– 1 oz. Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux
– 0.5 oz. Hophead vodka
– 0.25 oz. fresh lime juice
– 0.25 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
– Argyle Brut sparkling wine
– Local flowers, for garnish

Method:
• Place the Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux, Hophead vodka, and fresh lime and grapefruit juice in a mixing glass.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Top with Argyle Brut sparkling wine.
• Garnish with local flowers.

Read more: The Best American Sparkling Wines

10. Nicholas Collins

The flavors of fall comfort the senses in this spice-infused drink.

Ingredients:
– 1 1/2 oz. apple-spiced vodka
– 0.5 oz. Schonauer Apfel liqueur (see directions below)
– 0.5 oz. raw sugar simple syrup (see directions below)
– 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
– dash of cranberry bitters
– Barritt’s ginger beer
– Sliced apples, for garnish
– Cherry, for garnish

Method:
• In a shaker, combine the apple-spiced vodka, Schonauer Apfel liqueur, Demerara simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and cranberry bitters.
• Pour into an ice-filled Collins glass.
• Top with Barritt’s ginger beer.
• Garnish with the sliced apples and cherry.

Apple-Spiced Vodka
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 liter Absolut vodka
– 8 allspice berries
– 3 cloves
– 2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
Toast the cinnamon, allspice berries and cloves in a dry sauté pan until warm. Add to 1 liter of Absolut vodka and let rest for two hours. Place the Honeycrisp apple slices in the vodka mixture. Keep covered in a cool, dry place for 48 hours, and then strain and rebottle. Refrigerate if not using within one week.

Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
– 1 cup raw sugar
– 1 cup water
Combine the raw sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. The liquid will be grainy, then cloudy, and is ready when it is completely clear.

Read more: Apples Health Benefits – Why You Should Have Apples in Your Diet

11. Poison Ivy

Vodka, absinthe and basil make for a lively blend in this herbaceous, refreshing cocktail.

Ingredients:
– 2 oz. vodka
– 0.75 oz. fresh lime juice
– 0.75 oz. simple syrup (see directions below)
– 0.25 oz. absinthe
– 5 basil leaves, separated

Method:
• Place the vodka, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, absinthe and four basil leaves in a shaker.
• Fill with ice and shake well.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with one basil leaf.

Simple Syrup
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 cup water
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. The liquid will be grainy, then cloudy, and is ready when it is completely clear.

12. Ski Patrol

Ingredients:
– 3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 1 oz. raw sugar simple syrup (see directions below)
– 1 oz. Woody Creek vodka
– 0.25 oz. Belvedere Citrus vodka
– 0.75 oz. Saracco Moscato D’Asti
– 1 teaspoon raw sugar
– confectioner’s sugar
– lemon twist, for garnish

Method:
• Place the lemon juice, raw sugar simple syrup, Woody Creek vodka and Belvedere Citrus vodka in a mixing glass.
• Add large ice cubes and shake vigorously.
• Pour in Sarraco Moscato D’Asti and tumble roll back and forth once.
• Rim a cocktail glass with lemon juice, then lightly dip it in confectioner’s sugar.
• Double-strain the mixing glass liquid and carefully pour into the cocktail glass.
• Add raw sugar and let it settle on the bottom of the glass.
• Garnish with a lemon twist.

Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
– 1 cup raw sugar
– 1 cup water
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. The liquid will be grainy, then cloudy, and is ready when it is completely clear.

13. The Spice Trade

The Moscow Mule is transformed into a liquid luxury that has a kick, thanks to the addition of pricey saffron and fiery Thai bitters.

Ingredients:
– 2 oz. Belvedere Mango Passion vodka
– 0.75 oz. fresh lime juice
– 0.25 oz. kalamansi cordial (see directions below)
– 0.5 oz. saffron cardamom ginger simple syrup (see directions below)
– 1 basil leaf, torn
– 2 drops Thai bitters
– Ginger beer
– Basil leaves, for garnish
– Saffron threads, for garnish

Method:
• Place the Belvedere Mango Passion vodka, fresh lime juice, kalamansi cordial, saffron cardamom ginger simple syrup, torn basil leaf and Thai bitters in a mixing glass.
• Add ice and shake.
• Strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice.
• Top with ginger beer.
• Garnish with the basil leaves and saffron threads.

Kalamansi Cordial
– 4 1/4 cups Charbray Meyer Lemon vodka
– 4 1/4 cups Boiron Kalamansi Purée
– 3 cups Perfect Purée Yuzu Luxe Sour
– Combine the Charbray Meyer Lemon vodka, Boiron Kalamansi Purée and Perfect Purée Yuzu Luxe Sour in a glass container.

Saffron Cardamom Ginger Simple Syrup
– 1 quart water
– 4 cups sugar
– 1 cup green cardamom pods, cracked
– 1 oz. fresh ginger juice
– 1 pinch saffron threads
Place the water and sugar in a pot and heat over a low flame for 20 minutes. Add the crushed green cardamom pods, ginger juice and saffron threads. Strain into a glass jar.

Read more: The Best Beers From Around the World

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