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The Best Vodka Cocktails

Engin_Akyurt (CC0), Pixabay

Vodka goes well anything – just ask any born-and-bred Slav. Unsurprisingly enough, new vodka cocktails are popping up all over the place and it’s every mixologist’s dream to magically invent a brand new recipe that hasn’t been used yet. But let’s face it, the fruity vodka cocktails with a mile-long list of ingredients are getting pretty old. So without focusing too much on popular, yet usually overrated drinks like Cosmopolitan, Sex On The Beach, Blue Lagoon and other similar blends, here are the best vodka cocktails you should be looking for in the menu – or preparing at home.

Black Russian

Classy, mature and irresistible, the Black Russian will always leave you wanting more. If you’re not a fan of girly, colorful cocktails, simply leave the cherry out and what you’ll end up with is a hearty blend of 2 parts vodka to 1 part Kahlua served either on the rocks or with crushed ice. Slightly mellow, simplistic and in the spirit of a true Slavic drink (albeit being allegedly created by a Belgian mixologist), the Black Russian has been a popular choice among ladies and gentlemen alike for over six decades.

White Russian

Often regarded as a ladies’ drink due to its notable sweetness, the White Russian cocktail actually rose to prominence thanks to Jeff Bridges’ character in the 1998 film The Big Lebowski. The only thing that distinguishes this one from its cousin, the Black Russian, is the heavy cream in it and the significantly sweeter taste it brings to the table (or rather, to the bar).

Bloody Mary

Suffering from an atrocious hangover? Feeling like a mammoth is dancing on your temples and you’re about to vomit your entire digestive tract out? The solution is simple – keep drinking from a glass full of Bloody Mary. While it’s true that for some people getting rid of a vodka-induced hangover happens by adding even more vodka to the equation, the rest of the ingredients in the Bloody Mary actually do work in wondrous hangover-curing ways.

Long Island Iced Tea

The only tea you’ll find in the glass is tea-quila. That, along with a plentiful amount of vodka, gin, rum, triple sec and a few drops of cola (the latter one only serves for coloring purposes of course). And if anyone asks – no, you’re not binge drinking from a glass full of 5 types of alcohol. You’re merely sipping some iced tea or iced coke with a lime wedge in it.

Vodka tonic

What’s a more innocent version of lying about that Long Island Iced Tea’s real contents? Lying about the real Vodka Tonic contents in your glass. And why should you even give this fizzy, bitter drink a go? Because gin & tonic simply isn’t the Slav way. Duuuh!

Espresso Martini

Despite its name, the Espresso Martini cocktail isn’t made with the gin-vermouth spirit, but with vodka, espresso coffee, simple syrup (optional) and Kahlua or other coffee liquor. Sophisticated and slightly on the sweeter side, you won’t find Espresso Martini cocktails served just anywhere, even though they should be. The drink was created by a UK-based bartender in the 1980s after one of his female customers told him to mix something that would “wake her up and then F- her up”. So naturally the bartender thought of an espresso shot and – surprise, surprise – of the good old vodka.

Moscow Mule

Rustic, masculine and easy to prepare even at home, this vodka cocktail couldn’t be any further from the stereotypical belief that cocktails should be feminine, taste like diabetes and look excessively colorful. Complimented by spicy ginger beer, mint and lime juice, the Moscow Mule is traditionally served in copper mugs, which attribute to its well-distinctive characteristic features.

Chocolate Vodka Martini

If you’re going to indulge in Slavic spirits, you may as well indulge in chocolate too. There are numerous variations of Chocolate Vodka Martinis out there – some call for Baileys, others for chocolate syrups, and then some even turn towards the classic Kahlua. This one is a mixture of vodka, heavy cream, Baileys and melted chocolate. And if you really want to go overboard, just grate some more chocolate and make it rain just before serving.

Screwdriver

Dating back to the early 1920s the Screwdriver is one of the easiest, simplest and most popular vodka cocktails on Earth. But if it’s so simple why is it among one of the top choices for so many people and why should you give it a try? A: because there’s vodka in it. B: because the vodka flavor is toned down only by a splash of lemon juice instead of by a blend of super sweet crap mixed in it. C: because you’ll simultaneously get your daily dose of booze and vitamins with it. OK, scratch that last part, nobody cares about vitamins when drinking. Cheers!

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Written by Yanna N.

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