There’s nothing like a martini on a national holiday
It’s National Vodka Day today (10/4) and this is a holiday worth celebrating. Even though it is a Monday, there is no excuse for you to not go to a bar or stay at home and celebrate with a vodka cocktail in hand. Fortunately, we have some recommendations for delicious vodka brands you can try out to make anything from a martini to a vodka soda!
First up is Russian Standard Vodka, an innovator in the vodka industry and has a goal to provide some of the smoothest vodka you will ever try. Made from wheat grown in Russia and glacial waters from Lake Ladoga, this vodka is distilled over 200 times. And with that, Russian Standard Vodka has a delicious cocktail that you could make at home.
Russian Standard Platinum Classic Martini
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Russian Standard Platinum
- 1 tsp Extra Dry Vermouth
Method:
- Shake ingredients together with several ice cubes in a shaker.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with lemon peel.
Next on our list a new spiked seltzer cocktail called NUTRL Vodka Seltzer. This drink is made with three simple ingredients being vodka, seltzer, and real fruit juice. This 100 calorie drink is perfect if you are looking for a guilt free way to enjoy the holiday. NUTRL Vodka Seltzer comes in three delicious flavors including Watermelon, Raspberry, and Pineapple
Also on the list for canned cocktails to enjoy today include Cutwater Spirits. Cutwater is a delicious vodka that is distilled 6 times and filtered 15 times to ensure a wonderful smooth finish. And with that, they have some of the best canned cocktails around and boast a variety of flavors. Of these flavors include the Cutwater Vodka Soda which is a flavored vodka soda drink that comes in Grapefruit, Lime, and Cucumber. Along with that, there is the Cutwater Vodka Mule that has natural ginger, a splash of butters, and a hint of lime making for a great Moscow Mule drink. Also on the roster is a Cutwater White Russian made with house-made coffee cream liqueur that offers notes of vanilla ice cream, fresh brewed coffee, and mocha. Lastly, there is the Cutwater Bloody Mary that comes in a mild version and a spicy version depending on your flavor preferences.
Cutwater Vodka Gimlet
Ingredients
- 2oz Cutwater Vodka
- 1oz fresh lime juice
- .75oz simple syrup
Method: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Cutwater Habanero Vodka Honeydew
Ingredients
- 2oz Cutwater Habanero Vodka
- .75oz fresh lime juice
- .75oz honey syrup*
- 2 honeydew melon balls
Method: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Muddle the melon balls, add ice, and shake until cold. Strain over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wheel and a melon ball.
Cutwater Vodka Wingman Collins
Ingredients
- 1oz Cutwater Vodka
- 1oz mint green tea infused dry vermouth
- .75oz lemon juice
- .5oz cane syrup (2:1)
Method: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until cold, and strain over fresh ice in a collins glass. Top off with club soda and garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
Up next is one of our favorite vodka brands out there, Crystal Head Vodka. Not only is Crystal Head one of the smoothest vodkas we have tried, but also the packaging of a glass skull is very cool to have around. Crystal Head Vodka only uses the highest quality ingredients with pristine waters from Canada. And Crystal Head has three expressions of their vodka. The original expression offers a clean, clear, and colorless spirit that goes well as the base for any cocktail. Next is the Aurora which offers a drier, bolder vodka for those who like more of a martini than standard cocktail. And lastly is the Onyx, which is the newest Agave-based vodka which is practically the bridge between tequila and vodka. This expression features notes of fresh green grass, white pepper, and hints of citrus in it. With it have a soft and smooth feel with a touch of spice and sweetness, this expression is definitely for those who like to spice up their cocktails and be a little bit on the adventurous side.
Pumpkin Patch
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Crystal Head Vodka
- 1 tsp Honey
- 3⁄4 oz. Coffee Liqueur
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice*
- 3⁄4 oz. Heavy Cream (optional: substitute with any non-dairy alternative)
- 2-3 Ginger Snap Cookies
Method: Crumble the ginger snap cookies and place the crumbs on a plate. Rub the rim of a rocks glass with honey. Dip your glass in cookie crumbs to coat the rim. In a shaker, combine Crystal Head Vodka, coffee liqueur, and pumpkin pie spice. Shake with ice. Place ice in a rocks glass and pour contents of shaker over ice and top with heavy cream, or a non-dairy alternative of your choice.
Blood Orange Diablo
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Crystal Head Onyx
- 3⁄4 oz. Créme de Mure
- 1⁄2 oz. Blood Orange Juice
- 2 oz. Ginger Beer
Method: Add all ingredients to a collins glass with crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a dehydrated blood orange wheel.
Blackberry Gimlet
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Crystal Head Aurora
- 1⁄2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 1⁄2 oz. Simple Syrup
- 5 Blackberries
Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and gently muddle. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with blackberries.
Up next is Seagram’s Vodka which is a simple and affordable vodka that is perfect for any cocktail. Having a clean and extra smooth finish, this is the perfect ingredient and base for any National Vodka Day celebration. This line includes a variety of expressions including smooth, Platinum Select, Lime, Pineapple, Juicy Watermelon, Golden Apricot, Red Berry, Apple, Grapefruit, Peach, and Sweet Tea.
Seagram’s Classic Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Seagram’s 80 Proof Vodka
- 4 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
- 1⁄2 oz. Olive Juice
- 1⁄4 oz. Balsamic Vinegar
- 1-2 Dashes Tabasco
- 1⁄2 oz. Tomato Juice
- 1⁄2 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1⁄2 tsp. Horseradish
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
Method: Rim a pint glass or mason jar with salt and fill the glass with ice. Combine all ingredients in the glass over the ice and stir with a cocktail spoon. Garnish with a celery stalk, skewered cocktail olives & onions, lime, and lemon rounds.
The Overachiever Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Seagram’s 100 Proof Vodka
- 1 1⁄2 oz. Tomato Juice
- 1⁄2 oz. Lemon Juice
- 4 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
- Garlic Salt
- 1 tsp. Carolina Style BBQ Sauce
- 1⁄2 oz. Beef Broth
- Cracked Black Pepper
Method: Rim the highball glass with garlic salt & smoked paprika. Combine all ingredients into a glass over ice, stir with a cocktail spoon. Garnish with skewered linguica sausage, torched peppers, a cocktail onion & olive and pickled veggies.
Peach-Cranberry Cooler
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Seagram’s Peach Vodka
- 4 ounces Cranberry juice
Method: Pour Seagram’s Peach Vodka into glass over ice. Add Cranberry juice to top. Garnish & Enjoy!
Lastly, we have Middle West Spirits OYO Vodka. This vodka pays tribute to the Iroquois name for the Ohio River Valley. And with that, OYO has four unique and equally delicious expressions to offer. The first is the OYO American Character Vodka, an unfiltered vodka that almost aims at a whiskey and bridges the two spirits together. Next is the OYO Stone Fruit Vodka which has notes of Montmorency cherries, sweet yellow peaches, fragrant apricots, almond extract, hibiscus, and a touch of wildflower honey. Third is the OYO Barrel Finished Honey Vanilla Bean Vodka. This is made with soft red winter wheat, local wildflower honey, and organic, single-source, fair-trade vanilla beans. Then it rests in select bourbon barrels that add smoky notes of sweet cream, fig and pepper. And lastly is the OYO Honey Vanilla Bean which is infused with local wildflower honey and organic, single-source, fair-trade vanilla beans, purchased raw and processed at our distillery for the fullest flavor that’s delicately sweet.
Pom Pom Punch
Ingredients
- 1 oz OYO Character Vodka
- 1 oz Stone Fruit Vodka
- 1 oz Pomegranate Juice
- 0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz Orgeat
Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 20 seconds or until the outside of the tin is frosted. Double strain into a rocks glass and garnish with an expressed lime peel.
Spanish 43
Ingredients
- 2 oz OYO Barrel-Finished Honey Vanilla Bean Vodka
- 0.5 oz Liqueur 43 (Citrus Vanilla Liquor)
- A dash of Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- Sparkling Wine
Method: Mix vodka, liquor, and lemon juice in a mixing tin with ice. Pour over fresh ice in a Collins style rocks glass. Top off with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon wheel (or flamed peel for the more adventurous).
