Neutral doesn't have to mean boring. Here are easy ways take your vodka drinks up a notch.
When it comes to a simple, refreshing, easy co*cktail, a vodka tonic is hard to beat. But vodka is famous for its mild, mixing-friendly flavor, so if your drink of choice is vodka, it would be a shame not to branch out and embrace the myriad of options that the spirit has to offer. With that in mind, we've rounded up some of the best vodka co*cktails, from creative seasonal drinks to the legendary classics like the martini. With unique flavors and easy to follow recipes it's never been easier to get yourself out of a co*cktail rut, so try out these fun co*cktails that any vodka drinker is sure to love.
Icelandic Lady
Ingredients
1 oz Reyka Vodka
.5 oz Aperol
.5 oz honey syrup
.25 oz lemon juice
Top with champagne or prosecco
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except sparkling wine into a co*cktail shaker. Serve in flute, top with champagne or prosecco and garnish with a lemon peel.
Limoncello Mule
Ingredients
1 oz limoncello
1 oz vodka
1 Brooklyn Crafted Lemon Lime Ginger Beer
Instructions
Add all the ingredients together in a Julep cup and mix. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a mint sprig.
Recipe Courtesy of Brooklyn Crafted
More: The Best Limoncello co*cktails
Martini
Ingredients
3 oz gin or vodka
5 oz dry vermouth
Lemon peel or olive
Instructions
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into chilled martini glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel into the glass or garnish with olive.
More: Classic Drinks to Order at a Bar
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Raspberry Cosmopolitan
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1 oz lemon juice
.5 oz honey syrup or simple syrup
5 raspberries
Prosecco
Instructions
Shake all ingredients and double strain in a coupe glass. Top with prosecco.
From Percy Rodriguez at The Vine
Espresso Martini
Ingredients
1.5 oz Grey Goose vodka
1 oz espresso
.75 oz premium coffee liqueur
1 pinch of salt
Instructions
Shake all ingredients together with ice and strain into a martini glass.
More: Coffee co*cktails The Will Give You A Buzz
Apple Cider Mule
Ingredients
1.5 oz Humboldt Vodka
2 oz apple cider
1 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz ginger syrup*
Splash of seltzer
Instructions
Build all ingredients over ice in a copper mug. Stir well, and garnish with lime or apple wedges.
*Ginger syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and a 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the ginger to steep for at least one hour. Strain and refrigerate.
More: Apple Cider co*cktails for Fall
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Old Glory
Ingredients
8-10 blueberries
2 oz Long Island Vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
1-2 oz Oregon Pinot Noir
Instructions
Muddle fresh blueberries at the bottom of a double old fashioned glass and top with ice. Add vodka, lemon, and simple syrup to a mixing glass and shake vigorously. Strain over ice and blueberries. Pour wine over a spoon to create a red wine "float."
From Kingsley in New York City
More: Fruity co*cktails That Are Mouth-Wateringly Delicious
Pumpkin Spice Lebowski
Ingredients
2 oz Reyka Vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur
1 oz heavy cream
.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in shaker over ice. Shake and serve in a rocks glass.
More: Fall co*cktails to Enjoy This Season
Cool Hand Cuke
Ingredients
1.5 oz Tito's Vodka
.25 oz Aperol
.75 oz honey simple syrup (1:1 honey and hot water)
.5 oz lime juice
4 cucumber slices
Instructions
In a mixing glass muddle the 4 cucumber slices. Add the rest of the ingredients, top with ice and shake. Strain the co*cktail into a glass and top with fresh ice. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.
From the Hive Bentonville, in Bentonville, AR
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Drunken Pumpkin
Ingredients
1.25 oz vodka
1.5 oz cider
.75 oz ginger liqueur
2 tablespoons of pumpkin jam or puree
.25 oz honey
.75 oz lemon juice
Instructions
Build all ingredients into a shaker, fill with ice. Shake and strain into a highball filled with ice and garnish with a flamed rosemary sprig.
From The Third Man, NYC
Salty Dog
Ingredients
1.5 oz of Nikka Coffey Vodka
4 oz of fresh grapefruit juice
Salt rim
Instructions
Rim a chilled highball glass with salt. Pour the vodka in the glass. Fill the glass with ice and stir to chill. Fill the glass with fresh grapefruit juice and stir again.
Icelandic Pear 75
Ingredients
1.5 oz Reyka vodka
.5 oz lemon juice
.25 oz simple syrup
2 oz pear juice
Champagne to top
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in shaker except champagne. Shake, serve in coupe, top with champagne, add a twist of lemon for garnish.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Pear Martini
Ingredients
1.5 oz vodka
1 oz elderflower liqueur
Champagne top
1 pear slice
Instructions
Combine vodka and elderflower liqueur in a co*cktail shaker with ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a pear slice.
From Alon Moskovitch at Mezetto
More: The Best Vodkas for a Martini
Jerry The Icelandic Sailor
Ingredients
1 oz Reyka vodka
1 oz Sailor Jerry rum
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz peach juice or nectar
Angostura bitters
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into co*cktail shaker except bitters. Shake, double strain, and serve over crushed ice. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.
Sheffield's Violet
Ingredients
1.25 oz Vodka
.75 oz Creme Yvette
.75 oz Hibiscus Water*
.5 oz lime juice
.5 simple syrup
4 dashes Angostura nitters
Instructions
Combine everything in a small tin and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled co*cktail coupe or martini glass.
*Hibiscus Water: Steep 2 oz dried Hibiscus flowers in 32 oz of water overnight. Strain and use.
From Bryan Dayton at Acorn in Denver, CO.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Vesper Martini
Ingredients
1 oz Grey Goose vodka
2.5 oz Bombay Sapphire gin
.5 oz Lillet
Instructions
Stir all ingredients together with ice and strain into a well-chilled co*cktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.
Unoriginal Sin
Ingredients
2.5 oz Sin Mix*
.75 oz lime juice
.25 oz simple syrup
Small pinch of salt
Instructions
Shake, fine strain into chilled martini glass. Express lemon peel and discard. Garnish with flower when possible.
*Sin Mix: Combine 1 part Aperol, 3 parts Combier Orange, and 6 parts St. George citrus vodka. Infuse mix with 2 parts dried hibiscus flowers, stirring occasionally for 30-45 minutes
From the National, Athens, Georgia
Non Classico Spritz
Ingredients
1 oz Grey Goose vodka
.75 oz grapefruit juice
.25 oz St. Germain
2 oz prosecco
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, shake, and strain over fresh ice in wine glass. Top with Prosecco. Garnish with grapefruit twist.
From From Percy Rodriguez at L'Amico
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
Fleur of the Valley
Ingredients
1.5 oz Grey Goose vodka
1.5 oz strawberry puree
.75 oz lemon juice
Top with Prosecco
Instructions
Add all ingredients to tin and shake. Add ice block to rocks glass. Add basil leaf garnish.
From of Adam Koelb at The Fleur Room, NYC.
Grey Goose East Breeze
Ingredients
1.5 oz Grey Goose
1 oz St-Germain
.75 oz lemon juice
.5 oz blackberry puree
Instructions
Shake all ingredients in a co*cktail shaker and strain into a coup or martini glass. Garnish with mint sprig.
From the Surf Lodge in Montauk.
Lauren Hubbard
Writer
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and co*cktails.
