Vodka cocktails
16 classic recipes from our canon that use vodka — Vodka sits in our spirits shelf.
Espresso Martini
Cold, sharp and caffeinated — the dinner-party pick-me-up with a glossy crema.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆30 ml kahlua
- ◆30 ml espresso
- ◆10 ml simple syrup
Method
- 1Pull a fresh shot of espresso and let it cool slightly.
- 2Shake everything very hard with ice — the harder the better.
- 3Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
A hard, long shake is what builds that signature foam cap.
Garnish — Three coffee beans
Cosmopolitan
Tart, pink and razor-sharp — far better than its reputation suggests.
Ingredients
- ◆40 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml triple sec
- ◆30 ml cranberry juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Use citron vodka if you have it for an extra zesty lift.
Garnish — Lime wheel
Kyiv Mule
Vodka, lime and ginger beer with a cold copper bite.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml vodka
- ◆10 ml lime juice
- ◆120 ml ginger beer
Method
- 1Build over ice in a mug or highball.
- 2Add vodka and lime, top with ginger beer.
- 3Stir gently.
PRO TIP
Spicy ginger beer, not ginger ale — the heat is the whole point.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Porn Star Martini
Vanilla vodka and passion fruit with a Champagne sidecar — the modern bar megahit.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆20 ml passion fruit liqueur
- ◆50 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆10 ml vanilla syrup
- ◆50 ml prosecco
Method
- 1Shake the vodka, liqueur, passion fruit and vanilla hard with ice.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled glass.
- 3Serve the sparkling wine alongside in a shot glass.
PRO TIP
Sip the cocktail and the Champagne shot in alternation — that's the ritual.
Garnish — Half a passion fruit
Vesper
Gin and vodka sharpened with Lillet — Bond's own Martini, shaken and bone-dry.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml gin
- ◆15 ml vodka
- ◆7 ml lillet blanc
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until very cold.
- 2Strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
The one Martini that's traditionally shaken, not stirred.
Garnish — Lemon zest
Bloody Mary
Savoury, spiced and tomato-rich — the definitive morning-after cocktail.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml vodka
- ◆90 ml tomato juice
- ◆15 ml lemon juice
- ◆2 dashes worcestershire sauce
- ◆2 dashes hot sauce
- ◆1 pinch black pepper
- ◆1 pinch celery salt
Method
- 1Add everything to a shaker with ice.
- 2Roll gently between shaker tins — don't hard-shake, or it goes frothy.
- 3Pour into an ice-filled highball.
PRO TIP
Roll, don't shake — you want a clean pour, not aerated tomato juice.
Garnish — Celery stalk and lemon wedge
Long Island Iced Tea
Five spirits, lemon and a splash of cola — no tea, all trouble.
Ingredients
- ◆15 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml gin
- ◆15 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml tequila
- ◆15 ml triple sec
- ◆25 ml lemon juice
- ◆30 ml simple syrup
- ◆to top cola
Method
- 1Shake everything except the cola with ice.
- 2Strain into an ice-filled highball.
- 3Top with cola for colour and a touch of sweetness.
PRO TIP
The cola is what gives it the iced-tea look — there's no actual tea in it.
Garnish — Lemon wedge
Sex on the Beach
Vodka, peach, orange and cranberry — sweet, fruity and unapologetically retro.
Ingredients
- ◆40 ml vodka
- ◆20 ml peach liqueur
- ◆40 ml orange juice
- ◆40 ml cranberry juice
Method
- 1Build all ingredients over ice in a highball.
- 2Stir gently.
PRO TIP
Peach schnapps is the traditional peach liqueur here.
Garnish — Orange slice
French Martini
Vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple under a frothy cap — sweet, fruity and glossy.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml chambord
- ◆15 ml pineapple juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients hard with ice.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Shaking the fresh pineapple juice hard is what builds the foam cap.
Garnish — Lemon oils
Sea Breeze
Vodka with cranberry and grapefruit — tart, pink and summery.
Ingredients
- ◆40 ml vodka
- ◆120 ml cranberry juice
- ◆30 ml grapefruit juice
Method
- 1Build over ice in a highball.
- 2Stir to combine.
PRO TIP
Swap cranberry for pineapple and it becomes a Bay Breeze.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Lemon Drop Martini
Vodka, lemon and orange liqueur with a sugared rim — tart candy in a glass.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml vodka
- ◆20 ml triple sec
- ◆15 ml lemon juice
Method
- 1Sugar the rim of a chilled coupe.
- 2Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 3Double-strain into the glass.
PRO TIP
Citron vodka pushes the lemon even further.
Garnish — Sugar rim and lemon twist
Spicy Fifty
Vanilla vodka with elderflower, honey and a slice of chilli — sweet heat in a coupe.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆15 ml elderflower liqueur
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆10 ml honey syrup
- ◆2 thin slices jalapeño
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice until cold.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
PRO TIP
Adjust the chilli to taste — it should warm, not scorch.
Garnish — Red chilli slice
Russian Spring Punch
Vodka, cassis and lemon topped with sparkling wine — a fizzy, berry-bright cooler.
Ingredients
- ◆25 ml vodka
- ◆25 ml lemon juice
- ◆15 ml creme de cassis
- ◆10 ml simple syrup
- ◆to top prosecco
Method
- 1Shake everything except the sparkling wine with ice.
- 2Strain into an ice-filled tall glass.
- 3Top with prosecco or Champagne.
PRO TIP
A Dick Bradsell creation — the same mind behind the Espresso Martini.
Garnish — Blackberries and lemon
Black Russian
Just vodka and coffee liqueur over ice — dark, simple and stiff.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆20 ml kahlua
Method
- 1Build both over ice in a rocks glass.
- 2Stir briefly to combine.
PRO TIP
Add cream and it becomes a White Russian.
Garnish — None
White Russian
Vodka and coffee liqueur under a cloud of cream — dessert in a rocks glass.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆20 ml kahlua
- ◆30 ml heavy cream
Method
- 1Build vodka and Kahlúa over ice in a rocks glass.
- 2Float the cream on top.
- 3Stir gently before drinking if you like.
PRO TIP
Lightly whip the cream so it sits as a layer instead of sinking.
Garnish — None
Screwdriver
Vodka and orange juice — the simplest highball there is, and a brunch staple.
Ingredients
- ◆50 ml vodka
- ◆120 ml orange juice
Method
- 1Build over ice in a highball.
- 2Stir to combine.
PRO TIP
Fresh-squeezed orange juice makes it taste like a real drink, not a mixer.
Garnish — Orange slice
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