Infinite Monkeys

Absolut Answer: The Case for Flavored Vodkas

AnonyMonkey asks: "Is there a case to be made for flavored vodkas?"

Absolutely, yes. In brief, it's all a matter of taste.

Most everyone knows that the faux-martini craze fueled the market for orange, lemon and ever more outré flavorings over the past decade. But as the Beverage Tasting Institute notes, flavored vodkas are as old as the spirit itself, dating to about the 11th century. A quick survey of Hi-Time Wine's vodka section turns up at least 50 different flavors. If strawberry, melon or peach-flavored vodka strikes you as unmanly, try okhotnichya -- an ancient "hunter's vodka" infused with ginger, cloves, lemon peel, coffee, anise and other herbs and spices then blended with sugar and white port. Stoli makes one, but apparently it's no longer available in the United States. Pity. It sounds delicious.

Fact is, flavored vodkas do add another dimension to cocktails. Orange- or lemon-flavored vodka works well in a Cosmopolitan. And what would the Lemon Drop be without lemon vodka? A few weeks ago, I tried a tasty tipple consisting of Van Gogh Oranje vodka and Pama Pomegranate Liqueur. And, in my opinion, the very best Bloody Marys are made with Absolut Peppar. (Here's a dumb recipe. Here's a better one.)

A number of creative bartenders have mixed some truly innovative cocktails using high-end vodkas. The indispensible Gary and Mardee Regan have a great online recipe book that includes several drinks based on Belvedere Pomarancza and Cytrus. (By the way, if you are not familiar with Gary Regan's Cocktailian column in the San Francisco Chronicle, check out the archive. Lots of good stuff there.) I generally like the recipes at Van Gogh's site, too.

Personally, I'm more of a gin and whiskey guy than a vodka fan, although I kept several flavored vodkas in my home bar until just recently. I don't much care for Absolut's or Stoli's offerings -- they taste artificial to me (Peppar excepted). Skyy is terrible, but it happens to be inexpensive and it mixes well enough. Grey Goose and Belvedere are infinitely better, as one would expect of pricey super-premiums. But I would much rather spend my hard-earned booze money on really good bourbon or rye. That's a subject for a different post, however.

Below are five flavored-vodka recipes that I recommend. A few are a bit girly, but they've all been hits at parties I've hosted. I encourage the other monkeys and our three or four regular readers to add their own favorites in the comments.

Five First-Rate Flavored Vodka Drinks

1. The Blood Orange Cocktail

• 3 oz. orange vodka
• 1/2 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. fresh orange juice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with an orange twist

2. The Billie Holiday
(from the Time Cafe in Manhattan, by way of William Grimes)

• 2 1/2 oz. orange vodka
• 1 1/2 oz. blue curacao
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. cranberry juice
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with a lemon twist

3. Citron Lemonade
(from Lever House in Manhattan)

• 2 oz. Absolut Citron vodka
• 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• Sprig of mint, crushed

Shake the vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and crushed mint; pour into a tall glass and top with club soda; garnish with mint

4. Chaya Candy Apple Cosmo
(from Chaya Brasserie in San Francisco by way of Gary Regan)

• 1 1/2 oz. Van Gogh Wild Appel vodka
• 1/2 oz. Cuarenta y Tres liqueur
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz. cranberry juice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

5. Dapper Apple
(from the Infinite Monkeys-approved Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco, by way of The Art of the Bar by Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwarz)

• 1 1/2 oz. Citadelle apple vodka
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• dash of simple syrup

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with a lime wedge or a thin apple slice

Posted by Ben at October 17, 2007 11:55 AM