Tag: vodka

Mediterranean Freeze

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Today’s blending cocktail is probably my favorite thus far for the week. The Mediterranean Freeze is an interesting color, but is well complemented by the garnishes. The opening aroma is very orange-y making for a very inviting drink. It starts off with the taste of a basic screwdriver (vodka and OJ), then moves to a sour citrus, then finishes with a subtle melon that keeps you going back for more. I wouldn’t say that the peach schnapps is lost in this drink, but it does lend itself to the overall sweetness in the first few sips. This is really solid blending cocktail and worth making again, perhaps in a larger quantity for a party.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 2-3/10
Overall Rating 9/10

Mediterranean Freeze

1 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Midori
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
2 oz Sweet/Sour
3 oz Orange Juice
Orange Slice and Cherry

Blend liquid ingredients with ice, pour into a pint glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

Med. Freeze
Chilly!

Bitter Lemonade

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Have a fully stocked bar, but no actual lemonade? Well, how about this alternative choice. Another Medium of Mixology Original, the bitter lemonade brings a nice balance to an already balanced mixer. If you can find a Fever-Tree’s Bitter Lemon (or any lemon tonic water), then this could be worth making for you. It has the taste of a vodka lemonade with an interesting bitter finish. It’s not my favorite original drink, but it certainly hits the spot on the right evening. If the bitter is too much for you, feel free to add in a little sweet/sour mix.

Overall Rating: 7/10
Alc. Taste Rating: 4/10

Bitter Lemonade

1/2 oz Citrus Vodka
1 1/2 oz Lemoncello
Top with Fever-Tree Bitter LemonLemon Wedge Garnish

Straight build in a short glass over ice. Squeeze lemon wedge over drink and drop it in.

bitter lemonade
“Geez Mr. Lemon, why are you so bitter?”

 

Tidal Wave 2

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Today’s drink is one of many drink variations, this one I actually didn’t even know I made before. Actually it was a blue tidal wave, this however is more of a brownish rum drink.

This version has a simple appearance which could be improved with a lemon wedge to bring some life into the drink. It has bits of citrus and rum aromas and tastes as well. It starts light with a sweet cranberry flavor. Mid palette you’ll get a sweet and sour rum taste, followed up by a tart spiced rum burn. It’s a decent drink, but certainly isn’t one of my favorites. It could be improved a bit with some bitters.

Tidal Wave (2)

1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Gold Rum
1/2 oz Spiced Rum
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Sweet and Sour

Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass.

Overall Rating: 7/10
Alcohol Taste Rating: 7.5/10

Tidal Wave
“Look out! Oh, never mind it’s pretty plain.”

Vampire Cocktail

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Well it still might be a little early for some (myself included) to be thinking about Halloween themed drinks, so this one will work for both the holiday and all the annoying Twilight fans out there that also drink (which is probably a very small area on a venn diagram).

The drink is simple enough. Berry aromas to start, with a sweet start and a slightly sour finish with a mild bite (no pun intended). It’s a good themed drink, but it’s lacking in a lot of complexity so there’s not much to talk about. It tastes a bit like each of the constituent parts. Perhaps a drop or two of grenadine after shaking could add a little more flair to the drink, if it doesn’t get lost in the rest of the “red.”

Alc. Rating: 5-6/10
Overall Rating: 6/10

Vampire

1 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur)
1 oz. Rose’s Lime Juice
1 oz. Cranberry juice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. (Arm yourself with a stake and a garlic necklace).

 

vampire
“I vant to zack yaur blahd!”

 

Mint Condition

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It’s the first day of Fall and we’re rolling in the season with an interesting bourbon drink. Now I’m not one for coffee in general, but I will tolerate Kahlua on the occasion, and this makes an interesting use of the liqueur. The oaky taste of bourbon and Kahlua begins this drink and it ends on a refreshing peppermint blast. Presentation is pretty simple, and its  slight mint and earthy bourbon aromas. If you have the ingredients it might be worth a try, but personally I’ll be ranking this one lower as coffee doesn’t sit well on my palette.

Mint Condition

3/4 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 oz Kahlua

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled sour glass.

mint condition
“It’s not super collectable, but it is in Mint Condition.”

Wall Street Wizard and .44 Magnum

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Well this was supposed to be a 2 for 1 tuesday, but I’m not getting around to the post until after midnight, so now it’s just two drinks without the snappy title. So today we’ve got two interesting cocktails, one much better than the other.

First up is the “Wall Street Wizard,” which is straight alcohol stirred and strained for a great emerald look. Unfortunately that’s about all the drink has going for it. It has an earthy citrus aroma, but so much of the midori flavor is lost with the other alcohols. It starts with a hard curacao bite and finishes with equally hard gin flavor. It’s not one I recommend very much as it’s a tough one to drink, unless you’re looking for something VERY different:

Overall Rating: 3.5-4/10
Alc. Rating: 9/10

Wall Street Wizard

1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Light Rum (Gold Used)
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
1/2 oz Midori

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

wall street wizard
Hypnotized by the color…so your think it’s better than it is.

So next up we’ve got something much better. The “.44 Magnum” is a powerful mix that doesn’t quite taste as powerful as the ingredients at work here. The topping of 7Up/Sprite makes for a citrus fizz aroma and start to the drink. Mid pallete is a sweet/sour rum, followed by a Jamaican dark rum finish with a hit of pineapple. Due to the less than appealing color and presentation in this drink, an opaque tiki glass would probably be better than the listed “bucket glass” in my recipe book.

Overall Rating 7/10
Alc. Rating 6.5/10

.44 Magnum

1/2 oz Light Rum (Gold Used)
1/2 oz Dark Rum
1/2 oz Jamaican Rum
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec (or Cointreau)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 oz Sweet/Sour
Sprite

Shake all but sprite with ice. Strain into an iced tumbler (or tiki glass). Top with sprite.

44 magnum
“The most powerful handgun in the world”

Nordic Death

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Well today’s cocktail is a tasty creation that is visually disturbing. Very dark green with a foamy top, and a little bloody grenadine doesn’t make it all that appealing (although it does match the name). Good thing the taste delivers and then some!

The “Nordic Death” features a tropical berry flavor with a light sparkle. It has a mild alcohol(y) taste on the finish. I’d call this a great party drink, especially in the creation side of the presentation.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 1-3/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Make it Again? Yes! Already on the menu

Nordic Death

½ oz Vodka
½ oz Raspberry Liqueur
½ oz Midori
½ oz Blue Curacao
2 oz Pineapple Juice
Sprite
Dash of Grenadine

Shake vodka, liqueurs, and pineapple juice. Strain into an iced Collins glass. Top with sprite and dash grenadine on top.

Nordic Death
“What’s that floating in the ocean? Oh it’s just a Norwegian”

Vodka Grand

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Today’s late night cocktail is a mildly aromatic and powerful drink. The Vodka Grand is bold both in appearance and taste. Strong and mildly sour you get a semi-sweet citrus start, then to a mid-range Grand Marnier on your main palette, finalized by the familiar sting of vodka. This drink is certainly a slow sipper, with a flavorful bite. Don’t take it lightly, but instead enjoy it’s tasty elegance.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 7.5-8/10
Make it again? Yes (It’s good enough to recommend, but not good enough for the menu)

Vodka Grand

1.5 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Rose’s Lime Juice
1/4 oz Lime Juice
Orange Slice

Stir and Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish by floating an orange slice in the drink.

vodka grand
“Grandios”

Ballet Russe

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Coming in pretty late this evening with the “Ballet Russe.” A Vodka and Creme de Cassis based cocktail with a sour tart flavor and a dark and mysterious color. The citrus juices create a foam when shaken that decorates the top of the drink, and smells slightly of sweet/sour mix.

A tart berry taste quickly moves to a sour and bitter finish as the taste of black currents rolls through your palette. Very few drinks I’ve found use any more than 1/2 an ounce of the stuff, but the citrus juices and syrup round this drink out well. I believe this drink could easily be remixed with other flavors such as raspberry, mint, or coconut (rum).

Alcohol Rating: 5-6/10
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Make it Again? Yes, possible menu option

Ballet Russe

1 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Creme de Cassis
1 1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

ballet russe
“Wait, why am I tasting cranberries?”

Raspberry Mint Martini

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This really feels more like a smoothy than a cocktail. This is a very pleasant drink with equal taste of raspberry and mint. I will say this though, if you have a double strainers… use them! Even with a classic hawthorn strainer, the raspberry seeds are littered throughout the drink making it slightly less pleasant to spit out or chew the seeds.

Alcohol Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Make Again? Yes, but needs a more thorough strain.

Raspberry Mint Martini

1/4 cup Fresh Raspberries
6 Mint Leaves
1 oz Chambord
2 oz Vodka

Muddle together raspberries and mint. Add ice and liquid ingredients, and shake.

Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint leaf

raspberry mint martini
Fruity. Minty. Thicky?