National Vodka Day calls for something a little more interesting than the standard vodka soda. Fortunately, Northwest distillers are giving us plenty to work with, from classic potato vodka to bottles infused with grapefruit, orange, honey and pepper, and even hazelnut espresso.
To celebrate, we gathered seven cocktails featuring vodkas made across the Pacific Northwest, with everything from fresh spins on familiar classics to drinks made for fall sipping. Pick a bottle, grab your shaker and raise a glass to Northwest vodka.
Cascade Lemon Drop Shot
The Cascade Lemon Drop Shot is a nod to Sun Ranch Vodka’s Oregon roots. Bottled in Oregon, Sun Ranch Vodka is paired with fresh lemon, orange liqueur and honey for a bright, citrus-forward take on the classic Lemon Drop. The honey adds a smooth touch of sweetness and a little extra depth while keeping it simple and refreshing.
Vodka used: Sun Ranch Vodka
Makes: 4 shots
INGREDIENTS
3 ounces Sun Ranch Vodka
1½ ounces fresh lemon juice
¾ ounce honey syrup
½ ounce orange liqueur
GARNISH
Sugar and lemon wedge
DIRECTIONS
Rim four shot glasses with sugar. Add Sun Ranch Vodka, lemon juice, honey syrup and orange liqueur to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain evenly into the four prepared shot glasses. Garnish each with a lemon wedge.
Photo credit: Aubrie LeGault
Wild Grapefruit Cosmo
A bright, citrus-forward take on the classic Cosmopolitan, the Wild Grapefruit Cosmo uses Wild Roots Grapefruit Vodka to bring a fresh grapefruit note to the familiar combination of tart cranberry, lime and orange liqueur. Crisp and refreshing, it’s an easy twist on a classic that lets the grapefruit shine.
Vodka used: Wild Roots Grapefruit Vodka
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Wild Roots Grapefruit Vodka
½ ounce orange liqueur
½ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce cranberry juice
GARNISH
Grapefruit twist
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Photo credit: Aubrie LeGault
Port of Olympia
A sophisticated, spirit-forward cocktail featuring Olympia Orange Vodka, tawny port and a blend of Italian vermouths. Rich notes of chocolate, orange and dried fruit mingle with warm baking spices, and a touch of bitterness adds depth and balance. Finished with aromatic orange oils and a Luxardo cherry, this cocktail offers a rich, velvety expression of fall in the Pacific Northwest.
Vodka used: Olympia Orange Vodka
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces Olympia Orange Vodka
½ ounce tawny port
¼ ounce Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
¼ ounce Punt e Mes
4 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
GARNISH
Fresh orange peel and Luxardo maraschino cherry
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until properly chilled and diluted. Strain into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube. Express the oils of a fresh orange peel over the cocktail and garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry.
Photography: Eat, Drink, and See Oly
Cocktail Creator: Michael Gibson, Bar Manager/Beverage Director for The Bar @ Vic’s
Maverick’s Dragon Flyby
Created at House of Brunch in Spokane by bartender Maverick, the clean, full-bodied character of Block One Potato Vodka pairs with floral elderflower, tropical dragon fruit and fresh lime. Club soda gives it a crisp, refreshing finish, while the dragon fruit creates a vibrant color that makes it every bit as visually striking as it is easy to drink. The vodka is clean and smooth, allowing the subtle notes of dragon fruit to come through as the star of the cocktail.
Vodka used: Block One Potato Vodka
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Block One Potato Vodka
¾ ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
1 ounce frozen dragon fruit purée, mixed with simple syrup
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
2 to 3 ounces club soda
Ice
GARNISH
Lime wedge
DIRECTIONS
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add Block One Potato Vodka, St-Germain, dragon fruit purée and fresh lime juice. Shake hard for approximately 10 seconds. Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice, top with club soda and stir gently. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
Cocktail Creator: Maverick, House of Brunch, Spokane, Washington
Photo Credit: Jerry Wright, Block One Distillery
KAVATINI
This take on an espresso martini features Kachka Pertsovka Honey Pepper Vodka. Pertsovka is Kachka’s take on the traditional Ukrainian vodka known as pertsivka. The cocktail’s name plays on the Ukrainian word “kava,” which translates to coffee and is also used in reference to cafes.The richness of the honey and the fruit and spice from the peppers make it a natural addition to an espresso-style martini.
Vodka used: Kachka Pertsovka Honey Pepper Vodka
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Kachka Pertsovka Honey Pepper Vodka
¾ ounce Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
½ ounce Licor 43
¼ ounce coffee liqueur
¼ ounce ruby port
1 teaspoon honey syrup (1:1 ratio, water to honey)
3 dashes Aphrodite Bitters
GARNISH
Orange twist
DIRECTIONS
Express an orange peel into an empty martini glass. Shake ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into the martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Sneaky Hazelnut
As the weather cools and fall settles in, this dessert-inspired cocktail makes a fun after-dinner treat. Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka, smooth peanut butter whiskey and half-and-half come together for an indulgent sip, finished with a peanut butter and crushed graham cracker rim that makes it feel extra special.
Vodka used: Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka
1 ounce peanut butter whiskey
2 ounces half-and-half
GARNISH
Peanut butter and crushed graham crackers
DIRECTIONS
Rim a rocks glass with peanut butter and crushed graham crackers and fill with fresh ice. Add the Crater Lake Hazelnut Espresso Vodka, peanut butter whiskey and half-and-half to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled, then strain into the prepared glass. Add some extra peanut butter to the glass if you’d like!
Dragon Fruit Cosmo
Inspired by his mother and the flavors she brings to her Mexican cooking, Rafael Barreto’s colorful Cosmo began when he watched her prepare dragon fruit with fresh lime. That combination sparked the idea to infuse Outfitters Vodka with the fruit, bringing a subtle tartness to the classic cocktail. Homemade cranberry juice, fresh lime and orange liqueur round out the drink.
Vodka used: Outfitters Vodka
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces dragon fruit-infused Outfitters Vodka (recipe below)
¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
¾ ounce homemade cranberry juice (recipe below)
½ ounce Cointreau orange liqueur
GARNISH
Dragon fruit wheels
DIRECTIONS
Chill a martini glass with ice. Add lime juice, cranberry juice, Cointreau and dragon fruit–infused Outfitters Vodka to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 15 to 20 seconds. Discard the ice from the chilled martini glass and double-strain the cocktail into the glass.
Cut one of the reserved dragon fruit wheels into a triangle. Cut a small slit in the tip of the triangle and place it on the rim of the martini glass.
DRAGON FRUIT–INFUSED VODKA
Peel the outer layer of the dragon fruit. Cut the dragon fruit into ¼-inch-thick wheels, reserving two wheels for garnish. Place the remaining wheels in a jar. Add 2 ounces of Outfitters Vodka per serving until the desired amount has been reached. Tightly close the lid and shake the jar for about 25 seconds, making sure the dragon fruit wheels are completely covered with vodka. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. After four to six hours, shake the jar for 25 seconds. Continue to gently shake the jar occasionally as it infuses. Double-strain the contents of the jar into the desired container, pressing the dragon fruit to extract additional liquid.
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY JUICE
Place 2 cups of rinsed fresh or frozen cranberries in a blender. Add 4 cups of water and blend until the cranberries are broken down. Add 1 cup sugar. Mix and taste, adding more sugar if needed while allowing the cranberry flavor to remain prominent. Double-strain the mixture into the desired container, pressing the solids to extract additional liquid.
Cocktail Creator: Rafael Barreto
