Ridiculous. And a clear violation of the First Golden Rule for Bartenders<\/a>: \u201cDo all that you can to make your bar patrons and guests happy.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve since apologized to Tracy, and I hereby do so again in print for all to see. And in the years since that moment of heartless asininity, I\u2019ve come to appreciate vodka as a vital spirit with its own positive attributes.<\/p>\n My former dubiousness was shared by many. Though vodka had been the best-selling spirit in the United States and worldwide for at least several decades, high-brow cocktailians during the early 2000s began to shun the spirit or even remove it from their shelves entirely. As Amanda Arnold wrote in Punch<\/a>, \u201cThe most vocal (bartenders) lambasted it as boring and pass\u00e9, a leprous drink to be definitively cast out and shunned.\u201d And the Vodka Martini? \u201cPurists argued (that it) is an abomination and a fraud.\u201d<\/p>\n In recent years, however, vodka has regained respectability. Its popularity among consumers has never waned\u2014year after year, vodka consistently outsells tequila, American whiskey, and liqueurs combined<\/a>\u2014but now even fancy drinking establishments are finding ways to let the spirit shine. Even in Martinis.<\/p>\n Vodka\u2019s greatest drawback is also its strongest attribute: It is, as mandated by federal statute in 1949<\/a>, a \u201cneutral\u201d spirit entirely \u201cwithout distinctive character, aroma, taste or color.\u201d What many think of as vodka\u2019s \u201cflavor\u201d is simply the irritation that all forms of ethanol induce when they make contact with taste buds<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n The law was revised in 2020<\/a> to remove mention of all the things vodka lacks (“character, aroma, taste or color”), but it remains \u201cneutral\u201d by definition. That\u2019s why liquor store shelves are stuffed with dozens of kinds of vodkas flavored with everything from A to Z\u2014from a\u00e7a\u00ed berry<\/a> and asparagus<\/a> to zubrowka<\/a> (Polish for bison grass). Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, candy, coffee, tea, and sugar have all been pressed into service in a desperate attempt to give vodka something resembling a tangible taste. Flavored vodkas are certainly useful, although most skilled mixologists prefer the greater control offered through juices, syrups, shrubs, and bitters.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve decided that the key to a memorable vodka cocktail is to find a twist that elevates it beyond just a boozy version of a soft drink. These three drinks all achieve this, with ingredients (basil, pilsner, lemon sorbet) that work with the base spirit in surprising and intriguing ways.<\/p>\n Assuming that\u2019s what your guest wants, of course. If they just want a vodka Martini, make it with skill and garnish it with a smile.<\/p>\n Sgroppino<\/b><\/p>\n Adapted from Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World<\/i><\/a> by Adrienne Stillman<\/p>\n 1 ounce vodka Combine vodka, sorbet, and a splash of Prosecco in a chilled metal mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add remaining Prosecco, stir, and pour into a chilled coupe. Garnish with lemon wheel.<\/p>\n Fuzzy Leopard<\/b><\/p>\n Adapted from Red Feather Lounge<\/a>, Boise, Idaho<\/p>\n 1 1\/2 ounces vodka In a cocktail shaker, muddle a few basil leaves with simple syrup and lime juice. Add vodka and triple sec, then ice, and shake vigorously. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with another basil leaf.<\/p>\n Czechmate<\/b><\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n
\n1 large scoop lemon sorbet
\n4 ounces Prosecco
\nLemon wheel for garnish<\/p>\n
\n1\/2 ounce triple sec
\n1\/2 ounce simple syrup
\n1\/2 ounce fresh lime juice
\nBasil leaves for muddling and garnish<\/p>\n