9 Best Vodka Cocktails & Mixed Drinks To Try

Vodka cocktails make up some of the most classic and well-known cocktails in the world. Vodka is found and loved all over the world. Though it is mostly made in Europe and North America, the spirit finds itself used far beyond these lands. Vodka cocktails range from being incredibly simple to rather complex-tasting.

Vodka is made from a range of bases including potatoes, wheat, grains, corn, and much more. It tends to have a more subtle, mellow flavor that does not stick out when mixed with other ingredients. Things like whiskey, rum, and gin are far more obvious to the taste than vodka. This is why it is such a favorite to mix into drinks!

Vodka is not only an adored base for a cocktail. It is widely thought that vodka works as a fantastic base for any mixed alcoholic drink. Vodka mixes amazingly well with soda, tonic, and lemonade to provide an easy-sipping drink. 

Whatever your poison, whatever the occasion, vodka can play some sort of role. We will show you some of the best vodka cocktails as well as some of the best vodkas to help create them. We will also highlight some of the best mixed drinks with vodka and the best spirits for the job.

Martini

Probably the most classic of all the classic cocktails is the Martini. The martini is pure class. Coming in an elegant glass of its own name with a simple translucent liquid with either a lemon peel or an olive, this drink certainly looks the part. First invented in 1911, the Martini is a drink that will stand the test of time.

The martini is made with vodka, dry vermouth, and a garnish in its most classic form. The reason why this is one of the best vodka cocktails is that it can be tweaked and adapted in several ways to suit an individual’s taste. It can be made with vodka or gin with varying amounts of vermouth to make it ‘dry’ or not. It can also be shaken, stirred, and have olive brine in it to make it ‘dirty’.

The Martini is a perfect platform to showcase amazing vodka. We love to try out new, exciting vodkas in our martinis. This Buddha Zen Vodka from Japan is one of our favorites to do so. This Japanese vodka is made from the distilled roots of lotus flowers. This donates a wonderfully subtle set of citrus flavors that work really nicely with a dry martini with a lemon twist.

If you are looking for a more common bottle to whip up a martini with then we would definitely recommend Absolut. This Swedish vodka is such a clean, smooth vodka that works really nicely with dirty and dry martinis alike.

Gimlet

The Gimlet is one of the more easy mixed vodka drinks. This cocktail is simple to make and is a combination of gin, lime juice, and sugar syrup. It is often made with gin but we think that it can be an even smoother, balanced drink with vodka.

Gimlets are simple drinks for any occasion and are one of the best vodka cocktails. You can make this cocktail in a very simple way at pretty much every bar in the world. Serve it in a martini or coupe glass for ultimate refreshment.

Screwdriver

This brunch drink is one of our absolute favorites. The best part is the simplicity. Simply combine a double shot of vodka with some orange juice and you’re good to go. We like having some cartons of orange juice with pulp for a perfect pairing. Fresh orange juice works well too but it tends to be a bit lighter than the carton kind.

We like using wheat-based vodka for Screwdrivers. There aren’t too many better than Chopin’s Wheat Vodka. The delicious, robust flavor profile of this vodka adds some balance and depth to the orange juice, resulting in a wonderful cocktail every time.

Bloody Mary

One of the most classic, divisive cocktails around. The Bloody Mary is either adored like a dear old friend or disliked like traffic. Bloody Marys are a classic brunch drink made from vodka, tomato juice, and other ingredients. There is often some lemon juice, olives, pepper, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and more in this flavor bomb of a drink.

The vodka can get a little bit lost in a Bloody Mary so don’t worry too much about using an expensive bottle. Your favorite mid-bottom-shelf vodka should do fine. We love using Tito’s as it has a mellow flavor profile that works really nicely with all the spicy things going on.

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Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule toes the line between cocktail and mixed drink. Technically, it’s a cocktail. Simply combine vodka with ginger beer, lime, plenty of ice, and a dash of Angostura bitters. This cocktail is fiery, sweet, zingy, and delicious! It’s a favorite when the sun is out.

This Kanata vodka is a great option for a Moscow Mule. It has the perfect amount of fruity aromatics that pair really nicely with ginger beer and lime.

Vodka Tonic

Moving on to the mixed drinks, you can’t really go wrong with a vodka tonic. It is one of the most simple drinks to prepare. All you need is one or two measures of vodka (we like to go for two). Add plenty of ice and a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon. Top it off with tonic or slimline tonic to reduce the sugar.

We like to use decent vodka for these tonic drinks. Vintage Distilling Co. makes amazing vodka that works really well with tonic water. Order this duo of vodkas today for a fantastic price.

Vodka, Lime, and Soda

The world's most favored vodka drink is probably vodka, lime, and soda. It is ultimately refreshing, flavorful, balanced, and hydrating all while giving a nice vodka buzz. You can’t go wrong with Grey Goose when it comes to this drink. It is a truly high-quality vodka that you can find pretty much everywhere.

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We hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit more about how to use different vodkas for different drinking purposes. Ultimately, due to vodka’s mild flavor, you can use it in most cocktails with it not influencing the flavor hugely. We know we can always rely on vodka to get the party started in the best way.