Skip to main content

Toast the warmer weather with these sharp, tangy vodka cocktails

Vodka cocktails needn't be dull - they can have bite of their own

By Georgina Torbet Published February 26, 2025

VodkaSour — Ketel One

When it comes to flavors for spring, you might think of something soft and floral or something sparkling and light. But there’s a place for drinks with a little twist of sharpness too, making use of ingredients like grapefruit, ginger, or bitters. That’s especially true when you’re looking for vodka cocktails, as vodka drinks can sometimes be a bit conservative. A simple screwdriver or a quick vodka and coke have their place, but I think we can do better.

Two suggestions for bright, tangy vodka cocktails come from the renowned brand Ketel One. As well as a classic vodka sour, making use of the always pleasing combination of lemon juice and honey syrup, and adding a touch of depth and interest by a plentiful helpful of angostura bitters, there’s also an intriguing recipe for a Salty Rose. This one makes use of Ketel One Botanical, which is a vodka flavored with botanicals — in this case, grapefruit and rose, perfect for the season.

Recommended Videos

Salty Rose

Ketel One

Recipe by Ketel One Botanical

Ingredients:

1.5 Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose
1.5 tbsp Lime
.5 tbsp Grapefruit Juice
1 oz Crème De Pamplemousse

Method:

Combine, shake and pour into a wine glass. Served over ice with a salted rim and grapefruit quarter.

Vodka Sour

Ketel One

Recipe by Ketel One Vodka

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
1.5 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Honey syrup
3 Dashes of angostura bitters
Garnish with a lemon slice and cherry on stick

Method:

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Garnish with lemon slice and cherry on stick.

Georgina Torbet

Former Space Writer

Georgina has been the space writer at Digital Trends space writer for six years, covering human space exploration, planetary…

Food & Drink

The smoothest bourbons for fans new to the whiskey style

Let's take a deep dive into "smooth" bourbons

Buffalo Trace

In some whiskey circles, the word “smooth” is considered to be a bad term to describe bourbon. That’s because it’s thought to be a little too vague and doesn’t really describe the spirit at all. Obviously, its simplicity doesn’t do the whiskey style justice.

But if you ask me, there’s no better, simpler way to describe America’s “native spirit” if you’re a beginner. There are a variety of reasons why bourbon is referred to as “smooth,” and I’m not here to shame drinkers if they want to use the phrase. Especially novice drinkers who are just learning the terminology. That said, if you’re new to whiskey, there are countless smooth, gateway bourbons perfectly crafted to get you started on your corn-based journey.

Food & Drink

These new Maker’s Mark city bottles are worth a layover

Maker's Mark's new limited-edition bottles celebrate eleven cities around the world — but they're sold only in airports.

Alcohol, Beverage, Liquor

Pretty much everyone can spot a Maker's Mark bottle across the bar. The squat shape, the red wax bleeding down the neck — you don't need to read the label.

That's why it's actually worth checking out their Artist Series, where the City Edition puts artist Alexandra Pacula's work on eleven bottles for a slew of cities: New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, and Melbourne. Seem cool? There's a catch — it's airports only.

Food & Drink

Nikka brings back a beloved 10-year single malt for the first time in a decade

Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old is the first age-statement release from the distillery since Japanese whisky's aged-stock crunch hit in 2015.

Whisky, bottle, label

Nikka Whisky is one of the most exciting names in Japanese whisky, so when they make a big announcement, it's almost always worth taking an interest. That's especially the case with the release of Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old, the flagship expression from its Miyagikyo Distillery — the fruit-forward, mountain-set second distillery Nikka built near Sendai, Japan, in 1969.

This release is the first age-statement Miyagikyo since 2015, and it follows the 2022 return of Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old, its coastal sibling. Bottled at 45% ABV, the 700ml release has a $174.99 price tag, so it's not exactly an impulse purchase — and with just 1,572 bottles available nationwide, tracking down a pour may be tough in the first place.