The sun is out (can you believe it’s our fourth official heatwave of the summer) and it’s time to savour some al fresco cocktails. We’ve recently discovered Nemiroff and delicious vodka that hails from Ukraine.

It’s named after the city of Nemyriv in the West of the country, where it’s story begins in 1872. This lovely, smooth vodka has been made on the same site for over 150 years and is now Ukraine’s best-selling vodka brand. And the good news is that the distillery has continued to operate despite the challenging conditions of the last few years.

I love making cocktails with vodka, especially such a smooth one, it’s such a versatile liquor – so you can let your imagination run wild. Or stick to the classics. Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started.

Classic Nemiroff Dry Martini

60ml Nemiroff De Luxe vodka

10ml Dry White Vermouth

10ml Lillet Blanc Aperitif

5ml Orange bitters

Place ice cubes into a martini glass to chill. Add the orange bitters, Lillet Blanc, vermouth and Nemiroff and a handful of ice cubes to a cocktail shaker or glass. Stir slowly with a bar spoon for a minute. Throw away the ice cubes from the martini glass and strain the martini into the chilled glass. Garnish with an olive.

Nemiroff have also just introducted a Wild Cranberry flavour (in homage to the wild cranberries that grow in Ukraine), adding another flavour dimension.

Nemiroff Local Martini

50ml Nemiroff De Luxe Wild Cranberry vodka

20ml Dry White Vermouth 

Dash Cranberry bitters 

Follow the instructions from the previous recipe, this time garnishing with a small cocktail pickled onion.

French Martini

50ml Nemiroff De Luxe vodka

20ml Dry White Vermouth

10ml Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

20ml Fresh Pineapple juice

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all the ingredients and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and serve.

Wild Cranberry and Orange Martini

50ml Nemiroff De Luxe Wild Cranberry Vodka

35ml Orange Liqueur (I used Cointreau)

20ml Dry White Vermouth

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add allt he ingredients and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and serve.

Nemiroff De Luxe Vodka is available to buy from Amazon. RRP £22

Link to buy here

Words by Sandy Cadiz-Smith

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