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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