Cosmopolitan

About the Cosmopolitan

Few cocktails are as instantly recognizable as the Cosmopolitan, and this version puts Timber Creek Florida Vodka front and center alongside Cointreau, lime juice, cranberry juice, and a touch of simple syrup for the classic rose colored, citrus forward sour that defined an entire era of cocktail culture. Vodka has to do more work in a drink like this than people often give it credit for, since with no botanicals or barrel aging to hide behind, any roughness or thinness in the base spirit shows up immediately against the tart cranberry and orange liqueur. Timber Creek’s vodka is distilled from the distillery’s grain to glass base on its Crestview farm, and that grain forward foundation gives it a clean but not sterile character, smooth enough to disappear into the mix the way a vodka cocktail demands while still contributing a subtle sweetness underneath the citrus.

To build the Cosmopolitan, combine two ounces of the vodka with three quarters of an ounce each of Cointreau and lime juice, half an ounce of cranberry juice, and a quarter ounce of simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled, strain into a chilled coupe, and finish with an expressed orange twist for aromatic lift right before serving. The color should come out a pale rose rather than deep red, which is a good visual check that the cranberry to vodka ratio is balanced correctly.

This is a strong choice for a cocktail hour or a girls night in setting, and it pairs naturally with shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, or bruschetta if you are building a light appetizer spread; the citrus notes also complement a simple citrus salad well. Because the Cosmopolitan tends to drink easy and cold, it can be deceptively strong, so it is worth pacing your rounds and staying hydrated through the evening.

Few cocktails are as instantly recognizable as the Cosmopolitan, and this version puts Timber Creek Florida Vodka front and center alongside Cointreau, lime juice, cranberry juice, and a touch of simple syrup for the classic rose colored, citrus forward sour that defined an entire era of cocktail culture. Vodka has to do more work in a drink like this than people often give it credit for, since with no botanicals or barrel aging to hide behind, any roughness or thinness in the base spirit shows up immediately against the tart cranberry and orange liqueur. Timber Creek’s vodka is distilled from the distillery’s grain to glass base on its Crestview farm, and that grain forward foundation gives it a clean but not sterile character, smooth enough to disappear into the mix the way a vodka cocktail demands while still contributing a subtle sweetness underneath the citrus.

To build the Cosmopolitan, combine two ounces of the vodka with three quarters of an ounce each of Cointreau and lime juice, half an ounce of cranberry juice, and a quarter ounce of simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled, strain into a chilled coupe, and finish with an expressed orange twist for aromatic lift right before serving. The color should come out a pale rose rather than deep red, which is a good visual check that the cranberry to vodka ratio is balanced correctly.

This is a strong choice for a cocktail hour or a girls night in setting, and it pairs naturally with shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, or bruschetta if you are building a light appetizer spread; the citrus notes also complement a simple citrus salad well. Because the Cosmopolitan tends to drink easy and cold, it can be deceptively strong, so it is worth pacing your rounds and staying hydrated through the evening.