Suggestions for cocktails to make with maple vodka

February 17, 2013 7:03 PM

We've got a bottle of this vodka produced from 100% maple sap and we need some ideas for delicious cocktail experiments.

The vodka is not super sweet but it has a distinct maple flavor, especially when served over ice. We're enjoying it on the rocks, but would like some ideas for variations - especially those that don't go too heavily into "mudslide" territory. The one recipe on the company's website just looks weird, like it would be fighting against the maple flavor. I don't want to add more sweetness, but rather, figure out a cocktail variation that plays off the maple flavor and balances it out.

We enjoy the occasional manhattan and martini but are not huge cocktail people - which means there's probably room to experiment. Any ideas?

posted by paddingtonb to food & drink (12 answers total)

Mix it with apple cider?
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:14 PM on February 17

I'd try some variation of The Nooner. You'll want to sub in the maple vodka for the vanilla liqueur (which isn't produced anymore). Maple + orange + ginger is a great cocktail combination.
posted by mattbucher at 7:22 PM on February 17

Maple and lemon go really well together. You could mix it with lemon juice over ice, even add syrup if it's not too sweet. Maple and almond are likewise a good combination.
posted by jessamyn at 7:22 PM on February 17

Some nut-flavored liqueurs would mix well with it. Amaretto and hazelnut liqueurs, in particular would go well. Using actual nuts as a martini garnish would also work.
posted by Gneisskate at 7:23 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]

I'd try a shot in coffee with a breakfast or dinner made with bacon. Also if you can get your hands on vernors which is a ginger soda...a shot of that with vernors over ice would probably be delicious.
posted by gypseefire at 7:36 PM on February 17

How about in a Hot Toddy?
posted by jorlyfish at 7:56 PM on February 17

Get some walnut bitters! Or make an bourbon old-fashioned and add some of your vodka.
posted by ostro at 8:13 PM on February 17 [1 favorite]

Yes! Walnut bitters would be amazing!
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:21 PM on February 17

If you are brave, you could try it in a bacon martini.
posted by Wordwoman at 8:23 PM on February 17

Came in to suggest Amaretto or Frangelico also (almond and Hazelnut liquors).
I'd also try it in coffee, or in Chai tea.

Pomegranate liquor and buttershots also come to mind. Mmmmmm, buttershots and maple vodka.
posted by mazienh at 9:01 PM on February 17

Riff on this maple-yuzu cocktail? Not entirely sure how to translate it from bourbon to vodka but maybe play with the components a bit.
posted by barnone at 9:11 AM on February 18

It'd need tweaking for sure, but PDT's Benton Old Fashioned is amazing (hint: you don't need to bacon wash an entire bottle of bourbon if you don't want to; I usually only do a cup at a time) and you could probably mess around with it by switching out the maple syrup for some of your vodka (and less bourbon to compensate, maybe, maybe not) and simple syrup (orange zest infused simple syrup might be nice, to add to Meehan's whole "breakfast in a glass" theme). Seriously. It is so good.
posted by ifjuly at 4:19 PM on February 23