You can smell it in the air. Spring is just around the corner, and summer wont be far behind. You know what that means, its time for a Long Vodka!
Are you dreaming of long and hot days; by a pool, at the beach, or in a garden? Or thats where you might like to be as you do battle in your daily grind.
The good news is, no matter where you are, with one sip of this vodka cocktail your mind can be transported to a place filled with warm breezes, crashing waves, and the sounds of nature; its paradise with every sip.
Products You Need for this Cocktail Recipe
For this Long Vodka cocktail recipe, youre going to need the following items. Its worth investing in permanent bar supplies if you truly enjoy mixing your own drinks; as youll save a fortune and its better for the environment too.
- Vodka: Its the first ingredient youre going to need, and you cant go past Smirnoff Black Label. Its made by one of the worlds leading vodka brands. It has a rich and defining flavour, and will be ideal for all of your premium long drinks and cocktails alike. Not to mention, with a quality vodka on hand, youll never need to wonder how long vodka can last!
- Lime cordial: Its a bar essential, used in many drinks, and is perfect for summer cocktails. Roses Lime Juice Cordial has been in production since the 19th century, and Roses cordials are among the finest in the world. This lime-juice cordial is the perfect combination of sweet and sour in a tangy refreshment.
- Lemonade: The mixer is how you get the full effect from the other ingredients, so its important to use a good quality carbonated lemonade. Too much carbonation and the delicate flavours will be destroyed. Too few bubbles, and your taste buds wont be stimulated enough to enjoy the cocktail. Schweppes Lemonade is a great option, as it is perfect for all mixed drinks.
- Bitters: This gem is marvellous for cocktails. Youll find it in a classic Martini, an Old Fashioned, Daiquiris, a Negroni, and of course a Mojito, amongst others. Bitters is what gives these cocktails their citrus bite, so make sure you have a small bottle of Angostura Bitters, and youre set for world-class cocktail making!
- Glasses:Youll want to serve this cocktail in a tall, slim glass, so that the ice can chill it thoroughly, allowing the flavours to mix and meld. Try these stylish highball glasses from Lunar Oceans.
- Ice: Do you really enjoy mixing your own drinks? Then you should consider investing in a full bar set-up, and this includes an ice-making machine. This unit by Ikich is great and will keep you in chilled drinks 24 hrs a day.
- Spirit Measure: This super-useful cup style jigger by Lembeauty has all the measurements youll need; 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, and 75 ml levels. What makes it better than most jiggers is that you dont have to invert it to use the other measures – which means you wont spill alcohol on your bar!
- Stirrers: The last, but by no means the least in importance, stirrers. Reaching the bottom of a long glass can be a nightmare, and not mixing drinks properly makes them less enjoyable. So, check out these stainless steel stirrers by BASONG, and youll never drink an unmixed cocktail again!
Fancy mixing things up in your Long Vodka cocktail? Or perhaps you prefer a tangier drink? You can always swap the lemonade for Fentimans Premium Indian Tonic Water, or even Schweppes Soda Water for a drier finish.
If lime juice, or the cordial version, isnt to your liking, swap it for a lemon, orange, or mandarin liqueur. Youll also get an extra kick from the alcohol in them!
Angostura bitters can be difficult to find at times, in which case, Regans Orange Bitters No. 6 is also a great substitute.
Now youve mixed your Long Vodka, how do you finish it? You have several options, and theres no right or wrong choice, its totally up to you. Here are some suggestions, and you can always use whatevers to hand or your favourite if you prefer.
- Lime, or lemon/orange slices; cut thin – about 3-4 mm – slices of citrus, and place them whole down in the glass.
- Citrus wheels; take your citrus slice and add another slice from the centre to the outer rind; you can place the slice on the edge of the glass.
- Spiral of citrus rind; can be either orange or lemon. Use a channel knife to cut the rind, then wrap it around your new stainless steel swizzle sticks/stirrer to create the iconic twist.
- A sprig of mint; a classic garnish, and a super-easy option for this cocktail. Just tear a small sprig of mint and drop it into the top of your glass, voila! The mint will also add a hint of cooling flavour to the drink, which is a nice touch.
By the way, if youre looking to mix another vodka-based cocktail, dont forget my Long Beach Iced Tea, its just the ticket to quench your thirst.
Of course, youll also want some great nibbles to go with these drinks, so how about some Battered Halloumi, or Chilli and Lime dip to go with some Lentil Falafels. Perfect.
By the way, if you like shots, you should investigate Alien Brain Hemorrhage. For a super green cocktail, have a look at the Incredible Hulk drink.
Short History of the Long Vodka
The Long Vodka, aka long white vodka, is as British as Wimbledon, cricket, and a visit to the seaside no matter the weather. It was first created, by accident, in the late 1970s in Lancashire, before taking in some Scottish air.
It was one of lifes fortunate accidents; by replacing one spirit with another in an attempt to make a Gimlet, a new star was born. Of course, the drink evolved once or twice more before it was finally refined in Inverkeilor, Scotland.
Thats where the creator inspired a bartender to add it to the drinks list, adding his own twist as well; lemonade. From there, it soon appeared in Aberdeen and Montrose, and the name Long Vodka was adopted shortly thereafter.
Long Vodka
What is a long vodka?
A long vodka is a vodka -based cocktail, popular throughout Scotland and known to be served in some parts of England. The long vodka is claimed to have been invented in Lancashire, England in 1978 by Jacky Bevan. Bevan was a barmaid who, instead of making a gin gimlet as requested, accidentally made the drink with vodka instead of gin.
Is long vodka available outside of Scotland?
I have known about this drink for years, but it was only when I came to write it up here that I realised that the Long Vodka is almost unknown outside of Scotland. The Long Vodka is a favourite of my sister, Heather.
How do you make a long vodka cocktail?
Long Vodka is a cocktail made with a combination of vodka and either tonic water, lime juice cordial, or lemonade. In order to prepare it, 1 or 2 shots of vodka should be poured into a tall glass over ice, followed by any of the three aforementioned ingredients.
Is Scottish vodka making a name for itself?
However a few, brave small batch producers are looking to buck the trend and slowly but surely, Scottish vodka is beginning to make a name for itself. Scotland is in fact, a vodka loving nation, it makes up around 35 per cent of our spirit intake – beating both blended whisky (13 per cent) and gin (7 per cent).