The Ultimate Cosmopolitan Recipe

The Cosmopolitan is such a classic cocktail that it seems like it must have been around forever – it’s one of those drinks that you see the really cool people drinking in those old film noire movies, right?

Actually, it’s not. It wasn’t invented by Sex and the City, but the Cosmo has only been around since the mid 1980s. The original drink is generally credited to Cheryl Cook, a bartender in South Florida, who was challenged to come up with a drink to showcase the new Absolut Citron vodka. Cheryl also wanted something that would make a beautiful visual presentation in a classic cocktail glass.

And a star was born. To quote Cheryl, “Absolut Citron, a splash of triple sec, a drop of roses lime and just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink.” (Ardent Spirits e-letter, Vol. 7, Issue 6)

Of course, bartenders are tinkerers at heart, and as the drink spread, inevitably there were changes and variations. A Manhattan bartender, Toby Cecchini, is given the credit for coming up with the version that is now seen as the “standard” Cosmopolitan. (Ardent Spirits e-letter, Vol. 7, Issue 6)

The Ultimate Cosmopolitan

• 3 parts Citron Vodka
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1-2 parts cranberry juice
• splash of fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice or a twist of lemon peel.

There are several variations and changes that you can make to the recipe, depending on your personal preferences. Triple Sec or Grand Marnier can be substituted for Cointreau, or use Rose’s Lime Juice instead of fresh lime juice for a slightly sweeter drink.

You can also adjust the amount of cranberry juice. The Cosmo should be pink, though, not red! Or if you prefer to avoid pretty pink drinks, make a White Cosmo, or Cosmoblanca, and substitute white cranberry juice instead.

But don’t skimp on the vodka. Always make sure that you’re using a top shelf brand, because the vodka is the predominant ingredient in the Cosmopolitan, and poor vodka will result in a poor drink. Purists often insist on Absolut Citron as the original vodka of choice for the Cosmo, but Stolichnaya’s Citros is also a great choice and has a slightly more tart flavor. Or for something a little different, try Grey Goose L’Orange instead of a Citron vodka – it’s a slightly sweeter, smoother drink (you might prefer Rose’s Lime Juice to fresh lime with L’Orange).

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