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Spirits

Vodka

  • Spirit
  • 40% ABV
  • 198 drinks

Is this for me?

Choose this if…

  • ✓You want a clean, neutral base that lets other flavours shine.
  • ✓There are 198 drinks on WhatDrink using this.

Skip if…

  • ✗You want the spirit itself to be the dominant flavour.

At a Glance

69 kcalCalories
40%ABV
0gSugar
0gCarbs
SpiritType
198Recipes

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

What is Vodka?

Vodka is a neutral spirit base used in Martinis, highballs, fruit cocktails, coffee cocktails, creamy drinks and simple mixed drinks. Its clean profile lets citrus, juices, liqueurs, herbs and mixers take the lead.

What does Vodka taste like?

Clean, light and neutral, with a crisp alcoholic structure and minimal flavour interference. Vodka works well with citrus, cranberry, orange, coffee, ginger, tonic, soda, cream, mint and fruit liqueurs.

Vodka profile

Mixability: HighIntensity: BoldDryBeginner-friendly: High

Best used for: mules, cosmos, bloody marys, creamy cocktails

  • Appears in 198+ recipes
  • Has 3 common substitutes
  • High-strength spirit (40% ABV)

Ways to use vodka

Cocktails (172)Punches (10)Shots (10)

Vodka is a neutral spirit base used in Martinis, highballs, fruit cocktails, coffee cocktails, creamy drinks and simple mixed drinks. Its clean profile lets citrus, juices, liqueurs, herbs and mixers take the lead.

Flavour profile

CleanNeutral

Recipes using this

Observed quantities

Observed in single-serve recipes: middle half 29.57–59.15 ml; median 59.15 ml.

In the measured recipes in this dataset — from 163 observed uses.

Scoped nutrition

Calories (per 100 ml)
230
Sugar (per 100 ml)
0 g
Carbs (per 100 ml)
0 g

Ingredient nutrition is approximate and varies by brand, recipe and preparation.

Diet compatibility

  • Gluten-FreeCompatible
  • KetoCompatible
  • Low-CarbCompatible
  • Low-SugarCompatible
  • VeganCompatible
  • VegetarianCompatible

Based on the listed ingredient only — a public recipe facet, not medical, allergy or coeliac advice. Specific brands and preparation can change compatibility.

Commonly observed with

Simple SyrupOrange JuiceCranberry JuiceWhite Creme De CacaoPeach SchnappsHalf-And-HalfCoffee LiqueurSoda Water

Observed co-use in the reviewed recipe corpus — not a universal pairing recommendation.

Trust & methodology

Canonical ingredient/component authority assembled from reviewed identity, recipe, flavour, nutrition, diet and substitution evidence. Observed quantities and co-use patterns are descriptive, not prescriptions or universal recommendations.

Evidence last updated: 2026-07-16T05:12:21.205546+00:00

What it is

What is vodka?

Vodka is a neutral-style spirit that usually brings strength and texture without adding a dominant flavor. That makes it useful when citrus, coffee, fruit or spice should lead the drink.

How it's used

How vodka is used in drinks

Vodka is often used in clean, fruit-forward or coffee-based cocktails because it supports other flavors without competing with them. It works well in shaken drinks, highballs and simple mixed drinks.

Common mistakes

Common mistakes

Because vodka is relatively neutral, weak mixers can make vodka drinks taste flat. Use fresh citrus, good coffee, crisp soda or clear flavor anchors to give the drink structure.

About this drink

Vodka is tied to Eastern European distilling traditions, but in modern cocktails it became important as a clean, flexible base spirit. Its rise in mixed drinks is less about a single origin and more about neutrality, branding and compatibility with fruit, coffee and citrus.

Drink counts and recipe data are based on published WhatDrink recipes. Figures may vary as new recipes are added.

Vodka — common questions

How many cocktails are made with Vodka?
There are 198 cocktail recipes featuring Vodka in the WhatDrink database.
What are the most popular cocktails made with Vodka?
Top-ranked cocktails made with Vodka include Grape Vodka Froth, Long vodka, Vodka and Apple Juice. Rankings are based on recipe quality and data completeness.
What is the ABV of Vodka?
Vodka has an ABV of approximately 40%. The exact strength varies by brand and expression.
What do the sensory profile dimensions mean?
Sensory profile dimensions describe key flavour characteristics: Intensity (light to bold), Sweetness (dry to sweet), Mixability (how versatile it is in cocktails) and Beginner-Friendly (acquired taste to easy intro). Each scale helps you compare Vodka with similar ingredients at a glance.
How do I use the Vodka sensory profile to find drinks I like?
If you enjoy the intensity and flavour profile of Vodka, look for other ingredients or cocktails with a similar profile. Compare Intensity, Sweetness and Mixability to find substitutes or discover new cocktails in the same flavour family.