Flavored vodkas have become a dime a dozen on liquor store shelves. Some are creatively clever with wild infusions from bacon to tarragon and lavender. Standard flavors are relatively easy to interchange no matter which quality brand one chooses from the shelf. When one stares at the rows of flavored vodkas it is a little difficult to choose one brand of vanilla vodka from another. Usually the decision comes down to price point or picking up a tried and true favorite brand. However there are those flavors that stand out a little more than others due uniqueness in flavor.

The line of Pucker Vodkas clearly stands out with their faint sweetness and truly pucker worthy sweet tart flavors. Citrus is no longer just a hint of orange, lemon and lime rolled into one. Citrus Pucker brings “ooo la la” mouth watering excitement to the lips. It defies ordinary. Definitely designed with Girls Night Out in mind and times when flavorful fun happy hour supersedes old fashioned classics.

Citrus Pucker Vodka and Cocktail Recipe

Citrus Pucker Vodka

Aroma: Dry powder orange / citrus with hint of sweetness.

Taste: Definite pucker worthy sour right from the start! Lemony / orange with bit of artificial feel. Sour to sweet combination is intriguing.

Can see this as a terrific flavored vodka mixing spirit. Great basis for lemon drop cocktails and shooters with nice appeal for various other fruity drinks on the agenda.

Lemon Drop – recipe by Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

1-1/2 ounce Citrus Pucker Vodka

3/4 ounce Lemon Juice

3/4 ounce O3 Premium Orange Liqueur

1-1/2 ounce Lemonade

Lemon Wheel Garnish

Sugar for Rim

Slide lemon around rim of chilled cocktail glass. Dip lemony rim in sugar. Set aside. Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into prepared cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Sour Apple Sass Pucker Vodka and Shot Recipe

Sour Apple Sass Pucker Vodka

Aroma: Makes the mouth water. Reminds me of apple flavored Jolly Ranchers and apple flavored Laffy Taffy. Smells like sweetly ripened granny smith apples.

Taste: Hint of sweetness. Terrific tart apple flavor. Just marvelous for mixing all sorts of apple cocktails. Caramel covered apple comes to mind right off the bat. Perfect for fun fruity apple shots, too.

Sassy Apple Shot – recipe by Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

1 ounce Sour Apple Sass Pucker Vodka

1/2 ounce O3 Premium Orange Liqueur

1/2 ounce Ginger Ale

1/4 ounce Lemon Juice

Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into two shot glasses.

Cherry Tease Pucker Vodka and Cocktail Recipe

Cherry Tease Pucker Vodka

Aroma: Not as tart as the other Pucker Vodkas. Bitter cherry with vanilla sweetness. Hint of lush coming through. Not quite “fresh” cherry aroma.

Taste: Smoother and less tart than the other Pucker Vodkas. Vanilla definitely blended into the flavor. Dark cherry, artificial in flavor.

Chocolate Covered Cherry – recipe by Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

1-1/2 ounce Cherry Tease Pucker Vodka

3/4 ounce White Crème de Cacao

2 ounces Cranberry Juice

Maraschino Cherry Garnish

Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Drop in cherry to sink to the bottom of the glass.

Just WOW! Chocolate, cherry and vanilla combine exactly right. Though the spirit comes across a bit artificial in flavor when tasted neat, Cherry Tease Pucker Vodka clearly stands up to the test when mixed in cocktails.

Grape Gone Wild Pucker Vodka and Cocktail Recipe

Grape Gone Wild Pucker Vodka

Aroma: Laffy Taffy grape flavor is the automatic first impression. Sweetness, lush aroma. Not fresh grape, but the ideal sweetened grape candy feel.

Taste: Little more artificial with scant taste of perfume. Totally grape in flavor through and through.

Italian Kiss – recipe by Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

1-1/2 ounce Grape Gone Wild Pucker Vodka

1/2 ounce Amaretto Liqueur

2 ounces Cranberry Juice

Maraschino Cherry Garnish

Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry.

Nice flavor. Surprising how well the flavors of grape and amaretto combine in this cocktail. Grape flavored vodka doesn’t necessarily have to mean candied fruit cocktails.

A special Girls Night Out evening recently brought women to the bar to sample the Pucker Vodka line. Sour Apple Sass Pucker Vodka proved to be a huge hit. Ideas for more cocktails and shots were created and sampled on the spot proving the terrific versatility of this particular spirit. Women commented on the pleasing bottle design with its fun factor and sleekness.

Pucker Vodka samples for review and Girls Night Out tasting provided by representatives of Beam Global Wine & Spirits. Please email Cheri for more information about featuring specific brands in Girls Night Out parties.

All content ©2011 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist or str8upcocktails@gmail.com