Oscar Night Libations

Oh yeah…I’m that girl. I’m the girl who waits for Awards season all year long. I try to see as many of the nominated films as possible. I have my girlfriends over for cocktails and fancy-schmancy appetizers and we “oooo” and “ahhh” over the glamour of the red carpet. Yep, that’s me.

I’m not ashamed of this fact—quite proud actually and I’m guessing I’m not alone. Yes, I’ve even known a guy or two (straight guys!) who’ve been known to throw an at-home Oscar-viewing party. So if you too are Oscar-crazed, pretentious about film, or just love the fashion, you’ll appreciate these two cocktail recipe ideas for this Sunday.

The Red Carpet:

1 ½ oz. OVAL Vodka
1 oz. Compari
1 oz. Hiram Walker Pomegranate Schnapps
1 oz. Pomegranate Juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Winslet Cocktail: (it’s really the Starlet Cocktail, but I like this name better)

1 oz. Absinthe Mata Hari
1 oz. Orange flavored vodka
1 oz. Hiram Walker Black Raspberry Liqueur
1 oz. champagne

Combine Absinthe, vodka, and black raspberry liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake thoroughly and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with champagne. Garnish with a raspberry.

The People Have Chosen...

On Election Eve voters turned out in droves…to decide the Official Drink of the OVAL Office. Sponsored by OVAL vodka, the OVAL Office Event took place at the Bryant Park Cellar Bar in NYC Monday Night, and featured fabulous judges including fashion designer Richie Rich of Heatherette. On the ballot were five delicious finalist cocktails, chosen from the hundreds submitted online by mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts across the country.

Guests (and judges) had a taste of each cocktail and then cast their ballot at our polls. The results were a little bit controversial, as the Monica Lewinsky cocktail (scandalous yet tasty) beat out the Obamatini (a strong favorite in New York). Unlike its namesake, the Obamatini had to settle for a First Runner Up showing, followed closely by The Dirty Victory (recipes and creators listed below).

The Monica Lewinsky by Nicole Gorden of New York, New York

2 oz. Oval Vodka
1 oz. X Rated Liqueur
1 oz. Fresh Lemon-Lime Sour
Sugared Rim

Prepare a chilled cocktail glass by wetting the rim and dipping in sugar. Fill Shaker with ice. Add OVAL vodka, X Rated Liqueur, and Fresh Lime Sour. Shake thoroughly and strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh strawberry and a lemon slice.

On her home turf, Nicole Gorden won out with this yummy cocktail featuring OVAL vodka and X-rated Liqueur. The cocktail was a little bit sour for my taste, but the sugared rim helped to balance it out. The crowd loved it and as you can see, it’s a beautiful drink. Congratulations to Nicole Gorden who will receive the grand prize of $500.

The Obamatini by Sasha Dylan King of Ventura, California

2 oz. OVAL Vodka

1/2 oz. Navan vanilla cognac

1/2 oz. Chambord

1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 lemon juice

vanilla bean infused sugar

splash of champagne

3 fresh raspberries

Combine OVAL vodka, Chambord, Navan, pineapple juice, and lemon juice in a shaker and shake until your arm hurts. Strain in a chilled martini glass rimmed with vanilla bean infused sugar. Finish with a splash of champagne and garnish with raspberries. Enjoy (unless you’re name is John McCain).

The Obamatini had a very good showing, but fell just short at the finish line. It was my personal favorite of the night. The smoothness of the OVAL vodka, and the combination of Navan and Chambord just sang. The only complaint I heard the whole evening about this drink was from one person who found it a bit too sweet. If you find the same problem, I’d suggest using a dry champagne to top and perhaps a bit more lemon juice. Still, I’ve got to say the Obamatini got my vote.

The Dirty Victory by Katelin Reeves of Indianapolis, Indiana

2 oz. OVAL Vodka

1/4 oz. Bloody Mary mix

1/2 oz. olive juice

dash hot sauce (optional)

2 olives

1 lime wedge

1 small celery stalk

Fill shaker with ice. Add OVAL vodka, Bloody Mary mix, olive juice, and hot sauce, if desired. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with celery, lime, and olives.

If I’m being perfectly honest here, I need to admit that I did not taste the Dirty Victory before casting my vote. Why, you ask? Well, I’m not really a fan of Bloody Marys (of which this drink is a variation) and I’m a total wuss about hot sauce. What I can say, however, is that everyone at the party that did taste it raved about it (especially the judges) so it must have been pretty damn good!

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who participated in the event. Make sure and give all of these a try. Pick your own favorite and mix it up on January 20th to welcome our new president the right way! Cheers!

Vote for the Official Drink of the Oval Office!

Get to the polls and fulfill your civic duty before it’s too late! No, I’m not talking about politics—I’m talking cocktails. Oval Vodka is looking to find the Official Drink of the Oval Office and it could be your very own creation! Thousands of submissions have already poured in, so don’t miss your chance. All you have to do is create an original cocktail recipe that features Oval Vodka. The polls close Saturday, October 25th at 11:59pm so get to it!

The entries will be narrowed down to five finalists, and those cocktails will be available for tasting and voting at the Oval Vodka Launch Party, which will take place Monday Nov 3rd at the Bryant Park Hotel Cellar Bar. The judging panel, which will include fashion designer Richie Rich of Heatherette, Mike Dawson of MAXIM Magazine and others will announce the winner just in time for Election Day, so we can all welcome the new president with a delicious cocktail. Head over to the Oval Office Site to make your mark and do your part today!