Chopin Vodka, the family-owned brand from Poland created the luxury vodka category when it debuted in 1993. For the past thirty years, the family has been on a mission to prove that vodka’s characteristics reflect the raw ingredients from which it was distilled.
Chopin’s core line is comprised of potato, rye, and wheat vodka. Chopin Vodka invited bartenders to explore its unique collection of spirits and compose an exceptional cocktail using one of its single-ingredient expressions in the Chopin Cocktail Competition.
From 15 finalists, the judges will choose one 1st place winner and one 2nd place winner per style of vodka—potato, rye, and wheat. Three 1st Place winners will receive $1500 each. Three 2nd Place winners will receive $500 each. For more information visit the Chopin Cocktail Competition.
Check out the Top 15 finalists in the Chopin Cocktail Competition.
Once Upon a Muse
Created by Yvonne Mendez – Orlando, Florida
The cocktail is inspired by the spring season. I call it a season of rebirth and blooming of beautiful things. It’s smooth, delicate, bubbly, and floral. This cocktail is my muse, an ode of beauty, a romantic revival. I chose to work with Chopin Potato Vodka because it’s clean, smooth, and buttery. It allows the flavors to shine through maintaining the quality that Chopin Vodka is characterized for.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Potato Vodka
- 1 oz Chopin Chamomile Liqueur (Chopin Potato Vodka)*
- 1/2 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3/4 oz Wildflower Honey Syrup Mionetto Prosecco**
Preparation: Add the Chopin Potato Vodka, Chamomile Liqueur, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Lemon Juice and Honey Syrup into a shaker with ice and shake well until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and top it with Mionetto Prosecco. Garnish with lemon wheel and fresh elderflower flowers. **Honey Syrup: Add 1/2 cup of wildflower honey and 1/2 cup water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Let it cool and transfer to an airtight container.
*Chopin Potato Vodka Chamomile Liqueur
Ingredients:
- 6 oz Chopin Potato Vodka
- 1 vanilla bean (use only half of the bean)
- 1/4 cup of dried chamomile flowers (Bidia Brand)
- 7 oz filtered water
- 12 oz simple syrup ***
Preparation: Cut vanilla bean in half and split it open down the middle. Combine Chopin Potato Vodka, water, chamomile and half vanilla bean in a sterilized mason jar. Let it steep in a cool dry place for 48 hours. Strain out the chamomile and vanilla bean into a sterilized bigger glass container. Add simple syrup and mix thoroughly. Bottle it up in a sterilized bottle, drop the vanilla bean inside again and shake before use.
***Simple Syrup for the Chopin Chamomile Liqueur
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2cups water
Add white sugar and water into a small sauce pan over medium heat. stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool and transfer to an airtight container. Only use 12 oz of syrup for the Chopin Chamomile Liqueur.
Summer Magic
Created by Jennifer Guerrero – Houston, TX
Everyone has that one friend that was influential in their life. Mine was my best friend, Andrea. We would travel every summer to her parents’ lake house on Lake Travis and enjoy the beautiful weather and cool waters. Her parents would on a regular basis bring us a snack of prosciutto and cantaloupe for a salty and sweet treat. When thinking about this cocktail and Chopin premium vodka it made me think about this premium flavor pairing, at least I thought so as a kid. What better way to showcase these flavors than to have them shown through the classic Martini. I prefer my Martinis made two parts spirit to one part vermouth with a couple dashes of bitter. This sets the framework for the “Summer Magic.” Taking its name from one of my favorite movies I would watch with my mother and the amazing times I would have with Andrea. Prosciutto Infused blanc vermouth, Cantaloupe and Hami Melons Syrup paired with Amaro Nonino balsamic vinegar and orange bitters all come together as a common flavor pairing specifically in an Italian snack. I chose to work with Chopin Potato for its creaminess and light fruit notes that complemented the salty prosciutto and the subtle fruity nature of the melons. This drink feels slightly salty and acidic which drinks like a Gibson. The light flavors are perfect for a summer day to reminisce about the magic of those times at the lake and time with my mother.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 oz Chopin Potato
- 3/4 oz Prosciutto Blanc vermouth*
- 1/4 oz Amaro Nonino
- 2 Bar Spoon (scant 1/4 oz) Melon Syrup**
- 1 Bar Spoon (⅛ oz) White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 dashes Orange bitter (Regans)
Preparation: Build in a stirring glass or tin, add ice and stir to dilute, Strain into a chilled glass, frozen if possible.
Garnish with Hami melon (sub cantaloupe if not available) and manicured lemon zest picked together.
**Prosciutto Blanc Vermouth
- 375 ml (12.68 oz) Dolin Blanc Vermouth
- 80 g Prosciutto
Preparation: Combine in a vacuum seal bag. Chamber seal or vacuum seal carefully. Sous-vide at 110 degrees for 40 minutes. Drop immediately into an ice bath. Strain off the Prosciutto. Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour to solidify any fats. Strain through the coffee filter to remove all solids. Store in the refrigerator for 1 week.
**Melon Syrup
Ingredients:
- 200g Hami Melon (if available, if not double the Cantaloupe)
- 200g Cantaloupe
- 400g Sugar
- Yield: 12 oz
Preparation: Cut Melons in half, remove and discard the seeds with a spoon, remove the skin with a knife. Cube and measure the fruit. Add fruit and sugar to a blender and blend on high until sugar is dissolved. Fine mesh strain the mixture. Then coffee filter that mixture to get as much pulp removed as possible. Allow to strain slowly overnight in the refrigerator to extract as much as possible. Give a light squeeze if you cannot wait overnight. Store in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Earth, Wind, and Cider
Created by Michael Vander Horn – Little Egg Harbor, NJ
Looking deep into the production of a spirit is an incredible way to find inspiration. When it comes to Chopin Vodka’s most popular expression, one does not have to look too far. It’s not often that I read a description of the aroma of a spirit and wholeheartedly agree but with this one, I do. There is subtle green apple and vanilla mixed with perhaps just a touch of something earthier coming through on the nose of this vodka. Licor 43’s complex vanilla pairs with Cynar’s darker earthiness while light touches of absinthe and cardamom amplify the layers of these flavors. At the heart of this lively cider is of course green apples, adjusted with citric and ascorbic acid to amplify the sour note to pair with a contrast of pistachio orgeat. All together this is a ridiculously refreshing yet balanced serve that brings together the elements of Chopin Potato Vodka’s in a way that allows the full-bodied flavor of the spirit to shine through. Cheers!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Potato Vodka
- 1/2 oz Licor 43
- 1/4 oz Cynar 70
- 1 1/2 oz Acid-Adjusted Green Apple Juice*
- 3/4 oz Pistachio Orgeat**
- 2 Dashes Absinthe
- 2 Dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters
- Top with Club Soda
Preparation: Add all ingredients to a shaker tin and short shake. Strain into a highball glass over a clear ice spear. Top with club soda and garnish with a pistachio.
*Juice one large green apple and add 12 drops of citric acid solution and two drops of ascorbic acid solution. Stir and taste, adjust as needed.
**Add 100g shelled, unsalted pistachios to a blender with 1 1/2 cups near boiling water and blend for 2 minutes. Strain through cheese cloth or a nut milk bag into a clean container. Rinse blender and add nut mixture back with 1 1/8 cups sugar and a teaspoon of rose water. Blend for 1 minute and add to a clean container. Store in fridge for up to 1 month.
Meat & Potatoes
Created by Tim Weigel – Las Vegas, NV
I recently attended the Chopin vodka presentation here in Las Vegas and what impressed upon me was the simple approach Chopin applies to its distillation practices. Chopin lets the ingredients do the talking and it comes through on the finished product which inspired me for this cocktail. This simple approach reminds me of the phrase, “I am a meat and potatoes type of guy.” When someone says this, it means they go with a simple approach to handling situations. This cocktail uses the great mouthfeel and earthy creamy flavors of Chopin paired with savory ingredients and pairs well with a simple meat and potato dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Potato Vodka
- 4 green peppercorns
- 1 dash truffle saline solution*
- 6 drops Bitter Truth olive bitters
- 1/4 oz Monin vanilla syrup
- 0.375 oz Lustau Don Nuno oloroso sherry
- 3/4 oz steak fat washed single malt rye Polugar**
Preparation: Combine ingredients in crystal rocks glass. Garnish with speared steak piece and peewee potato.
*Truffle saline solution
Mix 20 grams truffle salt with 80 milliliters of hot water. Stir into solution and allow to cool.
**Steak fat washed single malt rye Polugar
Save the drippings from a marbleized steak (I used ribeye) that has been grilled. Add the Polugar to the drippings and freeze for 3 days allowing to fat wash. At the end of the 3 days poke a hole in the frozen fat and drain off the fat washed Polugar. Fine strain.
Potation
Created by Mikael Wurman – Brooklyn, NY
Growing up with many Russians in my early childhood and being Russian myself I found an affinity for the flavors Chopin highlighted with their vodka selection. I myself had experienced many infused vodkas thanks to a family friend I know as an uncle. His use of fresh flavors from his garden inspired me with this cocktail. I decided to use the Chopin Potato Vodka to highlight the earthy and rustic flavors found within the bottle. But I also wanted to add freshness and childhood flavors to connect it to my upbringing. This cocktail I’ve created allows the potato distilled vodka to shine while also giving your palette contrasting but adjacent flavors all in service further highlights the potato vodka.
I also decided to make the name of the drink a pun. An archaic English word for an alcoholic beverage is called a potation. But it obviously shares similarities with the word potato.
Potation nounARCHAIC•HUMOROUS noun: potation; plural noun: potations a drink. “lite potations are very American” the action of drinking alcohol. “I intend to abstain from potation” a drinking bout. “the dreadful potations of his youth”
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Chopin Potato Vodka
- .33 oz Granny Smith Apple shrub*
- Soda Water
Preparation: To a shaker add 2oz of Chopin Potato Vodka and .33oz of Granny Smith Apple Shrub Syrup. Shake with 2-4 ice cubes for 8-10 seconds then dirty pour into a highball. Add 2 or 3 ice cubes. Then using a bar spoon pour soda water until just shy of the top of the glass. Garnish with a fan of pickled Cardamom Pink Pepper Apples and serve.
Garnish with Pickled cardamom and pink pepper green apple fan. Slice Granny Smith Apples into thin cheeks (About 1/10th of an inch thick). Take 160 grams of sliced apples and put them into a pickled container.
Bring 12.8 Grams of Sugar, 4 Grams of Kosher Salt, 2 Grams of toasted Cardamom to a boil in 5.5 oz of Water. Then turn off heat and add 2.5oz of Rice Vinegar. Pour the hot liquid over the sliced Granny Smith apples and let sit for 5 hours and up to a day before serving as garnish.
*Green Apple Shrub Syrup
First bring a half cup of water and one, a half cups of sugar, 35 grams of toasted pink peppercorns, 1 gram of salt and 15 grams of toasted Cardamom to a simmer. Turn off heat and let cool. Then add three quarters of a cup of Apple Cider Vinegar to the cooled syrup along with the 1 cup of strained Granny Smith apple juice.
You’re Dill the One I Want
Created by Travis Sanders – Seattle, WA
The subtle rye bread notes plus the crisp fuller body the rye expression made me think, how can I recreate my favorite rye cocktail with vodka. The Greenpoint is such a fun Manhattan variation, I wanted to create the same profile for vodka drinkers. Swapping rye vodka for the rye whiskey, then using Suze instead of yellow chartreuse to add bright vegetal, citrus notes. Cucumber dill infused Blanc Vermouth rounds out the cocktail for a fun herbal yet bright citrusy flavor profile.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Chopin Rye Vodka
- 1/2 oz cucumber dill infused blanc vermouth*
- 1/2 oz Suze
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Preparation: Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass until chilled. Double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with skewer a cucumber ribbon on a cocktail pick and a spring of dill.
*Dice half a cucumber then add to a glass container. Add 1 bottle blanc vermouth and 4 sprigs of dill. Infuse for 24 hours then strain through a cheesecloth.
Dirty Yard Dash
Suzy Tweten – Los Angeles, CA
Take your taste buds on a journey with this multi-cultural play on a Martini. I wanted to create a savory cocktail that would appeal to a variety of tastes—the goal was to center the supporting players around Chopin’s rye vodka, which has notes of crushed red pepper and aromas of rye bread. I wanted to show off that this vodka can offer incredible complexity and play well in a variety of craft cocktails.
I have chosen to split the dry vermouth component in order to achieve both a light salinity and a savory, earthy intensity. Fino sherry brings sea-like salinity—clean and fresh, with a slight taste of tangy yeast to bring out those rye bread notes in the vodka. Dry umami vermouth is a mix of kombu seaweed, porcini mushrooms, and an array of botanicals to give this an unbelievable savory depth that pairs beautifully with the peppery zing from Chopin. A small amount of dashi (Japanese soup stock) is added for those dirty Martini vibes and to amplify the umami present in the vermouth. Banana notes are in the background via a bit of banana liqueur, offering a contrasting sweetness and balance to the savory. Yuzu bitters bring a hint of citrus notes and perceived acidity, and it’s all topped with the aroma and texture of a few drops of toasted sesame oil. If you haven’t had the combination of crushed red pepper, sesame, banana, and umami, I beg you to do your tastebuds a favor and give it a try! It even comes with a snack of a brûléed banana slice topped with nori furikake for a sweet-savory delight.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Chopin Rye Vodka
- 1/2 oz Dry Umami vermouth
- 1/2 oz Fino sherry
- 1/4 oz Banana liqueur
- Teaspoon Vegan Dashi (Shiitake Kombu Dashi)*
- 2 dashes Yuzu bitters
- 3 drops Toasted sesame oil, for garnish
Preparation: Combine all except sesame oil in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled glass.
Garnish with three drops of toasted sesame oil, and a brûléed banana slice topped with nori furikake.
*Dashi
1 piece kombu (10 g), 2 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, 4 cups water, Steep for 5 hours in fridge and strain.
Apple of my Rye
Christine Riddle – Honolulu, Hawaii
Vodka’s versatility and ability to harmonize with a wide array of flavors has always appealed to me. However, as a bartender it is imperative to recognize that not all vodkas are equal or are interchangeable. To highlight this distinction, I sought to showcase Chopin’s Wheat, and Rye Vodka in two contrasting cocktails. To maintain consistency, I incorporated Poland’s national fruit, the apple, into each drink. The goal was to celebrate the diverse range of flavors and experiences that can be achieved within the Chopin product line. Both cocktails are prepared in a different style, a Sour and Collins and the supporting ingredients are tailored to the specific vodka used. My inspiration is the nuanced diversity and malleability embodied by vodka and the apple.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Rye Vodka
- 1 oz Fresh pressed Honey Crisp Apple Juice
- 1/2 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice (can sub Dole Pineapple Juice)
- 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Fresh Celery Juice
- 1/2 oz Homemade Ginger Syrup*
- 2 dash Black Pepper Bitters (The Cocktail Experiment)
- 1 oz Soda water
Preparation: Juice Apple, Celery, and pineapple juices separately. Strain all Juices through a mesh strainer. Fine strain apple through a mesh strainer and a coffee filter. Put all ingredients except soda and celery leaf into a shaker tin. Add ice and shake well for approximately 12 seconds. Strain into Collins glass using hawthorn strainer. Add Ice to Collins glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with celery leaf.
*Ginger Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1×2 inch peeled ginger
Preparation: Boil water, add sugar and ginger, reduce heat, let simmer for five minutes. Take syrup from heat and strain through mesh strainer, let cool.
Herb & Garden
Created by Olivia Derr – Denver, CO
I wanted to create a cocktail influenced by the flavors of a summer salad using fresh, seasonal ingredients inspired by the ethos of Chopin’s farm to bottle approach. The first time I tried the rye expression, I drank it with soda water to draw out some of the lighter flavors and I discovered some bright, passionfruit notes that I wanted to pair with strawberry. These light notes combined with the natural spice of rye grains made the rye expression a natural choice for a cocktail inspired by a summer salad with peppery flavors of arugula. I built on a shrub I’ve used in another cocktail by adding fennel, which brings a light bitterness to balance the cocktail and soda water keeps it light and refreshing for a summer day.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Rye Vodka
- 1 1/2 oz Strawberry infused Dolin Blanc*
- 1 oz arugula fennel shrub**
- 1/4 oz lime acid***
- 1 1/2 oz soda water
Preparation: Combine everything but soda water in a shaker tin, ice, and shake. Add 1.5 oz soda water. Strain into a Collins glass with cubed ice. Garnish with a fennel strawberry. Garnish with fennel stuffed strawberry (core a strawberry, pick a small bundle of fresh fennel greens. Insert fennel bundle into empty strawberry core).
*Strawberry Dolin Blanc
medium dice 180 g fresh strawberries, combine with 6 oz Dolin Blanc, and add to an iSi. Charge twice and let infuse for 15 minutes. Vent, strain, and lightly press strawberries to extract vermouth.
**Arugula fennel shrub
combine 60 g fresh arugula, 20 g fennel, and 6 oz water in a blender. Blend, strain, and measure liquid volume (should be about 6.5 oz). Add 6.5 oz white sugar and 1 oz white vinegar and whisk to combine.
***Lime acid
stir 6% by weight malic acid and 3% by weight citric acid in water until dissolved. (0.6 g malic acid, 0.3 g citric acid, 9.1 g water)
Last Family Standing
Jonathan Stanyard – Seattle, WA
Chopin is known for being the last family-owned vodka brand in Poland. Beyond that, they are a luxury vodka brand focusing on a single grain in each expression. I was inspired by the Rye Vodka’s touch of spice, nice body, and crisp and clean finish. I built a spirit-forward drink to honor the vodka’s nuance of aromatic rye. The fruitiness of strawberries and the kick of pink peppercorn blend wisely with a bittersweet aperitivo and dry sherry. The finish of lemon bitters mist lets the cocktail begin fresh, with bitters notes. As you enjoy the cocktail, it becomes softer and sweeter. The throwing technique gives a perfect balance of chilled and diluted while maintaining the body and mouthfeel of the drink. This is a luxurious sip for the Last Family Standing.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Rye Vodka
- 3/4 oz Strawberry-Pink peppercorn infused Cocchi Americano*
- 1/2 oz Cappelletti Aperitivo
- 1/4 oz Fino Sherry
- 2 spritzes of Scrappy’ s Black Lemon Bitters
Preparation: Add all ingredients except the bitters into the large part of a mixing tin. Fill with ice and throw the cocktail between the large and small container by holding the ice back with a stemmed Hawthorne strainer. Throw the drink between the two five times, then strain it into a well-chilled cocktail glass. (You could also stir the cocktail softly.) Mist the bitters across the cocktail and garnish with a fresh lemon peel and strawberry slice.
*Strawberry-Pink peppercorn infused Cocchi Americano
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. Fresh Strawberries (Quartered)
- 10 g Pink Peppercorns
- 375 ml Cocchi Americano
Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. Let infuse for 48 hours. Strain and keep in the refrigerator.
Saff-Ron Burgundy
Created by Nate Skoflanc – Ottawa, Illinois
I wanted to make a sophisticated, yet fun drink that incorporated the floral aroma and delicate finish of the Chopin Wheat to mingle with the earthy, complex, yet sweeter notes of the saffron and honey. I felt that the caramel notes of the Chopin Wheat would really play well with lemon, honey, and a fuller mouthfeel due to the egg white in the cocktail. This is a drink that really makes a statement that vodka can be paired with many complex flavors and still come through as a participant in the cocktail rather than simply just a “mixer.”
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Wheat Vodka
- 1/2 oz Apologue Saffron Liqueur
- 3/4 oz honey syrup
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
- one egg white
- Angostura Bitters to top Foam
Preparation: Add Chopin, Apologue Saffron, Honey syrup, Lemon Juice, and Egg White into a shaker and dry shake with no ice for 5-10 seconds. Add Ice to Shaker Tin with all ingredients and Wet Shake for an additional 15 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass. With an eyedropper, drop 4 drops of Angostura Bitters on top of egg white foam. Drag pick across the bottom and top of the dots to create a minimal design. Garnish with Angostura bitters on egg white foam.
QuatFather
Justin Levaughn – Orlando, FL
Nostalgia and the pleasures of growing up in Florida are the backbone of inspiration for this cocktail. I grew up in rural Florida with my grandparents and spent most of my time outside in the woods. Climbing loquat trees and eating my body weight in loquats was a daily activity. Running back home through the citrus groves amongst the fresh scent of Orange Blossoms only to arrive home to a wave of an entirely new flavor of my grandma’s almond cake. These memories mean everything to me and so I put each loquat, orange blossom, and almond into the QuatFather cocktail. Quatfather is simply a play-off loquat and my grandfather who raised me. I also chose these flavors because they are delicate enough to allow the Chopin to shine. I went with the wheat expression because the floral and semi-sweet finish of the vodka complements these Florida botanical elements magically. And this style of cocktail is precisely what I feel Chopin Wheat was built for.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Chopin Wheat
- 1/2 oz Combier Elixer
- 1/2 oz Loquat Cordial*
- 1/4 oz Orgeat
- 3/4 oz Lemon
- Orange Blossom Absinthe Mist
Preparation: Build all ingredients in a shaker except OBAbsinthe mist. Shake and strain into footed Pilsner glass. Top with pebble ice and finish with an Orange Blossom Absinthe mist over the top. Garnish with 3 Loquat leaves and 3 loquats nested against them.
*Loquat Cordial
(makes 6 cups)
Steep 1 cup of loquat leaves in 2 cups near boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain out leaves and add 1 cup of diced loquat flesh to the loquat leaf tea, along with 4 cups of white sugar. Vacuum seal and sous vide for 2 hrs at 145 degrees. Remove and strain off solid. Allow to cool then add 1.5oz of Chopin Potato vodka for fortification.
Fruitful Affair
Created by Christine Riddle – Honolulu, Hawaii
Vodkas versatility and ability to harmonize with a wide array of flavors has always appealed to me. However, as a bartender it is imperative to recognize that not all vodkas are equal or are interchangeable. To highlight this distinction, I sought to showcase Chopin’s Wheat, and Rye Vodka in two contrasting cocktails. To maintain consistency, I incorporated Poland’s national fruit, the apple, into each drink. The goal was to celebrate the diverse range of flavors and experiences that can be achieved within the Chopin product line. Both cocktails are prepared in a different style, a Sour and Collins and the supporting ingredients are tailored to the specific vodka used. My inspiration is the nuanced diversity and malleability embodied by vodka and the apple.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Chopin Wheat Vodka
- 1/4 Strawberry Liqueur (I used Giffard Fraise Des Bois)
- 3/4 oz Chamomile infused Honey Syrup*
- 1 oz Fresh Juiced Honeycrisp Apple**
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Egg Whites
Preparation: Add all ingredients except cinnamon to a shaker tin. Dry shake for 30 seconds. Add Ice and wet shake for another thirty seconds. Double strain using a hawthorn and mesh strainer into lowball or fizz glass. Grate fresh cinnamon over top for garnish.
*Chamomile infused Honey Syrup
Boil 1 cup water, Steep 1 cup dried Chamomile Flowers in hot water for five minutes. Strain tea, return to heat, add 1 cup honey. stir until it is a fluid consistency. take off heat.
**Juice Honeycrisp Apples and fine strain through mesh strainer with a coffee filter. Juice and strain lemon through a mesh strainer
Nocturne
Created by Suzy Tweten – Los Angeles, CA
Frédéric Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso noted for his solo piano music. Chopin produced some of piano’s most intimate, romantic works during his lifetime. Born in Poland and died in France, he was one of the foremost Romantic era composers of the 19th century. I wanted to create a cocktail that reflected both his life and his work and dedicate this to what I feel are Chopin’s most romantic compositions, his Nocturnes. Despite the name, many of these 21 beautiful compositions feel particularly light, and the delicacy defies the technical challenge in playing them. I wanted my cocktail to evoke that feeling of delicate lightness, but with underlying complexity and Chopin Wheat vodka was the perfect base with which to achieve this. Chopin Wheat is delicate, clean, and light. Its aromas of anise and citrus bring out a subtle sweetness that is made for bright, fruit-based cocktails. This Martini variation utilizes ingredients both from Poland and France, balancing the dryness of the vodka and vermouth with a touch of sweetness from a French melon aperitif. Infusing the vermouth with tarragon lends an herbal quality that highlights the anise notes in the vodka. The Provence melon (Charentais melon) is like a vibrant cantaloupe and is amazingly fresh tasting in aperitif form. The melon-tarragon pairing is a match made in heaven, only improved upon by a hint of pink peppercorn to add a floral, fruity bite that amplifies the floral aromas in the vodka. The garnish lends a lovely aroma via fresh tarragon; and the pansy flower is said to represent the thoughts of lovers named for the French word for “thought” (pensée) — the flower completes the romance-themed libation.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Chopin Wheat vodka
- 3/4 oz Tarragon-infused dry vermouth*
- 1/4 oz Cavaillon Melon aperitif
- Dash pink peppercorn tincture**
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe, and garnish with fresh tarragon and an edible pansy. Garnish with fresh tarragon and pansy flower
*Tarragon infused dry vermouth
Ingredients:
- 100 grams fresh tarragon
- 350 ml Dolin Dry vermouth
Preparation: Combine in an airtight container and infuse refrigerated for 24 hours. Strain and keep refrigerated.
**Pink peppercorn tincture
- 5 grams pink peppercorns
- 250 ml high proof neutral spirit
Preparation: Steep for 24 hours at room temperature. Strain into dropper bottle and keep indefinitely.
Alive & Well
Jonathan Stanyard – Seattle, WA
The Chopin Wheat Vodka is so fresh and light I built a recipe to pair flavors that would complement and not overwhelm it. There are pleasant floral aromas and a sweet caramel flavor profile in the vodka that I focused on. A rich and bright apple-coconut cordial is balanced with fresh yuzu and bergamot. To add another layer of aromatics, a touch of fragrant pear brandy. Altogether, this cocktail is like walking through a blooming apple or pear orchard or reminds me of my walks this spring through my neighborhood. What’s in a name? As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away; this cocktail has a bit of that and, more importantly, makes one feel well with its bright and refreshing nature.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 oz Chopin Wheat Vodka
- 3/4 oz Apple-Coconut Cordial*
- 1/2 oz Pear Brandy
- 1/4 oz Yuzu Juice
- 3 dashes Bergamot Bitters
Preparation: Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 12 seconds and fine strain into a chilled Nick and Nora. Garnish with a fresh apple fan.
*Apple-Coconut Cordial
Ingredients:
- 200g Coconut Water
- 125g Green Apple
- 150g Cane Sugar
- ½ of a Vanilla Bean
- 3g Citric Acid
- 3g Malic Acid
Preparation: Add the coconut water to a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat. Thinly slice the green apple and add it to the pan. Split and scrape the vanilla bean and add to the pan. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Cover and let come to room temp off the heat. Add to a blender and blend until smooth. Filter through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp. Add the acids and store them in an airtight container.
