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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 14 • May 2015 Whiskey may be gaining ground, but even craft cocktail purists are embracing the popular white spirit EVERYBODY VODKA Inner Circle infusion drinks include the Ultimate Cosmo (left), with cucumber- and raspberry-infused Pinnacle vodka, cranberry juice and triple sec, and the Inner Circle, with blueberry- and lemon-infused Pinnacle vodka with sprite and garnished with blueberries. Rabbit Grocery & Grog in New York, which opened in 2013. "I think a lot of bartenders pigeonholed vodka for not having any fl avor. Also, during the cocktail renaissance, bartenders adopted craft and went against anything that was a mass consumer trend." In its downstairs Taproom, the Dead Rabbit carries the big name call vodkas, says McGarry, citing Absolut, Stoli, Belvedere and Grey Goose. "In the [upstairs] Parlor we have more sophisticated vodkas, with Chase Vodka from England and Absolut Elyx from Sweden." In volume three of its 66-page book of curated drinks, Dead Rabbit's Parlor added its fi rst-ever vodka cocktail—the Roman Empire ($15), which mixes Absolut Elyx vodka with aquavit, apple and lemon juices, dill syrup and crème de menthe. Another serious New York cocktail bar, the Pegu Club, also recently added a vodka cocktail. Called the Grapefruit Cooler, it combines grapefruit-fl avored vodka, grapefruit/honey syrup and a Inner Circle infusion drinks include the Ultimate Cosmo Rabbit Grocery & Grog in New York, which opened in 2013. "I think By Thomas Henry Strenk P ity poor vodka, scorned by fancypants mixologists and largely left out of the cocktail renaissance. Don't waste too many tears, though: The great white spirit has plenty of devotees. The category is huge and it's still growing. Nearly one out of every three bottles of spirits sold in the U.S. is vodka. Attitudes are changing; its reputation is reviving among bartenders. Some places are establishing themselves as destinations for vodka lovers, with outsized selections and creative drinks. Vodka is back; fans always knew it never left. RAP AND REP "Vodka hasn't been the most popular spirit among bartenders, which is why you haven't seen it on a lot of cocktail lists," says Berto Santoro, bar manager for Extra Virgin and the adjoining Michael Smith Restaurant in Kansas City. "But that's changing." Bartenders are getting past those pretentious attitudes, Santoro says, "and getting back into the hospitality business. The attitude now is, 'let's give customers what they want to drink.'" And people want to drink vodka. The spirit is by far the leader in the industry, reaching 72.4 million nine-liter cases in 2014. That's up 1.8% over 2013 consumption, according to the Beverage Information Group's 2015 Handbook Advance report on spirits consumption. "If a guest wants a vodka drink, my whole focus is to make them the best vodka drink I can," says Jack McGarry, cofounder/operating partner of The Dead COVER STORY loves