Happy Vodka Day 2014

Vodka hardly needs its own holiday, but it has one—and it’s Oct. 4. Celebrate by mixing up one of these easy-to-make cocktails.

Ebenezer Emmons

2 oz. Bison Grass vodka

2 oz. Apple Juice

Dash of celery and cranberry bitters

Splash of Lemon juice

Splash of Simple syrup

Build ingredients in a high ball without ice. Top off with ice, garnish with celery and cranberries.

Zachary Blair, mixologist at Kanu Lounge at Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid, NY, created this recipe, which is named for the man who named the Adirondack Mountains.

Mediterra

2 oz. Aylesbury Duck vodka

1 oz. Honey syrup*

3⁄4 oz. Boiron Fig Purée

1⁄2 oz. Fresh lemon juice

Put all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve with a ramekin of roasted spicy pistachio nuts on the side.

The mixologists at The 86 Co. created this recipe.

Cucumber Cooler

3 1⁄2 oz. Crop Cucumber vodka

1 1⁄2 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur

5 oz. Ginger beer

Shake with ice, pour, and garnish with a slice of fresh cucumber.

The mixologists at Shadow Boxers Bar in New York created this recipe.

Snuggle Up

2 oz. SKYY Infusions Moscato Grape vodka

1 oz. Cynar

1⁄2 oz. Benedictine

1⁄2 oz. Simple syrup

Mix ingredients together with ice in a shaker. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Otis Florence of Pouring Ribbons in New York created this recipe.

Ketel One Apples & Pears

1 1⁄2 oz. Ketel One vodka

1 oz. Pear juice

1 oz. Apple juice

1⁄4 oz. Fresh squeezed lemon juice

3⁄4 oz. Honey syrup

2 Dashes orange bitters

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake over ice. Strain into a highball glass over ice. Garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

The mixologists at Ketel One created this recipe.

Sweet Harvest Cider

3 parts Pinnacle CranApple vodka

3 parts Hard apple cider

2 parts Lemon juice

1 part Elderflower syrup

Combine vodka, elderflower syrup and lemon juice and shake over ice. Strain into a pint glass and top with cider. Garnish with apple slices.

The mixologists at Pinnacle created this recipe.

Fall Festival-tini

1 part Skinnygirl Tangerine vodka

3 parts apple juice/cider

1⁄2 part light rum

Mix ingredients in a shaker, and pour into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

The mixologists at Skinnygirl created this recipe.

The Casandra

1 1⁄2 oz. Ciroc Pineapple vodka

1 1⁄2 oz. Orange juice

1 1⁄2 oz. Cranberry juice

Combine ingredients in rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The mixologists at Ciroc created this recipe.