Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan

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Cocktail History

The Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as a Valentine’s Day-themed variation of the Cosmopolitan that was first published in Have Yourself a Merry Little Cocktail: 80 Cheerful Tipples to Warm up Winter by Emma Stokes. Although there are many stories about how the classic Cosmopolitan came to be, its most well-known as being a permanent fixture in the hand of Sex & The City’s leading lady Carrie Bradshaw while out on the town, which is why we gave our version its name: it’s a darker, more sophisticated version of Carrie’s go-to drink.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Lemon Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with lemon, grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Absolut Citron Lemon-Flavored Vodka because it has a fresh citrus flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka.

Cranberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cranberries, sugar, and alcohol. We used Tattersall Distilling Cranberry Liqueur because it’s high quality and has a delicious tart flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Cranberry Syrup in place of the cranberry liqueur.

Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, and alcohol. We used Cointreau because it’s one of the highest quality orange liqueurs on the market. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Orange Sec Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the orange liqueur.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.

Rose Water: This is a flavored water made by steeping rose petals in water. We used Cortas Premium Rose Water because it’s high quality.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Tasting Notes

The Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan is more brooding and sophisticated than the original with its delicate aroma of rose, sweet taste initially followed by the unmistakable tartness of cranberry through the finish, and dark, sultry color.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: The combination of flavors makes it a fabulous and fruity slow sipper, which Kendall really loved and will certainly be requesting again. Even Alex, who doesn’t typically go for fruity drinks, appreciated its powerfulness compared to the usual blush-pink Cosmos you find at most bars.

Which of our palates is yours most like?
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Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.

Take Our Quiz →

Recipe

AuthorSips From Scripts

Yields1 ServingPrep Time5 mins

Ingredients
 1 ½ oz Lemon Vodka
 1 oz Cranberry Liqueur
 ¾ oz Triple Sec
 ½ oz Lime Juice
 ¼ oz Rose Water

Method
1

Add vodka, cranberry liqueur, triple sec, lime juice, simple syrup, rose water, and cubed ice to a shaker.

2

Shake for 10-20 seconds.

3

Strain into a cocktail glass.

Ingredients

Ingredients
 1 ½ oz Lemon Vodka
 1 oz Cranberry Liqueur
 ¾ oz Triple Sec
 ½ oz Lime Juice
 ¼ oz Rose Water

Directions

Method
1

Add vodka, cranberry liqueur, triple sec, lime juice, simple syrup, rose water, and cubed ice to a shaker.

2

Shake for 10-20 seconds.

3

Strain into a cocktail glass.

Not Carrie’s Cosmopolitan

Make It a Mocktail: Use STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka, Monin Premium Cranberry Syrup in place of the cranberry liqueur, and Lyre’s Orange Sec Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the orange liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.

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Find collections of cocktail glassware and bartending tools we recommend for your home bar in our Amazon shop.

More Vodka Cocktails

If you like this vodka-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe

Lemon Drop: A vodka cocktail made with triple sec, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a lemon twist

Mountaintop Meadow Cocktail Recipe

Mountaintop Meadow: A vodka cocktail made with elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, lavender bitters, dry sparkling wine, a pineapple wedge, and mint

Moscow Mule Cocktail Recipe

Moscow Mule: A vodka cocktail made with lime juice, ginger beer, a lime wheel, and a mint sprig

Paradise Lost Cocktail Recipe

Paradise Lost: A vodka and sherry cocktail made with coconut water, lime juice, orgeat syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, and mint

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