Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Vodka Cocktails

Better Half

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Updated 08/15/21
Better Half cocktail
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

If you want a Martini or Manhattan without all the booze, switch gears and put your drinks in reverse. By flipping the proportions of spirit and vermouth, you can enjoy a softer, lower-ABV drink that still hits all the flavor notes you love.

The Better Half is essentially a Reverse Vodka Martini, though it skips vermouth in favor of Amontillado sherry and chablis, a dry wine that is characterized by citrus and floral notes. A small measure of Grand Marnier rounds things out, lending a hint of sweetness and orange.

The drink comes from Juyoung Kang, the lead bartender at The Dorsey, a cocktail bar at the Venetian in Las Vegas. She uses just one ounce of vodka, doubling up that portion with the combo of sherry and chablis. She loves the balance that Amontillado sherry brings to cocktails and appreciates how it dials up the flavor while keeping the alcohol content from going overboard.

“A low-ABV cocktail keeps you happy and buzzed without you getting all tipsy,” says Kang. “It’s like day drinking and being able to function and perform.”

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Amontillado sherry

  • 1 ounce vodka

  • 1/2 ounce chablis

  • 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

  • Garnish: orange peel

Steps

  1. Add the sherry, vodka, chablis and Grand Marnier into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.

  3. Garnish with an orange peel.