Black Vodka Cocktails: What to Mix With It and How to Make Your Own
Black vodka is vodka that has been coloured black, and it tastes close to ordinary vodka. That means you can use it in almost any vodka cocktail and only the colour changes. The best results come from pale mixers such as ginger beer, tonic water and lemonade, where the contrast does the work.
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This guide covers what black vodka is, what to mix with it, how to make your own at home and eight cocktails that suit it. If you want the basics first, our guide to the types of vodka is a good place to start, and our round-up of 15 vodka cocktails covers the classics. All measures are in ml, and every recipe makes one drink.
What Is Black Vodka?
Black vodka is regular vodka with a black colouring added, usually without much change to the flavour. The best-known bottle is Blavod, which gets its colour from catechu, an extract from acacia trees. Blavod is 37.5% ABV and costs around £25 for a 70cl bottle at the time of writing.
Not every dark bottle behaves the same way. Eristoff Black is sold as a wild berry flavoured vodka spirit at roughly 20% ABV, and it is sweet and tastes of blackcurrant, so it acts more like a liqueur than a vodka. Don’t swap it 1:1 into a recipe written for a standard vodka, or the drink will come out weaker and sweeter. You can also make black vodka yourself with food colouring or black rice, which we cover below.
What to Mix With Black Vodka
Anything you would mix with ordinary vodka works. What changes is how well the colour shows. Pale mixers let the dark spirit stand out, while dark mixers such as cola and coffee blend into it.
| Mixer | What it does to the colour | Try it in |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger beer | Smoky dark drink with a pale fizzy top | Midnight Mule |
| Tonic or soda water | Keeps the drink dark and lets garnishes pop | A simple long drink |
| Lemonade | Dark base, bright lemon garnish | A black vodka and lemonade |
| Cranberry juice | Deep burgundy-black | Dark Cosmopolitan, Black Cat |
| Coffee liqueur and espresso | Almost opaque | Black Espresso Martini, Black Russian |
| Orange juice | Can turn a murky green once stirred, so float the vodka on top | A black Screwdriver |
| Elderflower and lime | Dark with a green, fresh finish | Black Garden |
A long drink dilutes the colour, so expect dark grey or purple-black rather than solid black once you add a lot of mixer. For the blackest look, pour the mixer over ice first and then pour the black vodka slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats on top. Stir only when you are ready to drink.
How to Make Black Vodka at Home
Blavod is easy to use, but you may not have a bottle to hand. Two home methods work well, and neither needs special equipment. Food colouring gives the blackest result, while black rice is a more natural option that takes a few days.
Black Vodka With Food Colouring
Add 8 to 10 drops each of red, green and blue liquid food colouring to a 70cl bottle of clear vodka, put the lid on and shake. Keep adding a few drops at a time until the vodka looks black in the bottle. Gel colourings are stronger, so use a tiny dab on a cocktail stick instead of drops. Black food colouring also works if you already have it.
Any plain clear vodka will do, because the colouring covers the look and the flavour stays the same. If anyone at your party reacts badly to red dye, check before you serve it.
Black Vodka With Black Rice
Put about 185g of black rice (roughly 1 cup) in a clean jar, pour over a 70cl bottle of vodka and leave it for a few days. Check the colour each day and strain it through a fine sieve or a coffee filter into a clean bottle when it looks dark enough. The result can look deep purple-black rather than pure black, and the rice adds very little flavour, but taste it before you mix.
Storing Homemade Black Vodka
Keep homemade black vodka in a sealed bottle in a cool, dark cupboard, as you would with any vodka. Label it clearly with what it is and the date, and keep it out of reach of children.
Activated Charcoal: A Last Resort
Some recipes use food-grade activated charcoal powder, which turns a drink grey-black. We would treat it as a last resort. The MHRA notes that charcoal has the potential to reduce the absorption of other medicines, and Mayo Clinic advises that other medicines should not be taken within 2 hours of activated charcoal.
Both pages describe charcoal taken as a medicine rather than in cocktails, so treat them as a reason for caution and not as dosing advice. Every recipe in this guide works without it. If you do use it, add only a small pinch, tell your guests, and ask a pharmacist first if you take regular medication.
Other Ways to Get a Very Dark Drink
A few other ingredients give a dark colour without charcoal. Crème de cassis and other blackcurrant liqueurs turn a drink deep purple, and black sambuca is a liquorice spirit that looks dark in the glass. A few drops of squid ink also turn a drink black, but squid is a mollusc, so it needs a clear warning for anyone with an allergy.
Black Vodka Cocktails
Each recipe below uses black vodka, but regular vodka works if that is what you have. The drink will taste the same and look paler.
Black Widow Martini
This is a dark, slightly tart martini with a hint of blackcurrant. Stir 50ml black vodka, 15ml crème de cassis and 10ml dry vermouth with ice for about 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Finish with a lemon twist. If you prefer a drier martini, cut the cassis to 10ml.
Midnight Mule
This is the easiest drink in the guide and a good way to see the colour against pale bubbles. Fill a copper mug or tall glass with ice, add 50ml black vodka and 15ml fresh lime juice, then top with about 120ml ginger beer. Stir once and add a lime wedge. It is a darker take on the classic Moscow Mule.
Dark Cosmopolitan
Shake 45ml black vodka, 15ml Cointreau, 15ml fresh lime juice and 30ml cranberry juice hard with ice, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist a strip of orange peel over the top and drop it in. The cranberry gives a deep burgundy tone that reads close to black in low light. Our Cosmopolitan guide covers the original pink version.
Black Espresso Martini
Shake 50ml black vodka, 25ml coffee liqueur, 25ml freshly brewed espresso (cooled) and 10ml sugar syrup hard with ice for about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with three coffee beans. The foam stays pale, so it makes a sharp contrast with the dark drink underneath. The classic Espresso Martini is in our cocktail database if you want the standard version.
Black Russian
Pour 50ml black vodka and 25ml coffee liqueur over ice in a rocks glass and stir. A normal Black Russian looks dark brown, and black vodka pushes it much closer to black. Add a splash of cream and you have a White Russian.
Black Lemon Drop
Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip it in sugar, using black sanding sugar if you can find it. Shake 50ml black vodka, 25ml lemon juice and 20ml sugar syrup with ice and strain into the glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel. The bright yellow against the dark drink is the whole point.
Black Cat
This is a long, fruity drink that suits anyone wary of strong cocktails. Fill a highball glass with ice, add 30ml black vodka, 30ml cherry liqueur (Cherry Heering is the classic choice) and 90ml cranberry juice, then top with about 90ml cola and stir gently. Garnish with a cherry.
Black Garden
This is the freshest drink on the list. Muddle 3 or 4 thin cucumber slices in a shaker, then add 50ml black vodka, 20ml elderflower liqueur and 15ml lime juice. Shake with ice and strain into a coupe, then garnish with a cucumber ribbon.
Tips for Serving Black Vodka Drinks
Test the colour in the lighting you will use on the night. A drink that looks black at a dim party can look dark grey in daylight. Clear glassware and pale garnishes such as lemon, white flowers and silver cocktail picks show the contrast best.
A good cocktail shaker makes the shaken drinks easier and colder. Drinks without fizz can be mixed a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge, then served over fresh ice with any fizzy mixer added at the last minute.
Tell your guests what is in their glass, especially if you have used red dye, charcoal or squid ink. If you are planning a Halloween party, our Halloween treats are an easy match for these drinks.
Please drink responsibly. A 50ml measure of 37.5% vodka is just under 2 UK units, and Drinkaware explains how units are worked out.
Black Vodka Cocktails FAQ
What does black vodka taste like?
Most people find black vodka tastes very close to regular vodka. Master of Malt’s tasting notes for Blavod mention pepper, cardamom and vanilla with a slightly cola-like finish, so it can be a touch spicier than a neutral vodka. Homemade black vodka made with food colouring tastes like the vodka you started with.
What makes black vodka black?
Blavod gets its colour from catechu, an extract from acacia trees. Homemade black vodka gets its colour from food colouring or from infusing black rice. Both methods change the look far more than the flavour.
What can you mix with black vodka?
You can mix black vodka with anything you would mix with ordinary vodka. Pale mixers such as ginger beer, tonic water and lemonade show the contrast best, while cranberry juice, coffee liqueur and blackcurrant keep the drink very dark.
Can you make a black cocktail without charcoal?
Yes. Use black vodka made with food colouring or black rice, or add dark ingredients such as coffee liqueur, crème de cassis and cranberry juice. Every recipe in this guide works without charcoal.
Is Eristoff Black the same as Blavod?
No. Eristoff Black is a sweet, wild berry flavoured spirit at around 20% ABV, while Blavod is 37.5% ABV and tastes much closer to standard vodka. Use Eristoff Black like a liqueur, and don’t swap it 1:1 for vodka in these recipes.
Can you make a non-alcoholic black drink?
Yes. Leave out the vodka and colour the mixer instead. A few drops each of red, green and blue food colouring work in lemonade, tonic water or ginger beer, and blackcurrant squash is naturally dark.
The Short Version
Black vodka is regular vodka with a black colouring, so it works in any vodka cocktail and the main change is how the drink looks. Pair it with pale mixers, float it on top for the darkest result, and make your own with food colouring or black rice if you can’t find a bottle. Skip activated charcoal unless you have checked it is suitable for your guests.
Continue Reading
- 15 Vodka Cocktails That Will Make You a Fan: more vodka drinks, from classics to fruity favourites.
- Types of Vodka: What They Are and What to Use Each One For: how to choose the right bottle for your drink.
- Pasta and Cocktail Pairings: 10 Drinks for Every Sauce: matching cocktails to dinner.
- Fall Apple Drinks: Fresh Juicing, Cider and Cocktails: more autumn drinks for the season.
