Two look-alike spirits, vodka and gin share an obvious kinship. It’s not just that they're both clear and colorless, but because one is essentially the base for the other. Vodka is a neutral spirit, typically distilled from grains, that has more kick than flavor. Also a neutral spirit, gin is infused with juniper and a spectrum of exotic aromatics. Now, vodka makers have come up with a wealth of flavorings to rival gin’s possibilities.
That, coupled with gin’s rediscovery in the cocktail renaissance, suggests a reexamination of some of the classics of mixology. Here, we’ve taken drinks we historically know as gin recipes and tried them with vodka, and then turned the process about. Read on for some of the best results.
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