Problem: I Like Vodka, So I Always Order It with Soda.

Vodka: you love it. You love it so much you order it exactly the same way every time. If you’re feeling sweet you might opt for some cranberry juice. If you’re feeling fancy, you might even go for the martini. But as Duane Fernandez Jr., creator of the cocktail menu at Ktchn in The Out NYC knows, vodka’s versatility is the key to unlocking its potential enjoyment. “You can combine it with any flavor imaginable given that it is somewhat of an odorless and flavorless white spirit,” he explains. “[I] have worked with vodka for many years, because I can create what I want.”

Fernandez is all about flavor and is a big fan of infused vodkas, which make the spirit more palatable without masking that it’s alcohol. It’s not that you’re doing it wrong. It’s just that you could be doing it so much better. Here Fernandez outlines a few sophisticated yet simple alternatives to that tired vodka-and-soda combo.

A More Creative Screwdriver

Bloody Fierce
2 oz Grey Goose Cherry Noir
3 oz blood orange juice
Club soda

A Greyhound That Sparkles

Purity Sparkling Greyhound
2 oz Purity Vodka
¾ oz grapefruit juice
Sparkling wine

A Revival of A Forgotten Classic

Moscow Mule
2 oz Russian Standard
½ oz lime juice
Ginger beer

A More Serious Than a Martini

The Natural Beauty
2 oz Voli Lyte
½ oz dry vermouth
¼ oz water

A Fresher Vodka Cranberry

Cranberry Caipiroska
2 oz 42Below
Muddled whole cranberries and lime
Sour mix