The Spicy Vodgarita

There’s a great distillery near our home called Loaded Cannon – they make flavored vodkas, rums, gins, bourbons – you name the spirit, they make it! Recently I had a cocktail there that used vodka instead of tequila as the base for a spicy margarita. It was delicious so I set out to create my own, which I call the spicy Vodgarita!

The Spicy Vodgarita - photo by Laurie Geis

Flavored spirits are all the rage these days. There are the classics, like coconut rum, lime vodka, vanilla bourbon, cinnamon whiskey, and rose gin. And then, there are the really weird ones. A quick check on-line of what’s available resulted in the following “finds” based on my search:  smoked salmon vodka, sesame and popcorn rum, cinnamon churro vodka, cookies and cream whiskey, pure milk vodka, and “Anty” gin made with red wood ants (each bottle apparently contains the essence of around 62 ants) – yum!!

Our local distillery here in Sarasota, Loaded Cannon, also makes some unique and unusual flavored spirits, most of which I really enjoy and others do as well – they routinely receive awards for their spirits in competitions across the country. While they have a long list of traditional flavored spirits that are all very good, they also venture out past the “tried and true” in their unusual offerings. Just a few examples include chocolate cocoa vodka, pumpkin pie rum, peanut butter whiskey, and maple pecan rum.

In addition to offering samples of any of their spirits, they also offer craft cocktails made with their spirits. Recently, I enjoyed a great spicy margarita made with their mango habanero vodka. The cocktail was tart and fruity, with a nice “burning” heat that hit you up front and also on the finish. The vodka itself is somewhat sweet, with a lighter-than-expected heat sensation from the habanero. So I knew they had definitely added more spice into the mix, probably using a pepper-infused simple syrup. I enjoyed it so much that I had two, and then committed to creating my own version of the drink – which I decided to call the spicy Vodgarita!

I used the mango habanero vodka as the base spirit, but you could use any hot pepper-flavored vodka (like Absolut Peppar or Scolville Jalapeno vodkas, both available at Total Wine). I then created my own homemade habanero-flavored simple syrup and added fresh lime juice and orange liqueur into the mix as well. The result was a nicely spicy margarita with a smooth, clean finish courtesy of the vodka. Give this one a try – you won’t be disappointed!

Spicy Vodgarita (makes 1 cocktail)

This sassy and spicy riff on the classic margarita switches out flavored vodka for the traditional tequila, and a homemade habanero pepper simple syrup to up the heat of the cocktail. Use a pepper-infused vodka here – I use a mango-habanero vodka made by a local distillery here in Sarasota, but you can find plenty of others at your liquor store or Total Wine if you have one near you.

Ingredients

2 oz. pepper-infused vodka

2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

1 oz. orange liqueur (like Cointreau or Grand Marnier)

1 oz. habanero infused simple syrup (see recipe below)

2 tbsp. granulated sugar (for sugar rim)

Lime wheel for garnish

Directions

Make the simple syrup.

Pour the sugar on a small plate and distribute evenly into a thin layer. Rub a cut lime around the top rim of a rocks glass. Press the glass into the sugar to coat the rim with the sugar – set aside.

Combine the vodka, lime juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with lime wheel.

Habanero-infused Simple Syrup Recipe (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 habanero peppers, quartered (keep the seeds for a spicier syrup)

Directions

Combine sugar, water, and habanero peppers into a medium saucepan and heat on medium high heat until liquid starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously until sugar is completely dissolved and the habanero peppers have time to infuse the syrup with their flavors, about 10-15 minutes (adjust the simmer time to less or more depending on how spicy you want the syrup – taste frequently to gauge spiciness). Let cool and then refrigerate – it will last for a few weeks. I like to store it in a plastic squeeze bottle which makes it really easy to add when building a cocktail.