Russian Spring Punch Cocktail Recipe
Vodka, lemon and cassis lengthened with sparkling wine over crushed ice — deep red at the bottom, pale at the top.
- Category: New Era Drinks
- Glass: Highball glass
- ABV: 12%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Vodka25 ml (0.8 oz)
- Fresh lemon juice25 ml (0.8 oz)
- Crème de cassis15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Simple syrup10 ml (0.3 oz)
- Sparkling wine75 ml (2.5 oz)
How to Make It
- Shake vodka, lemon juice, cassis and syrup with ice.
- Strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice.
- Top with sparkling wine.
- Garnish with blackberries and a lemon slice.
Garnish
Blackberries and a lemon slice
What it tastes like
It smells of lemon and lime peel, fruit notes come forward, it is carbonated and it drinks cool and easy.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Vodka
- Vodka brings body and alcohol rather than flavour; its job is to get out of the way of everything else. Which is why, in a vodka drink, how fresh the juice is matters far more than the brand.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Freshly squeezed lemon; one lemon gives 30-40 ml. It can swap with lime, but lemon is softer and less aromatic, so use a touch more.
- Simple syrup
- One part sugar to one part water, stirred until it dissolves — no need to boil it. Keeps a month in the fridge. No syrup? Use the same amount of honey, loosened with a little water.
The Story
Dick Bradsell's, made in London in the 1990s — the same bartender who gave the world the Espresso Martini and the Bramble.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Russian Spring Punch mixed?
- It is shaken and served in a highball glass.
- How strong is a Russian Spring Punch?
- Roughly 12% ABV as served — right around a glass of wine — an aperitif or an early-evening drink.
- Can a Russian Spring Punch be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Russian Spring Punch hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
The main ingredient here is also a dream symbol: Wine in a dream
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.