Aqua Velva Drink

The Aqua Velva Drink is a light blue, sparkling and sparkling cocktail! Here’s an improved version of the classic.

An aftershave-inspired drink? Yes, it’s this bright blue masterpiece: the Aqua Velva! As a child of the 1980s, he has a searing neon color that belies his birth. While some versions of this cocktail can be sweet, make it with fresh lemon juice and sparkling water and it’s a refreshing complex. However, the botanical notes of the gin shine and pair perfectly with the citrus fruits of Blue Curaçao. It even has a tiny taste of…deliciously drinkable aftershave.

What is the Aqua Velva drink?

Aqua Velva is a vodka, gin and Blue Curaçao based cocktail inspired by an aftershave brand of the same name. There is no documented history of origin for the drink, but some sources claim that sailors consumed the aftershave during World War II due to its alcohol content. Anyway, the Aqua Velva was invented to mimic the bright blue color. It has been popular since the 1980s and was featured in the 2007 film Zodiac.

What are the ingredients of Aqua Velva Drink? Typically these are vodka, gin, blue curacao, and sprite, but we found this way too sweet. Here’s how to get a high spin on this cocktail:

• vodka
• gin
• Blue Curaçao
• simple syrup
• lemon juice
• sparkling water (or substitute the last 3 ingredients with sparkling lemonade)

The best Aqua Velva? Use Lemon, not Sprite

When we created this Aqua Velva cocktail, we tried it two ways: with Sprite (or lemon-lime soda) and with freshly squeezed lemon and sparkling water. Here’s what we found:

• leprechaun gives a very mild taste. It masks the botanical notes of the gin and gives it an overall 1980s dance club flavor.
• Lemon juice, simple syrup and sparkling water is the best choice! It’s a light and refreshing drink where the zesty notes of lemon let the botanical notes of gin shine through.
• Sparkling lemonade works too! You can use store bought lemonade or make homemade sparkling lemonade (which are basically the 3 ingredients above).

All about Blue Curacao

The key ingredient in Aqua Velva Drink is Blue Curaçao! This noble liqueur brings the beautiful color to life. It’s easy to find at your local liquor store and you can use it to mix many other tasty blue drinks.

• Blue Curaçao is an artificially colored orange liqueur invented by Dutch settlers on the island of Curacao. There are several colors of Curaçao: the most popular today are clear and blue. Blue Curacao has been sold since 1912. It is flavored with Laraha orange peel, a species of orange that grows on the island.
• How to pronounce Curaçao? say it Cure-ah-souw.
• What does Blue Curacao taste like? It has a sweet orange peel flavor with a subtle bitter finish.
• How much does it cost? Blue Curaçao is inexpensive; A 750ml bottle costs about $10. Try to get a mid-range bottle; We like the Drillaud brand (avoid DeKuyper).

How to prepare an Aqua Velva drink

The Aqua Velva is our ideal lazy drink: you can build it right into the glass! Here’s what to do:

• stir: Put all the ingredients in a highball glass and finally add the sparkling water. Add ice and stir.
• Garnish: Add a slice of lemon if you like.
• Pitcher style: If you’re serving a crowd, make a pitcher! Below are instructions for mixing an 8 drink pitcher.

Other blue drinks to try

Do you like blue drinks? Growing up in the 1990’s these were the cocktails we aspired to when we came of age. Here are some delicious Blue Curacao drinks to try:

When to serve the Aqua Velva drink

The Aqua Velva drink is great for sipping in the summer or hot weather, but it works anytime. Try as:

• summer cocktail
• Happy hour drink
• Drink at dinner
• Late night drinks
• Evening drink between boys or between girls
• Aperitif at aperitif time