Vodka Collins

Vodka Collins is a sweet and tangy highball cocktail that reimagines the classic Tom Collins! This fizzy recipe always hits the mark.

It’s high, it sparkles and it goes down easily: it’s the Collins Vodka! This version of the Tom Collins is essentially a sparkling vodka lemonade. Easy to drink and a classic, the base drink dates back to the 1870s when cocktails were just starting to emerge. Take a sip and it’s sweet, tingly and ultra refreshing. This is one of our favorite vodka drinks.

What’s in a Collins Vodka?

The Vodka Collins Cocktail is a highball drink made with vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water. It’s a take on the classic Tom Collins cocktail, which dates back to at least 1869 and is said to have been named after a London waiter of the same name. Over the years it has spawned other variations such as the John Collins (with whiskey) and the tall glass it is served in is often referred to as the ‘Collins glass’.

It’s unclear exactly when Vodka Collins was launched, but it’s a popular variation on the theme. You might not notice it right away, but the ingredients are the same as a sparkling vodka lemonade. Here are the ingredients you will need:

How to make a Collins Vodka

Like most highball cocktails, you can build a Vodka Collins in a glass! That means you don’t have to mess up a cocktail shaker. Here’s what to do (or jump straight to the recipe):

1. Pour the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup into a glass. add ice.
2. Top up with sparkling water. Use as many as you like and what fits in your glass.
3. Garnish! Top it off with a cocktail cherry and a lemon wedge. Add a fun straw if you wish!

Notes on sparkling water

What is sparkling water? It is our collective term for sparkling water, club soda and seltzer water. Here are the different options for adding bubbles to a Collins Vodka:

• Selters, also known as carbonated water or sparkling water is a carbonated water without additives, which is carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s the basis of brands like La Croix or what comes out of a SodaStream. Sparkling mineral The water is made with water from a mineral spring such as Perrier or Topo Chico. You can use any of these brands to make a Collins vodka! (In fact, it’s delicious with La Croix.)
• Soda is a sparkling water enriched with added minerals that give it a salty or slightly sweet taste. It’s as good as the options above, and you won’t notice a huge difference in taste.

Step it up: clear toppings and ice cubes

You can make a Collins Vodka without any accompaniments and it tastes good, but it looks like a glass of water. How to really make it shine with toppings:

• Add a slice of lemon and a cocktail cherry. These little adders take drinking to the next level.
• Use clear ice! Clear ice is crystal clear ice cubes instead of cloudy ice from an ice cube tray. You can make this at home with a smaller cooler or clear ice maker, and it’s the key to an amazing drink. Go to How to make transparent ice.

Variations on the Collins

The Collins has produced many variations using different liqueurs, syrups and other flavors. Here are our favorite Collins drinks to try: