The Basic Blues

To start mixing blue cocktails, you’re going to need a blue base. The three possibilities are: Blue Curaçao, Bombay Sapphire Gin, or Blue Vodka, none of which are blue!

Blue Curaçao looks blue, but it is clear with artificial coloring. When you first see the Bombay Sapphire Gin bottle you wonder, “Is the gin blue, or is it the bottle?” The answer is, “It’s the bottle”. Blue Vodka, as such, doesn’t really exist. But, there are numerous brands of vodka that have “blue” in their name. Absolut Blue, Stolichnaya Blue, Blue Ice, Cayman Blue, Ultra Blue, Blue Kube, Blue Wave, Scandic Blue, Blue Angel, and even Van Gogh Blue are all vodkas that appear perfectly clear.

So why call them “blue”?

Surprisingly, it may have started in India. When England colonized India, the aristocratic British officials who re-located there brought all the luxuries of home with them, including their gin. Hence, Bombay Gin.

Queen Victoria is pictured on the label of Bombay gin.

But, there was strong gin, and then there was very strong gin. How would the servants tell the difference between 80-proof and 94-proof when they couldn’t read the labels? A simple solution was to add blue coloring to the special, higher-proof gin. (Please note: this explanation is based on hearsay from a pub in Reading, England near closing time.) The fact is, the descriptor “blue” indicates a higher quality when applied to any liquor, for example, Johnny Walker Blue Label. Back to the three choices. As a base for a blue cocktail Blue Curaçao is by far the most popular. There are literally hundreds of drinks based on it. Here is a just small sampling. On to the the drinks already!

Blue Lagoon
According to In the Spirit, a website for drink recipes, the Blue Lagoon is a classic which regularly appears in the list of Top Ten most popular cocktail ideas.There are many variations on this recipe, the but favorite is a combination of De Kuyper Blue Curaçao and Vodka topped up with lemonade.

Day Dream
Curaçao paired with Champagne! Shake these ingredients in these proportions and serve in a Champagne flute.

4 / 10 of Gin
2 / 10 of blue curacao
2 / 10 of white grape juice
2 / 10 of Dry vermouth and of course Champagne

The ‘Something Blue’ Wedding Cocktail
Is it true that Queen Victoria was the first to say, “Something old, Something new, Something Borrowed, Something Blue”? (That’s what they say they in some pubs South of London.) Whether it was Her Majesty or some Cockney char woman, we’re still saying it today. This one derives its blue color from Hpnotiq, which is a blend of Exotic Fruit Juices, Premium Vodka and a Touch of Cognac.

Ingredients: