13 Vodka Infusions You Need To Start Making

Bracingly refreshing, cucumber and mint-infused vodka makes cocktails perfect for summertime — or anytime you need an invigorating pick-me-up. Because mint and cucumber are best when they're cool, don't use a method that would heat them in any way. So, stay away from the sous vide technique for this flavor combination. Either a simple maceration or blender process will work best.

There are many varieties of cucumbers, and depending on what you have, you will want to treat them differently when making your infusion. English cucumbers are a great option thanks to their sweet flavor and nearly seedless flesh. Along with Persian cucumbers, they have thin skin that doesn't need to be peeled before joining the infusion, as it won't impart bitterness like some other varieties. That category includes garden and Kirby cucumbers, which should be peeled and deseeded first.

You can add chopped cucumber and mint leaves to the vodka together, or keep them separate by using a tea ball infuser or cheesecloth bag for the mint. This method gives you more control over each flavor. Check the infusion periodically until it's to your taste, then use the strained vodka in place of gin to make the most refreshing gimlet you've ever had in your life.

Infusing vodka with fresh berries gives you a delicious, fruity spirit. Moreover, it's an easy way to preserve seasonal flavors so you can enjoy them all year long. You can make your berry-flavored vodka even more complex, intense, and flavorful by adding fresh herbs to the mix. There are countless combinations of berries and herbs that you can experiment with, all of which bring a unique character to cocktails.

Basil goes with practically every type of berry, so it's a great addition to a mixed berry infusion. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry play well with some gently crushed basil leaves. That mix will give you a wonderfully layered vodka so packed with flavor that it can be enjoyed on its own, served chilled in a martini glass, or enjoyed on the rocks topped with soda. If you want to keep things simple, blueberry and lavender or blackberry and sage both make a great pair. Meanwhile, thyme makes a fantastic partner for strawberries and raspberries' tartness matches up well with intense fresh herbs like oregano. Try different combinations of your favorites — the possibilities are nearly endless.

Infusing vodka with tea is one of the simplest ways to add intense, complex flavors to the spirit. Any type of tea can be used to add its own unique character, so feel free to experiment with your favorites. Tea bags or loose leaves both work well here, as tea is made to be steeped in liquid, so its flavors transmit easily into the vodka. Thus, tea infusions can be made relatively quickly, typically taking less than a day to get a good flavor intensity. 

What makes Earl Grey tea such a wonderful ingredient for a vodka infusion is that its signature ingredient is bergamot, a unique citrus fruit. This makes the tea-flavored vodka particularly suitable for cocktails, as it matches well with other citrus ingredients. Bergamot is an intensely aromatic fruit, and this fragrance can be enhanced even more by adding some fresh bergamot peels to your infusion in addition to the tea. The fruit is only in season for a short time, so keep your eyes peeled during winter months for this special citrus. Try it in this greyhound recipe.

If your palate leans more in the savory direction than the sweet, dill pickle-infused vodka may be the spirit you've been looking for. Pickling spice mix is easy to put together using whole spices, and by doing it yourself you can customize the mixture to suit your palate. The addition of herbs and other fresh ingredients lifts and enhances the flavors of the spice mix to create a symphony of savory flavors.

Pickling spice typically includes peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, and red pepper flakes. Other ingredients like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger can be thrown into the mix as well. To make your infusion take on the dill pickle flavor, you can add both dill seeds and fresh sprigs of dill to the vodka. Garlic is up to you — it may be too intense for some palates, but a necessity for others. Simply add peeled cloves, just as you would when making a pickle brine. Hot peppers can also be added if you like you're partial to a spicy pickle flavor.

Dill pickle vodka is so flavorful it can easily be enjoyed on its own, as a refreshing chilled shot, or stirred with a dash of vermouth to make a savory martini variation. You can even add pickle brine to make a dirty pickle martini with a double dose of pickle flavor.

Vanilla vodka is one of the most popular commercially-produced flavors out there, and it's not hard to understand why — vanilla is a delicious, luxurious, and versatile ingredient. But if you want to stay away from mass-produced products that use artificial vanilla flavoring, you're in luck, because making a vanilla bean-infused vodka at home is extremely easy. The only drawback is the expense, as vanilla beans are not cheap. However, the payoff of having pure, clean, and natural vanilla flavor in your infusion is well worth the cost and minimal effort.

There are several varieties of vanilla beans to choose from. Vanilla is native to Mesoamerica, and Mexican vanilla beans are still considered the finest quality. Thick and flavorful, these particular beans will give your vodka great depth and intensity. Tahitian beans exhibit a more delicate, aromatic quality. Madagascar vanilla beans have a strong if not particularly complex flavor. Less-commonly found Uganda beans are extremely rich and sweet. 

You'll only need one or two beans to infuse a bottle of vodka. Slice down the middle of the pod, but not all the way through as you don't want to lose any of the flavorful interior. After a few days, your vodka will turn a gorgeous honeyed amber color and will be filled with pure vanilla goodness, ready to upgrade your dessert cocktails and more.

The combination of lychee and rose creates a stunningly-perfumed, romantically-hued vodka infusion that brims with intoxicating aromas and flavors. While you can find rose and lychee extracts and concentrates, using the actual fruits and petals will give you fresh, natural flavors that can't be achieved otherwise. 

Indigenous to southern China, the tropical lychee fruit can be found fresh at many Asian markets (if you can't find them fresh, canned lychees will work in a pinch). They have tough red skin and a large pit to work around to get to the tender, juicy flesh, which you can chop and add to your vodka. The lychees will take longer to impart their flavor than the rose, so you may want to give the fruit a few days with the vodka before you add the floral component.

For the rose element, if you're using fresh petals, make sure they're organically grown to avoid pesticide contamination. You'll want to thoroughly wash and dry them before adding them to your mixture, too. Otherwise, there are many food-grade edible dried rose petals available to purchase that will work perfectly. Rose can be a strong scent and flavor, so use it with caution and make sure you're tasting your infusion daily to get the flavor balance just right. Lychee and rose vodka is delightful when it's simply topped with sparkling wine.

The complex flavors of Thai cuisine come together in beverage form when you infuse vodka with lemongrass, makrut lime, and ginger. Fresh makrut limes can be hard to find, but it's the leaves you want for your infusion, which are super fragrant with a bright, citrusy aroma tinged with floral notes. You can find them in dried form, similar to bay leaves. If you do come across fresh makrut limes, you can add the peeled rind to your infusion, too.

To prepare lemongrass for the infusion, trim the ends and remove the woody outer layer if necessary. You can leave the sticks whole, or chop them into smaller pieces, while lightly crushing them will help them release flavor quickly. Peeled and chopped ginger is the final ingredient in this trio, adding its unique spicy heat to the mix. Together these flavors create a bright, heavily aromatic, complex, and intriguing vodka that makes a great ingredient in a mule — a Moscow mule by way of Bangkok. It also works well in vodka-based tiki drinks and any cocktail that involves coconut. If you like things spicy, you can also add bird's eye chiles to this infusion.