Last Updated on January 17, 2021 by Fiona Maclean
Vodka Martini with a festive twist – Damson Vodka Martini from Cove
I’m excited. There are certain flavours that I remember with fondness from my childhood. My grandmother’s best homemade jam was damson – made with fruit from the tree at the bottom of her garden. She used to leave the stones in which gave the jam an almondy taste. Spread on buttered bread or toast it was my perfect breakfast and dolloped into yoghurt a creamy piquant treat. Damson liqueur is already a winner in my book before I even open the bottle.
Cove Vodka from Devon uses local west country damsons combined with their own potato vodka that they make using the King Edward potatoes that grow on their family farm. It sounds to me like a grown-up version of my childhood favourite and I’m totally in love with the concept. Potato vodka is creamy and smoother than grain-based vodkas or those made with sugars or fruit. The distilled base is usually neutral in flavour and the artisan vodka produced by Cove sounds perfect as a base for my favourite fruit liqueur. And perfect for a Christmas cocktail too. A shaken not stirred vodka martini with a twist!
The potatoes which make Cove Vodka are grown in fields overlooking Hope Cove, South Milton Sands and Burgh Island. It’s a fabulous location, a quintessentially English seaside that was popular with Agatha Christie, Noel Coward and even Winston Churchill. I’m sure they’d have enjoyed Cove Vodka if it had been around, but, although the family behind Cove Vodka have been growing potatoes there for 60 years, the first batch of vodka was made from potatoes harvested in September 2018. I can’t think of a better combination of base ingredients though – potatoes grown in the fresh sea air, Devon spring water and local damsons, just like the ones my grandmother used…
You can sip the damson liqueur on its own – or if you are feeling adventurous try making our Damson Vodka Martini – a delicious twist on a classic with just a hint of Damson liqueur to complement the ultra-smooth Cove Vodka. All you need is a cocktail shaker, ice, some damson liqueur and of course some vodka. And, your choice of garnish – I rather like a little fresh lemon but some berries would work well too.
Without further ado, here’s how to make a damson vodka martini. It’s the kind of drink which feel ultra Christmassy – and which I could happily sip all evening.
Simple Vodka Martini with Damson liqueur
- 50 ml vodka I used Cove Vodka
- 20 ml damson liqueur (vodka base) I used Cove Damson Liqueur
- Ice
- lemon zest and slice
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fill a cocktail shaker with ice
-
add the vodka and damson liqueur
-
shake well until chilled
-
strain and pour into a martini glass
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take a slice of lemon peel and express over the drink to add zest of lemon
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garnish with a half slice of lemon
Now, if you’d like to try Damson Liqueur and Cove Vodka for Christmas, you can order online from their website or from a range of well known online retailers. And, there’s a chance for you to win a bottle of Cove Damson Liqueur too as part of our 12 days of Christmas giveaway. Just fill in the rafflecopter – remembering to answer the mandatory question
Good luck! And remember we are running 12 giveaways in the lead up to Christmas.
This is day ten of our 12 days of Christmas giveaway series. There are more giveaways coming soon – and to make sure you don’t miss any of the ones we are already running, here’s a quick summary for you!
- Day One you can win a limited edition hand sanitiser worth £20
- Day Two brings you two splendid bottles of Grand Mayne Wine
- Day Three is a selection of seasonal relishes from Hawkshead
- Day Four is a tea and cake selection from Ginger Bakers
- Day Five brings cheer in the shape of a bottle of Brockmans Gin
- Day Six is a great pre-Christmas pick-me-up of tea and coffee worth £29 from Farrer’s Artisan Tea shop
- Day Seven brings you the chance to win Pure Heavenly Chocolate – a luxury box worth £26
- Day Eight is the full range of Saintly Divine Plant-Based Desserts worth £26
- Day Nine brings you a gift voucher for £40 to spend on party foods at Frank Dale!
So don’t forget to check all the links and enter – after all, you need to be in it to win it…
With soda and ice
The recipe looks delicious
Blended with frozen strawberries and a dash of lime
I would have this neat with lots of ice
I would have it with Prosecco and make a cocktail with it 🍸
I’d drink it with gin, tonic water, orange zest and ice
This sounds delicious, I would service this neat with lots of ice
I think it would be great with some Prosecco. Love Damsons we had four trees in the garden when I was young and my dad used to make damson wine.
I would drink it with ice and lemonade.
with Prosecco for a festive cocktail!
I’m thinking it would be fab with vodka over ice as you suggest, but I’d top it up with some ginger ale, thinking that would complement the damson flavour.
Perfect with some prosecco for a Christmas cocktail!
Id serve it with ice a slice of lemon and some lemonade!!! 🙂
I like mine on a drip. one in each arm as i suck an icecube. yum
Ice and a splash of lemonade
In your Damson Vodka Martini recipe first, and then I’d experiment with it afterwards.
I would like it simple, ice and a dash of lemonade!
With tonic, ice and creme de cassis
In a tall glass with ice
This looks a lovely Christmas drink
With Ice
With ice for me
I’d love it mixed with sparkling water, crushed ice and a twist of lime!
Just with some ice
I’d try the damson vodka martini, having never tried one before it sounds great, so I’d love to try it 😍
With lemonade, ice and a slice
Your Damson Vodka cocktail sounds great but would also try with prosecco
Just with some ice
I would imagine it would be great with prosecco like a kir royale.
I’d have it straight on the rocks
I’d have it with lemonade ice and a dash of lime
I think it would go well with some lemonade 😊
I would add vodka and sparkling water.
With lemonade and ice
Maybe I’d have it with some lemonade 😍
Id try the Vodka Martini. Sounds delicious
I would be making the Damson Vodka Martini for sure!
I would definitely be making myself a Damson Vodka Martini and I might even make one for my husband too.
I would try this neat but making sure it was very cold
Tied it last night after a difficult day at work! Flipping lush
With Vodka a dash of tonic and plenty of ice. x
Mmm delicious! With ice would be lovely and I love damsons. That would make a delectable cocktail!
Tonic and ice.
In a Damson Vodka Martini
With ice on its own or with cranberry and fizz to make a cocktail.
I would love to drink it with ice
I would have it with elderflower tonic and maybe a splash of vodka
Tonic with ice
I’d love it mixed up with sloe gin and elderflower cordial. Garnish with some fruit and a sugar/salt rim.
I would absolutely love it on its own I think, sounds wonderful.
Perfect with ice and lemon.
Sounds like it would be good in a cocktail, maybe with rum and ginger beer
On the rocks or with tonic
I think simply with ice
I’m not sure how I’d enjoy it as I’ve never tried it (but I’d love to!!).
I typically mix with lemonade so I’d try that first!
I would enjoy this with lemonade, ice and lime
vodka and ice, yummy and of course 5 stars!
I’d mix it with lemonade & ice!
definitely with some ice
Low cal lemonade and ice
Great recipe. I’d enjoy it with ice.
What a lovely prize! I would enjoy it with lemonade
With ice
I would enjoy it with lemonade, ice and a slice of lemon too.
With ice 🧊 🎄🎅🏻
Never tried before so the first sip is always neat.
I would enjoy it with some ice and lemonade
With lemonade, ice and a slice!
With ice and lemon
I would sip the damson liqueur on its own
lots of ice and lemonade !!!
With ice 🥰
I would love to try this neat with my coffee!
Love the idea of the Damson Vodka Martini and would also like to drizzle this liquor into a plum and figgy pudding
I would serve it in shot glasses as a nice Christmas toast
I would love to try this with some tonic water.
I’d enjoy it neat, over ice
On the rocks, I think 🙂
I love gin cocktails so I would probably make something gin related
I would love to try this. I would try on its own at Christmas would be fantastic
Served with lemonade and ice, among friends and family
lota of liquers are perfect neat for my taste, so i would try it neat first x
with tonic.
yummy this looks lovel.y I would have with some pink lemonade
Cocktail with Vodka, ice and tonic
With some ice cubes
Cold Lemonade, lots of Ice, a bit of fresh lemon, and mint.
Neat vodka, lots of ice and enjoying it with some crisps in front of the tv, you cant go wrong!
I’d try it on the rocks.
Over ice 🙂
love vodka,with soda water and fresh lime
Love vodka
I’d add a dash of the liqeur to Prosecco or Champagne
Definitely neat on the rocks, very refreshing
I reckon this would be tasty with a little vodka and lemon juice xx
I think it could be nice in some mulled wine with some spices
I’ve never tried Damson before, it sounds interesting
Just over ice to really enjoy the flavour!
Over some ice in a fancy glass!
Sounds lovely I would add to my gin!
The damson vodka martini recipe sounds amazing!
This sounds so lovely! Would be a great different option for Christmas
Would love to try this. I remember Damson wine with my Mother, many years ago.
i think a good glug on christmas pudding would be delicious, although unconventional
A very quaffable martini. I like to drink it in a series of consecutive glasses not fewer than 3.
I have never tried this before but would like to.
Couple of cubes of ice, glass in freezer and Bobs your uncle
ice cold on the rocks with good company
Neat with a little ice perfect
Try it with a quality ginger and one ice cube – it’s really nice.
Sorry I forgot to click the stars.
Just with ice would be lovely!
I’m thinking with fizz!
Neat at room temperature to enjoy the flavour fully.
I would love to try it with lemonade and lots of ice
With lemonade if I’m feeling indulgent or soda for something more refreshing
I would have it with lemonade. It sounds delicious!
Neat, on the rocks.
I haven’t tried this before, but it does sound wonderful!
I’d try the Damson Vodka Martin recipe. Sounds lovely.
I’d have it on the rocks with ice
I’d have it on the rocks with ice.
I would try it on its own
I’m definitely having a go at this recipe it sounds delicious!
I would enjoy it on its own before I decided what to mix with it.
might be a bit odd but I would maybe try a little of this poured over ice-cream!
I’d love to try this topped up with Prosecco on Christmas Eve.
l would like to enjoy it on its own, to savour the flavour
On its own sounds delicious
I would probably have it on its own.
I would drink it neat
I ‘d probably drink this with green tea.
I would drink it neat as an after dinner treat.
I suspect I would find this rather sweet for my taste, so I would balance the sweetness with hibiscus tonic and a squeeze of lime
I would love to try it with some ice cold lemonade
I love a new cocktail – damsons have a rich fruity flavour so this martini sounds good. A liqueur worth trying.
once I try it, I shall be able to mark it
Neat in a small glass. Delicious.
I think it would be nice with lemonade
Wow this sounds amazing! I would definitely try it neat on the rocks to start with and maybe with some really good quality tonic! Fab
I love damsons – this looks delicious!
I’ve never tried damson before but it sounds delicious.
I think perfect with vodka and garnished with berries