What does a Twinkle cocktail taste like?

Name: Twinkle Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 30 Ml SKYY vodka; 15 Ml elderflower cordial; Champagne, to top up; Lemon twist, to garnish; Ice

Twinkle Cocktail

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PREP TIME 5 min

Cocktail Type

Vodka

Great for

Wedding

Difficulty

Easy

JUMP TO RECIPE

The sparkly Twinkle Cocktail is festive, delicious, and gorgeous to pour—a wonderful drink to serve on special occasions. In short, almost anyone is bound to like it. However, if you are dyed-in-the-wool Downton Abbey fan, you are likely to love it. See, this photogenic cocktail was actually created in honour of the popular British TV series.

Much of this sweeping series takes place in 1920s England, and at the time London was the epicentre of the cocktail revolution, with legendary barman Harry Craddock shaking up sensational drinks for Britain’s upper crust at The Savoy.

So, when Downton Abbey captured the imagination of a generation, British barman Tony Conigliaro was tasked with creating a cocktail befitting the era, that viewers could also easily make at home.

The result was the Twinkle cocktail—a smidge of fizz, a kiss of vodka, and a fruity surprise will make any event sparkle with delight.

How to Make a Twinkle Cocktail

Here is the quick and easy way to whip up a Twinkle cocktail that would be worthy to serve to the likes of the Dowager Countess of Grantham and her well-heeled Downton Abbey kin. Like most 3 ingredient cocktails, it’s quite forgiving on beginners, and makes a splash regardless.

QUICK TIPS

Brut Champagne balances the flavor profile nicely

Go slowly when you add the bubbles to prevent spillage

Gorgeous with canapes like mini parma ham tartlets

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

1 Person

30 Ml

1 Oz

1 Parts

SKYY vodka

15 Ml

0.5 Oz

0.5 Parts

elderflower cordial

Champagne, to top up

Lemon twist, to garnish

Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the vodka and elderflower cordial to a shaker with ice

Strain into a glass

Top with Champagne

Add a lemon twist and serve

Important tips

Here are a few top tips to help you pour a picture-perfect Twinkle cocktail every time:

Choose the right kind of bubbly

Champagne vodka cocktails like the Twinkle are mostly made with a brut Champagne that has a dry profile. This helps to balance out the sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. However, if you and your guests prefer something a little sweeter, feel free to swap it out for a mid-range bubbly or something sweeter still. It all depends on what you like.

Don’t try to add all the bubbly at once

When charging the glasses with Champagne, take your time. If you try to add it all at once you are likely to end up with a messy overflow. Instead, add an inch or so to the glass, wait a bit, and then fill it up once the foam from the first pour has settled.

Keep the bubbles out of the shaker

Most cocktails call for all the ingredients to be added to the shaker so it’s well combined. However, this is also a very good way to lose the bubbles in your Champagne. So, make sure to follow the recipe steps, and only add it after the shaking has occurred.

How to customise a Twinkle Cocktail

The Twinkle is currently trending as a popular wedding party and bachelorette drink and can be adapted to suit the tastes of your guests quite easily, even if you are hosting a sober-curious crowd.

When you’re planning a bachelorette party and you need a cocktail that caters to the non-drinkers in the bride’s crowd, simply switch up the Twinkle cocktail to create a mocktail by leaving out the vodka and subbing sparkling apple juice for Champagne.

Another way to make the drink your own is to play around with different types of liqueurs. You could, for instance, swop out the elderflower cordial for something zesty like Grand Marnier. It will push up the ABV of the cocktail, but also adds a delightful orange blossom vibe that is just gorgeous.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Downton Abbey-inspired Twinkle cocktail comes to the party with a smidge of fizz, a kiss of vodka, and a fruity surprise that will make any event sparkle with delight.