What does a Cosmopolitan taste like?
A Cosmopolitan tastes tangy and lightly sweet: citrus vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lime and a splash of cranberry, shaken into a cold, pink, fruity sour.
Cosmopolitan
tart, pink and citrusy
A Cosmopolitan is citrus vodka, Cointreau or triple sec, fresh lime and a little cranberry juice, shaken and served up in a martini glass. Despite the pink, it isn't a sugary drink when it's made well. The cranberry is there for color and a tart, berry edge, the lime keeps it bright, and the orange liqueur rounds it off with a little sweetness. The vodka keeps the whole thing clean. A good Cosmo tastes like a sharp, pink cousin of the margarita. A bad one tastes like cranberry cocktail.
Where you’ll see it
On classic and nineties-throwback cocktail lists, served up with a lime wheel or flamed orange peel. Sex and the City made it famous, and many bars still serve it exactly that way.
Order it if you want something tart, fruity and cold that is not too sweet.
Quick questions
- Is a Cosmopolitan sweet?
- Not very, when made well. It is balanced and tangy. Versions with lots of cranberry cocktail or sour mix are much sweeter.
- Is a Cosmo strong?
- It's a medium-strong shaken drink, about like a margarita. Vodka and orange liqueur make up most of it.