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The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
The black magic is a creepy cocktail that features an onyx-colored vodka for a spooky look that tastes great, too. It makes the perfect themed cocktail for a Halloween party when you want something that's tall and refreshing, whether you're serving a crowd or just a few people.
This is a very easy recipe that creates a dark soda highball flavored with the sweetness of grenadine—much like a spiked Shirley Temple. For the black vodka, you have two options: use Blavod or make your own. Whichever you choose, it's a fun novelty drink for a party that everyone's sure to enjoy.
Ingredients
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2 ounces black vodka
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1/2 ounce grenadine
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3 to 5 ounces lemon-lime soda, to taste
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Maraschino cherry, for garnish
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Pour the vodka and grenadine into an ice-filled collins glass.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Top with soda and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Serve and enjoy!
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Tips
- Blavod is the only black vodka that's commercially produced. It can be difficult to find at times; it typically appears in liquor stores around Halloween and can be found in some stores year-round. It is an unflavored vodka, though the catechu extract used to make it black does impart a slightly herbal finish.
- It's incredibly easy to make your own black vodka using any vodka you choose. A few drops of blue, green, and red food coloring are all you need. It's not perfect, but it is a quick and inexpensive way to create this novelty ingredient.
- Stir the drink after adding the soda if you prefer. Otherwise, serve it with a straw and stir as you go.
- When left unstirred, the grenadine will sink to the bottom—just like in a tequila sunrise—and produce a bloody base for your dark drink.
Recipe Variations
- You can certainly make this drink with any vodka you like. Black vodka is not required, it just adds to the spectacle.
- Pour ginger ale or any other light colored soda that you like instead of the lemon-lime soda.
- Add a creepy garnish to really get everyone in the Halloween spirit! The lychee eyeball would be a fun option for this drink and is made by stuffing a gelatinous lychee fruit with a blueberry and red fruit preserves. Place it on top of the ice and it will surprise anyone who goes to take a drink!
How Strong Is a Black Magic Cocktail?
As with most soda-topped highballs, the black magic is a relatively light drink. When made with 80-proof vodka, it will have an alcohol content around 11 percent ABV (22 proof). It's like drinking a glass of wine, only with a special effect that makes it a lot more fun!
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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243 | Calories |
0g | Fat |
29g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 1 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 243 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 0g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 20mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 29g | 11% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
Total Sugars 26g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin C 1mg | 3% |
Calcium 8mg | 1% |
Iron 0mg | 1% |
Potassium 25mg | 1% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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