MadrasCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
The Madras is a simple vodka highball that sits in the same easy-drinking family as other juice-forward mixed drinks that rose to prominence in late-20th-century bar culture. Rather than leaning on complex modifiers, it keeps things bright and approachable, built around a clean base spirit and familiar fruit juices. You’ll find it’s the kind of order that fits right in anywhere a no-fuss, tall drink is welcome.
On the palate, vodka provides a neutral backbone that lets the juices do the talking. Orange juice brings rounded sweetness and a soft, sunny citrus character, while cranberry juice adds a sharper, tangy edge and a lightly drying fruitiness. Together, the orange smooths out the cranberry’s bite, and the cranberry keeps the orange from feeling too sweet, giving you a balanced, refreshing sip from start to finish.
Serve it when you want something light, casual, and crowd-pleasing—ideal for daytime get-togethers, warm-weather lounging, or a low-key night out. If you like fruity drinks that still taste crisp rather than syrupy, this one lands squarely in your comfort zone.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Tags
Cocktail Colin says:
Vodka lays a clean, neutral base while orange juice brings bright citrus sweetness and cranberry juice adds tart, red-fruit bite, finishing crisp and lightly astringent as the juices mingle over ice in a highball. The balance works because cranberry’s tang reins in the orange’s sweetness and the vodka keeps it from turning syrupy, making it ideal for casual sipping and for drinkers who like straightforward, juice-forward refreshers.
Method
How to make a Madras
- Vodka 45ml, Orange juice Top up, Cranberry juice Top up
-
- Fill a highball glass with ice
-
- Add vodka and fill with equal parts of cranberry and orange juice
-
- Stir and serve
Power tips
Elevate the Madras with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Upgrade to premium to receive power tips from top bartenders around the world. Raise you mixology game.
- Read the tweaks that take this simple cocktail to the next level of greatness. Become the next best mixologist which people all talk about.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
What is the ideal glassware for serving a Madras cocktail?
The ideal glassware for serving a Madras cocktail is a highball glass. This choice helps accommodate the volume of the cocktail and the ice, enhancing the drinking experience.
Can I substitute any ingredients in a Madras cocktail for a different taste?
Yes, you can substitute the vodka with gin for a different twist, or use a flavored vodka to add an extra dimension to the cocktail. Additionally, varying the proportions of orange juice and cranberry juice can adjust the sweetness and tartness to your liking.
What garnish works best with a Madras cocktail?
A slice of lime or a twist of orange peel works best as a garnish for a Madras cocktail. These garnishes complement the citrus notes of the drink and add a pop of color.
Is there a non-alcoholic version of the Madras cocktail?
Yes, a non-alcoholic version of the Madras cocktail can be made by substituting the vodka with sparkling water or a clear soda. This variation maintains the refreshing nature of the original cocktail while being suitable for all ages and those avoiding alcohol.
How does the alcohol content of a Madras compare to other cocktails?
With an alcohol content of 3.6%, the Madras is considered a light cocktail compared to others. Most classic cocktails have a higher alcohol content, often ranging from 10% to 25%, making the Madras a more refreshing and less intoxicating choice suitable for casual sipping.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Dive into this vibrant watermelon and vodka fusion.
Watermelon Fruitini
Vodka, Sugar / simple syrup, Watermelon
Dive into this potent mix of spirits
Aunt Roberta
Brandy, Vodka, Absinthe, Gin, Blackberry liqueur
Explore this savory olive and vodka classic.
Dirty Martini
Vodka, White vermouth, Olive juice
Experience this refreshing cucumber-infused vodka sip
Cucumber Martini
Vodka, Lime juice, Sugar / simple syrup, Cucumber
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments