The Purple One Cocktail recipe
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The Purple One is a modern, highball-style vodka cooler that leans into the colourful, ready-to-drink era of mixed drinks. Rather than a heritage classic with a fixed origin story, it sits firmly in the party-cocktail lane: simple, bright, and built around familiar bottled flavours that deliver an instantly recognisable “purple” look in the glass.
You’ll find clean vodka at the core, kept light by a long pour of lemonade that brings sweetness and fizz. Smirnoff Ice adds an extra layer of citrusy, alcopop-style sweetness that softens the vodka’s edge, while WKD blue contributes a bold, candy-like fruitiness. Together, the lemonade lifts everything with sparkle, and the blue mixer deepens the colour and rounds out the drink’s overall sweetness.
Serve it in a highball when you want something easy-going and crowd-pleasing—ideal for house parties, pre-drinks, or casual get-togethers where you’d rather sip than analyse. If you like sweeter, fizzy drinks with a playful look, this one lands right in your comfort zone.
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Cocktail Colin says:
Vodka sits clean and neutral under sharp lemonade, while Smirnoff Ice adds fizzy, sweet citrus and WKD blue brings a louder candy-like fruitiness that turns the whole drink into a bright, sugary cooler. It works because the lemonade’s acidity keeps the RTD sweetness from feeling flat, making it ideal for easygoing highball drinkers who want something colourful, fizzy, and unapologetically sweet.
Method
How to make a The Purple One
- Vodka 30ml, Lemonade 90ml, Smirnoff Ice 30ml, WKD blue 60ml
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- Stir the ingredients together in a highball glass
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- Add ice and serve
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FAQ's
What is the recommended serving temperature for The Purple One cocktail?
The Purple One is best served cold. This ensures that its flavors are crisp and refreshing, especially suitable for its combination of vodka, lemonade, Smirnoff Ice, and WKD blue.
Can I adjust the alcohol content in The Purple One without compromising its taste?
Yes, you can adjust the alcohol content by varying the amounts of vodka and Smirnoff Ice. To lower the alcohol content, reduce the amount of vodka and substitute the reduced volume with either more lemonade or WKD blue for maintaining the flavor balance. To increase the alcohol content, do the opposite but be mindful of the overall taste and strength.
Is there a substitute for WKD blue in The Purple One if I can't find it?
If WKD blue is unavailable, a good substitute would be any blue raspberry-flavored carbonated drink or blue curacao mixed with a clear soda for the similar blue coloring and a somewhat comparable taste profile. Adjust sweetness as necessary.
How does the alcohol content of The Purple One compare to standard cocktails?
The Purple One has an alcohol content of 7.5%, which is slightly lower than many traditional cocktails that usually hover around 10-15% alcohol by volume. It makes for a lighter drink, suitable for those preferring a less potent cocktail experience.
Since The Purple One should not be shaken, what's the best method to combine its ingredients effectively?
The best method to combine the ingredients of The Purple One is to stir them gently in a highball glass filled with ice. This method helps to mix the ingredients thoroughly without diluting the drink too much, preserving its flavor and carbonation.
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