Saturday Sipping: Stoli Elit Vodka and The Accomplice

In preparation for the biggest party night of the year I've decided to share one of my favorite new Champagne cocktails, The Accomplice. While the original recipe calls for regular Stolichnaya Vodka (from whom the recipe came), for this special occasion I'm stepping it up a notch and going with the much smoother Stoli Elit.

The Accomplice is a simple cocktail, but that's generally how Champagne drinks go - you want to compliment the Champagne and give the drink an interesting flavor while allowing the bubbly to shine through. So, in this particular cocktail we are simply muddling strawberries and simple syrup, shaking that up with a very smooth vodka and a bit of lemon juice. All of that gets topped off with your favorite Champagne. That choice is one of discretion, although I prefer the drier bruts with this sweeter mix because it all balances out nicely and the sweet demi sec Champagnes make it just a touch too sweet for my tastes.