Black Cat Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 07/22/21
Black Cat Cocktail

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios 

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The black cat is a simple mixed drink that is perfect for a Halloween party, happy hour, or a lazy day on the patio. It's incredibly easy to mix up and a tasty cocktail for your favorite vodka. All of the ingredients are relatively inexpensive and common too, so it's also a very budget-friendly drink.​

You can think of the black cat as a spiked cherry cola with a cranberry twist. The vodka and cherry brandy are a nice foundation for the cranberry juice and cola. It's a little sweet, has wonderful fruit flavors, and is simply a well-rounded drink. You really can't go wrong with this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce vodka

  • 1 ounce cherry brandy

  • 3 ounces cranberry juice, or to taste

  • 3 ounces cola, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a highball glass filled with ice, pour the vodka and cherry brandy.

  3. Fill the glass with equal amounts of cranberry juice and cola.

  4. Stir well.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tip

  • The black cat is heavily flavored, so there's no need to pour your best vodka in this drink. It's a perfect recipe for cheaper vodkas, some of which are surprisingly impressive for the price.

Recipe Variations

  • Flavored vodkas are a great option. Consider building on the red fruit flavor with berries or pomegranate. Espresso vodka and many of the dessert vodkas would be interesting here as well.
  • Any cherry liqueur will work just fine in place of the brandy. Consider maraschino or Cherry Heering, or double up on the vodka and only pour a cherry-flavored vodka instead. You can even skip the alcohol and use cherry syrup or simply grab a bottle of grenadine (technically pomegranate flavored), similar to the Roy Rogers mocktail.
  • The easiest way to build up a different fruity flavor is to use a juice blend that includes cranberry. Pomegranate, other berries, apple, grape, and cherry are often added to cranberry juice and any of these blends would be great in the black cat. Simply explore the options available at the store and give one a try.

Garnish Ideas

Though the black cat recipe does not specify a garnish, it would be a nice addition for a party. The natural choice is a cherry. You could skip the bright red maraschinos and make your own using fresh cherries and maraschino liqueur. It's a fun and useful DIY project that creates cherries you'll actually want to eat.

If you're serving this cocktail for Halloween, let your imagination run wild on the garnish. The lychee eyeball is always a hit and would be fun floating on top of the ice.

You can also use a novelty ice tray with skulls, bones, and other creepy figures. To add a "bloody" effect, drizzle a little grenadine in the tray when the water's partially set up or add red fruit like cranberries to the ice.

How Strong Is a Black Cat?

This is one black cat you won't mind crossing your path! Beyond the appealing taste, it's also low-proof. When made with the average vodka and cherry brandy, it mixes up to just 8 percent ABV (16 proof). That's right in between beer and wine, so go ahead and have another!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
217 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 217
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 28mg 141%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 73mg 2%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)