Madras

Also known as Vodka Madras, Cape Codder with OJ

A simple, fruity highball that mixes vodka with equal parts cranberry and orange juice.

vodkacranberryorange juicefruitysweettarthighballjuice-forwardeasy-drinkingbrunch

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is bright and citrusy from the orange juice, followed by the tart bite of cranberry. It finishes smooth and a bit sweet, with the vodka disappearing into the fruit.

Who will like it

For people who like easy-drinking, juice-forward cocktails where the spirit is barely noticeable.

When to drink

This is a daytime or brunch drink, perfect for when you want something cold and fruity without thinking too hard about it.

Ordering tip

Ask for a splash of soda on top if you want to cut the sweetness and add some fizz.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: HighballBatch-friendlyMake aheadHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a sweet, fruity drink that goes down like a glass of breakfast juice. The orange juice hits first with bright citrus, followed by the sharper, tart bite of the cranberry. Vodka just adds a gentle warmth in the background without getting in the way of the fruit. It's an easy, uncomplicated sipper.

Finish: The finish is short and sweet, leaving a lingering tartness from the cranberry on the sides of your tongue.

Primary tastes

sweetsourfruity

Secondary

earthy

Aroma

citrussweet cranberry

Sweetnessfairly sweet
The orange juice and cranberry juice both bring a lot of sugar, making this a noticeably sweet drink.
Sournessmildly tart
The cranberry juice adds a tart edge that keeps the sweetness from getting completely out of hand.
Strengthlow strength
With a standard pour of vodka against a large volume of juice, the alcohol is very mellow.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Served cold over lots of ice, the mix of citrus and cranberry is highly thirst-quenching.
Complexityvery simple
It's a straightforward mix of vodka and two fruit juices with no layered flavors or subtle transitions.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Highball · equal parts on Vodka. Unflavored, neutral vodka

Before you start

Fill a highball glass with ice before you start so the drink stays cold as you build it. Use fresh orange juice if you can—it makes a big difference.

Ingredients

VodkaBase Spirit45ml
Cranberry JuiceJuice100% cranberry juice or standard cranberry juice cocktail60ml
Orange JuiceJuiceFresh squeezed is best60ml
Orange SliceGarnish1 slice
Lime WedgeoptionalGarnish1 wedge

Garnish: Orange slice, Lime wedge

Tools

Highball Glass · Serving
Holds the drink and ice
At home: Any tall glass
Jigger · Measuring
Measures the vodka and juices
At home: Small measuring cup or shot glass
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Stirs the drink to combine and chill
At home: Long spoon or straw

Steps

1
Grab a highball glass and fill it to the brim with ice cubes. This keeps the drink cold from the start and reduces how fast the ice melts into your cocktail.
!Using too little ice makes the drink warm up and dilute quickly.
2
Measure 45ml of vodka and pour it over the ice. Give it a quick stir with a bar spoon so the vodka chills and mixes slightly with the ice.
!Pouring vodka straight from the bottle without measuring throws off the juice-to-spirit ratio.
3
Measure 60ml of cranberry juice and 60ml of orange juice, pouring them both into the glass. The drink will take on a pinkish-orange color as the juices blend.
!Using cheap, overly sweet cranberry cocktail makes the drink cloying.
4
Stir the drink gently for about ten seconds to pull the juices and vodka together and chill everything evenly. Drop an orange slice into the glass or rest it on the rim.
~10s
!Stirring too fast makes the orange juice foam up and get thick.

Serve

Serve it right away while it's still cold and the ice hasn't started to melt. A straw works well for this one.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Vodka

VodkaGin
Match
Common availability
Vodka → Gin: Adds botanical and herbal notes that clash slightly with the sweet juices but add depth.

Swap options for Orange Juice

Orange JuiceGrapefruit Juice
Match
Common availability
Orange Juice → Grapefruit Juice: Turns the drink into a Sea Breeze, adding a bitter, floral citrus note instead of sweet orange.
Orange JuicePineapple Juice
Match
Common availability
Orange Juice → Pineapple Juice: Turns the drink into a Bay Breeze, making it more tropical and slightly more tart.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Cape Codder

The Cape Codder uses lime instead of orange juice.

Match

The Madras is a softer, sweeter sip than the Cape Codder, which has a sharper, more acidic bite from the lime.

In common: vodka base, cranberry tartness, built over ice

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka, Cranberry Juice

Only in Madras

Orange Juice

Only in Cape Codder

Lime Wedge

Adding orange juice to the Cape Codder makes the Madras sweeter and rounds out the tart cranberry with soft citrus.

Flavor

Shared flavors

sweet-tart cranberry backbone, mild vodka presence

How Cape Codder differs

sweeter, less sharp, fuller citrus body

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Screwdriver

The Screwdriver omits the cranberry juice entirely.

Match

A Screwdriver is purely sweet orange, while the Madras has a tart cranberry edge that cuts the sweetness.

In common: vodka base, sweet orange juice, built over ice

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka, Orange Juice

Only in Madras

Cranberry Juice

The cranberry juice adds a tart, slightly dry fruitiness that a plain Screwdriver lacks.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bright orange citrus, sweet and juicy

How Screwdriver differs

more tart, drier finish, pinkish color

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Sea Breeze

The Sea Breeze uses grapefruit juice instead of orange juice.

Match

The Sea Breeze is drier and slightly bitter from the grapefruit, whereas the Madras leans sweeter and softer.

In common: vodka base, cranberry tartness, mixed fruit juices

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka, Cranberry Juice

Only in Madras

Orange Juice

Only in Sea Breeze

Grapefruit Juice

Swapping orange juice for grapefruit juice shifts the flavor from sweet citrus to bitter, floral citrus.

Flavor

Shared flavors

tart cranberry profile, juice-forward

How Sea Breeze differs

more bitter, less sweet, sharper finish

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Madras is essentially a Cape Codder with orange juice added, or a Screwdriver with cranberry juice. It emerged during the juice-vodka cocktail boom of the 1970s and 1980s, though no specific bartender or bar claims its invention.

Era: 1970s
Confidence

The exact origin is unknown, but the recipe ratio is standard across most bar manuals.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use fresh orange juice for a brighter, less syrupy drink.
Stir gently to mix without making the juice frothy.
Add a splash of soda water if the juice is too sweet.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use cheap cranberry juice cocktail; it's too sugary.
Avoid shaking; it makes the orange juice foam and get weirdly thick.