National Cranberry is a 5-times distilled 24% ABV liqueur made from cognac, vodka, and cranberry imported by Rus Beverage. I’m not a mixologist, but I’m going to give this my best shot.

The Shot

Straight up, the National Cranberry is almost a cosmo. The cranberry is pretty much all there is in the taste, so be wary if you’re not a cranberry fan. Otherwise, it’s very easy to sip on. Given the low alcohol content and all the different flavors in the liqueur, this is more like drinking a cranberry cocktail, which means you won’t even think about chasing it with anything.

The Mixed Drink

National Cranberry is comprised of vodka, cognac, and cranberry juice. So, I tried to make a cosmopolitan-esque cocktail with National Cranberry, National Citrus, a bit of lime juice, and a splash of orange juice (to try an supplement triple sec, since I didn’t have any around). As I’ve said time and time again, I’m not a mixologist. I rather suck at it. Given my lack of ability, I’m pleased with my “concotiopolitan”. I think a real mixologist could make something better, but it’s clear to me that someone with more skill could take this to the next level.

I also tried something simpler with my National Citrus review. There, I made a really great madras. Honestly, I enjoyed that more than my wannabe cosmo. National Cranberry is a great liqueur with a lot of potential, but this vodka guy is terrible at unlocking the potential of mixing.

I’m going to do some more experimenting with this liqueur, especially finding a better cosmo, as I figure out some better things to try with it.