Vodka Ocean Highball

One of the earliest cocktails to use vodka was the Vodka Océanique, also known as the "Vodka Ocean Highball." The recipe for this drink is simple, but the story behind it is not. In 1915, a French bartender from a bar in Paris named Bar Oceano created this drink for a wealthy customer who was celebrating his fifth year at sea and wanted a drink to remind him of home. The customer requested he recreate a highball cocktail made by members of his family that included vodka and grapefruit juice. However, when he tasted it he felt that there was too much sugar so he asked the bartender to add more grapefruit juice and less sugar. And thus, this elegant cocktail was born.