Review:

A Tom Collins with vodka - a refreshing balance of sweet and sour.

Variant:

In his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks David A. Embury says, "Originally there were two brothers only in the Collins family - Tom and John. During recent years, however, numerous cousins have appeared on the scene - Pedro, Pierre, Sandy, Mike, Jack, the Colonel and several others whose first names have not yet been officially recorded in the baptismal registry."
Captain Collins - with Canadian whisky
Colonel Collins - with bourbon whiskey
Dutch Collins or Genever Collins (aka Phil Collins) - with genever/jenever/Hollands
Jack Collins - with calvados
Jock Collins or Sandy Collins - with Scotch whisky
Joe Collins or Vodka Collins - with vodka
John Collins - with London dry gin
Jose Collins or Pepito Collins - with tequila
Mike Collins or Ronan Collins - with Irish whiskey
Pedro Collins - with light white rum
Pierre Collins - with cognac/brandy
Pisco Collins - with pisco
Rum Collins - with aged rum
Tom Collins - with old tom gin
Whiskey Collins - with bourbon/rye whiskey

History:

The exact origins of this drink are unknown, but its earliest appearance in a cocktail recipe book is in Ted Saucier's 1962 Bottoms Up - New and Revised Edition, which credits its creation to "Ted Majeski, United Press International."

Edward Majeski (1919-1988) was executive editor of the news picture service at United Press International and, according to his obituary in The New York Times, "boasted of never having taken a news picture in his career. But he was celebrated for a keen eye in recognizing a good picture." Apparently, he was also a keen amateur cocktail maker.

VODKA COLLINS
By Ted Majeski, United Press International
Juice ½ lemon
1 bar spoon powdered sugar
1 jigger vodka
Shake well with ice and strain into Collins glass. Add a lump of ice and fill glass with soda water. Decorate with 1 slice lemon, 1 maraschino cherry and a sprig of fresh mint.

Ted Saucier, Bottoms Up, 1952

See the history of the Collins cocktail on our Tom Collins page.

Nutrition:

One serving of Vodka Collins contains 184 calories