A great cocktail isn’t built on creativity. It’s built on balance.

For Finnish mixologist Pekka Pellinen, that principle is the difference between a drink that works, and one that doesn’t. It’s something he has spent decades refining, from his early days working behind bars near the Finlandia distillery in the 1990s, where he first developed a lasting appreciation for precision in spirits.

“You need to know the basics,” he says. “In a sweet and sour cocktail, there’s always more sour than sweet. That simple rule helps you build balance faster than trial and error.”

But for Pellinen, balance isn’t just about ratios – it’s about context. 

“It’s also about the moment,” he explains. “Is it a patio drink, a long evening drink, or something for after dinner? That changes everything.”

That thinking reflects a broader shift in cocktail culture, where the occasion matters as much as the ingredients as they’re inherently connected.  

That’s also why he relies on clean, high-quality base spirits like Finlandia Vodka, which he describes as essential for clarity.

“Finlandia is smooth, pure, and crisp,” he says. “It lets fresh ingredients like herbs, berries, and citrus come through instead of overpowering them.”

Made with pure glacial water and Finnish barley ripened under 72 days of the Midnight Sun, Finlandia Vodka is a spirit built on purity and simplicity.

“It doesn’t get in the way,” Pellinen says. “It allows ingredients to stay in balance.”

And for him, that’s the point: the best cocktails don’t try to do too much.

They just get the balance right.

Here are two Nordic inspired cocktails recommended for summer sipping. 

Finlandia Sour

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 0.75 oz simple syrup
• Egg white (optional) 

Method:
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into an ice filled glass, and garnish with a lemon twist and cherry. 

Finlandia Espresso Martini

1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz espresso 

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.