The Coastal Bloody Mary with Bar167 presented by Dixie Vodka | Video

By: Maggie Ward

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At Bar167 in downtown Charleston, the bloody mary feels right at home beside oysters, crudo, and a fried fish sandwich. The restaurant’s coastal Mediterranean menu leans into bright citrus, fresh seafood, and Southern influence, and its take on the brunch classic follows the same philosophy: familiar at its core, but layered with enough briny, savory flavor for a coastal spin.

“A lot of times you’re coming in for lunch. It’s kind of like your first drink of the day,” says mixologist Juliana Lee of Bar167. “Whether you’re curing a hangover, you just want something that has a little bit more substance. I think that’s where a bloody mary really hits.”

At the center of Bar167’s version is Dixie Vodka, a Charleston-born spirit with deep ties to the South. Launched in 2014, Dixie set out to create an American-made craft vodka rooted in Southern flavor, craftsmanship, and hospitality. The brand’s flagship Southern Vodka is distilled six times from American corn, creating a clean foundation designed to play well in cocktails rather than overpower the ingredients around it.

That balance is particularly important in a bloody mary, where tomato, citrus, brine, spice, and garnishes are all competing for attention. “Dixie Vodka is a great starter,” Lee says. “It gives that clean kind of approach to a bloody mary, so it’s bold but it’s still nuanced.” Instead of taking over the cocktail, she says, “it kind of lets all those flavors shine.”

Bar167 pairs Dixie with Natural Blonde Bloody Mary Mix, then pushes the drink toward the coast with half an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and olive brine. Two ounces of Dixie Vodka give the cocktail its backbone before the glass is loaded with cucumber, celery, lemon, lime, sweetie drop peppers, buttery Castelvetrano-style olives, and a cocktail shrimp. Fresh cracked black pepper finishes the drink, along with a drizzle of vibrant basil oil that adds aroma and accentuates the tomato.

The result is less about piling on garnishes for spectacle and more about building a bloody mary suited to Bar167’s food. The acidity and tomato complement seafood, and the olive brine brings a savory, almost maritime quality that works alongside everything from crudo to the restaurant’s fried halibut sandwich.

And with a vodka born in Charleston anchoring the glass, it’s a cocktail that feels particularly suited to a Southern coastal afternoon: bright, briny, refreshing, and substantial enough to practically count as lunch.

Try the Recipe

Recipe by Bar167

recipe

ingredients

2 ounces Dixie Vodka
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce olive brine
2 dashes jalapeño extract (if you want it spicy)
Natural Blonde Bloody Mary Mix
Freshly cracked black pepper
Basil oil, for finishing
Garnish: Cucumber, celery, lemon wedge, lime wedge, sweetie drop peppers, Castelvetrano olive, cocktail shrimp

steps

In a tall glass filled with ice, add the Dixie Vodka, lemon juice, and olive brine. Top with Natural Blonde Bloody Mary Mix and stir well to combine. Garnish generously with cucumber, celery, citrus, sweetie drop peppers, olives, and a cocktail shrimp. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of basil oil.