Espresso Martini
Vodka Espresso
A chilled, shaken vodka cocktail with fresh espresso and coffee liqueur, topped with a light foam. Bittersweet, rich and strong.
- 17.3% ABV
- Shaken
- 3 min
- Martini glass
- bitter
- sweet
- rich
- strong
- IBA official cocktail · New Era Drinks
about 1.5 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.
Ingredients
- 1¾ ozVodka
- 1 ozCoffee liqueur
- ¼ ozSimple syrupMade with equal parts sugar and water.
- 1 ozEspressoFreshly brewed, then cooled briefly so it does not melt the ice too fast.
Ice: No ice · Garnish: coffee beans
Method
- Chill a martini (cocktail) glass with ice and water, or keep it in the freezer while you prepare the drink.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes, then add 50 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur, 10 ml simple syrup and 30 ml freshly brewed espresso.
- Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds, until the shaker is very cold and the espresso has turned frothy.
- Empty the chilled glass, then strain the drink into it. The drink is served without ice.
- Garnish with 3 coffee beans floated on the foam.
Tips
- Use freshly brewed espresso and let it cool for a minute or two. Very hot coffee melts the ice and thins the drink.
- Shake hard and strain well. The vigorous shake creates the foam that carries the coffee beans.
- Adjust the sweetness by changing the simple syrup slightly, since coffee liqueurs vary in sugar content.
Swaps
Missing something? These swaps change the taste a little but keep the drink balanced.
- Simple syrup → Cane sugar syrup
History
The Espresso Martini is often credited to London bartender Dick Bradsell, who is said to have created it in the 1980s under the name Vodka Espresso. It later took its current name and became one of the best-known modern cocktails. The IBA lists it in its New Era Drinks category.
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