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Espresso Martini

Coffee & cream · Vodka · IBA official

Espresso Martini

Fresh espresso and vodka, shaken to a dense, velvety crema

Vodka, fresh espresso and coffee liqueur, shaken hard until a dense crema forms on top. Bittersweet, roasty and bracing, with a silky texture that hides its strength. The after-dinner drink for when the night is just getting started.

Make this in 3D
Glass
Martini glass
Ice
Up (no ice)
Technique
Shaken · Double-strained
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
4 min
Strength
≈ 19% ABV

Ingredients

Martini glass
  • 50 mlVodka1¾ oz
  • 30 mlFresh espresso1 oz
  • 15 mlCoffee liqueur½ oz
  • 10 mlSimple syrup (1:1)optional¼ oz
  • GarnishThree coffee beans

≈ 119 ml served · 1.8 standard drinks

Substitutes: Rich demerara syrup (2:1) can stand in for Simple syrup (1:1).

Method

  1. 1

    Chill a martini glass and pull a fresh shot of espresso.

  2. 2

    Add the vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur and simple syrup (if using) to a shaker.

  3. 3

    Fill with ice and shake very hard for 12–15 seconds to build a thick crema.

  4. 4

    Double strain into the chilled glass.

  5. 5

    Float three coffee beans on the foam.

Learn it step by step

History

Created by the London bartender Dick Bradsell in the 1980s. The most widely told story has a customer asking him for a drink that would wake her up and keep her going; he called his early versions the Vodka Espresso, and the Espresso Martini name took over later.

Origin
London, UK
First recorded
1983

Bartender's notes

  • Let the espresso cool for a minute – scalding coffee melts the ice fast and thins the foam.
  • Skip the syrup if your coffee liqueur is very sweet; add it if you like a dessert-style drink.
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