Espresso Martini

A jolt and a nightcap in one glass: cold espresso shaken hard with vodka, coffee liqueur, and a whisper of sugar until it pours out with a tawny crema crown and three beans afloat. London bartender Dick Bradsell built it in 1983 at the Soho Brasserie for a guest who wanted to be woken up and then undone — he first called it the Vodka Espresso. Bittersweet, silky, and bracingly caffeinated.

CoffeeDigestifClassicAfter Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ozVodka
  • 1 ozCoffee Liqueur
  • 1 ozEspresso(freshly brewed, hot)
  • 0.33 ozSimple Syrup

Garnish: Coffee Beans

Preparation

Shaken · Coupe · None

  1. 1.

    add

    Pour vodka, coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and the fresh espresso shot into a cocktail shaker.

  2. 2.

    shake

    Add ice and shake hard until very cold and well-aerated — the vigorous shake builds the signature foam crema.

  3. 3.

    strain

    Double-strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, served up with no ice.

  4. 4.

    garnish

    Float three coffee beans on the foam.

Flavor Profile

sweet
27%
body
23%
bitter
23%
viscosity
22%
heat
19%
dilution
19%
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