Appletini

A bright, apple-forward riff on the martini template: vodka stretched with apple brandy and a measure of Cointreau, shaken hard and strained ice-cold into a stemmed glass. Equal parts tart and sweet, it became a defining drink of late-1990s nightlife. Legend traces it to a 1996 bartender named Adam at Lola's in West Hollywood — the original "Adam's Apple Martini" — though it long ago genericized into a whole family of apple-vodka variations.

ClassicBright

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ozVodka
  • 0.5 ozApple Brandy
  • 0.5 ozCointreau

Garnish: Apple Slice, Maraschino Cherry

Preparation

Shaken · Cocktail glass · None

  1. 1.

    add

    Combine vodka, Calvados, and Cointreau in a shaker with ice.

  2. 2.

    shake

    Shake well until thoroughly chilled.

  3. 3.

    strain

    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, served straight up.

  4. 4.

    garnish

    Garnish with an apple slice and a cherry.

Flavor Profile

heat
30%
fruity
20%
body
19%
sweet
16%
citrus
16%
dilution
15%