Espresso Martini
The simplest Espresso Martini you will make. One bottle of GRADA, ice and a hard shake.
Jump to recipe ↓Ingredients
- 100 ml GRADA Specialty Coffee Liqueur
- Ice cubes
- 3 whole coffee beans
How to make an Espresso Martini
- Fill a shaker with ice and pour in 100ml of GRADA.
- Shake hard for five seconds. That is what builds the foam.
- Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. You will have 125ml in the glass.
- Garnish with three coffee beans.
Pro tips
1. Shake Hard
Shake over plenty of ice for five seconds. That is what builds the foam.
2. Chill the Glass
A glass straight from the freezer keeps the drink cold to the last mouthful.
3. Keep the Garnish Simple
Three coffee beans is the classic. A little grated dark chocolate works too.
4. Try It Decaf
Make the same drink with GRADA 02 Midnight Decaf for an Espresso Martini without the caffeine.
Tools you'll need
Cocktail Shaker
Any cocktail shaker works, or a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Fine Strainer
This catches the ice shards so the foam sits clean on top. A fine-mesh sieve works too.
Jigger
You need 100ml of GRADA per drink. A measuring cup works if you don't have a jigger.
Martini or Coupe Glass
Put the glass in the freezer for five minutes before you pour.
About the Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini is a coffee cocktail made by shaking espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur hard over ice, then straining it into a chilled glass for its velvety crema. It was created in London in the 1980s, and the difference between a good one and a great one comes down to the coffee. This recipe is built on GRADA, a specialty coffee liqueur made in Melbourne. GRADA is hot extracted at 93°C and blended with Australian vodka, so it is the espresso, the vodka and the coffee liqueur in one bottle. The only other thing you need is ice.
The coffee is single origin, grown by Pedro Gabarra at Fazenda Pinhal in Minas Gerais, Brazil. GRADA 01 tastes of chocolate brownie, burnt caramel, black cherry and a buttery mouthfeel. Shake 100ml hard over ice for five seconds, strain it into a chilled glass and you have a 125ml Espresso Martini with a proper foam head.
Ready to pour?
The single-ingredient espresso martini. One pour, one shake, no machine.
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