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    Espresso Martini Riffs – Imbibe Magazine

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    Espresso Martini Riffs – Imbibe Magazine


    The origin story of many classic cocktails often becomes lore, but for the Espresso Martini, it’s become legend. Created by London bartender Dick Bradsell in the ’80s, the cocktail was said to have been mixed for an unnamed, although supposedly famous, model looking for a potent pick-me-up. Bradsell obliged with a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and espresso. Originally called a Vodka Espresso before being given the Martini moniker, the drink skyrocketed in popularity. Inevitably this led to a downfall in quality, with overly sweet versions laden with syrups and creams upending the balance of the original formula.

    But like many nostalgic cocktails with tarnished reputations, the Espresso Martini has found new life in the hands of bartenders with a keen understanding of flavor balance and a wide range of quality ingredients at their fingertips. From minor tweaks on the original to the addition of unexpected flavors, these riffs prove the Espresso Martini still has staying power.

    Bar Americano Espresso Martini

    Salted toffee notes courtesy of PX sherry and salted demerara syrup make this a coffee cocktail you’ll want to cozy up to.

    Black Rose Espresso Martini

    Rhum agricole stars in this alternative to the vodka-based classic.

    Cafe Martini

    Reposado tequila in place of vodka adds dimension and kick.

    Dear Irving Espresso Martini

    At New York’s Dear Irving, developing the perfect Espresso Martini was a personal mission for bar director Meaghan Dorman. “The Espresso Martini was always kind of my guilty pleasure drink. If I saw it on a menu, I would order it, knowing it might come out any kind of way—sometimes with Bailey’s, sometimes with real espresso, and often not,” she says. “So I decided to work on the Espresso Martini that I would be happy to drink over and over, and I settled on this mix of cold brew and coffee liqueur with a hint of vanilla.”

    1 1/2 oz. vodka
    1/2 oz. coffee liqueur (Dorman uses Galliano Ristretto)
    1/2 oz. vanilla liqueur
    1 oz. cold-brew coffee

    Tools: shaker, strainer
    Glass: coupe

    To mix the drink, combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe.

    Meaghan Dorman, Dear Irving, New York City

    Frozen Espresso Martini

    The slushie twist on the modern classic you’ve been missing this summer.

    Italiana Espresso Martini

    Amaro and crème de cacao bring extra depth and bittersweetness to the classic.

    In the Heat of the Night

    At Milwaukee, Wisconsin, restaurant and bar Lazy Susan, bar manager Alec Hildebrand likes to serve his Espresso Martini as a nightcap, complementing the coffee’s sweet, roasty flavors with a kick of spice. “Ancho Reyes highlights flavors of cacao and cinnamon in the coffee,” says Hildebrand.

    1 oz. vodka
    3/4 oz. espresso
    3/4 oz. coffee liqueur
    1/2 oz. Ancho Reyes chile liqueur
    1/4 oz. simple syrup (1:1)

    Tools: shaker, strainer, fine strainer
    Glass: coupe or cocktail
    Garnish: three coffee beans

    In a shaker, combine all the ingredients over ice. Shake to chill, then double strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass and garnish with three coffee beans “for luck,” says Hildebrand.

    Alec Hildebrand for Lazy Susan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Lavender & Espresso

    For her variation on the Espresso Martini, LP O’Brien introduces lavender and also balances the additional sweetness with Averna.

    Matriarch Martini

    For her Speed Rack–winning Espresso Martini recipe, bartender Haley Traub found inspiration from her mom’s Black Forest trifle dessert.

    One Night in Mexico

    An Espresso Martini that can be sipped shaken or blended, depending on mood and weather.

    Pépé le Moko Espresso Martini

    At Pépé le Moko in Portland, Oregon, which closed in 2021, Jeffrey Morgenthaler featured updated classics like the Grasshopper, the Amaretto Sour and the Espresso Martini. “We wanted to celebrate the original Espresso Martini, which is a fantastic modern classic, but we don’t have an espresso machine,” says Morgenthaler. Instead, he used a concentrated cold-brew extract from Stumptown. And rather than simple syrup, he subbed in lemon oleo saccharum. “I always liked my Espresso Martinis with a lemon twist and a tiny bit sweeter than usual.”

    3/4 oz. 100-proof vodka
    3/4 oz. coffee liqueur
    1 oz. cold-brew concentrate (store-bought or brewed with 2 parts coffee to 1 part water)
    1/2 tsp. lemon oleo saccharum

    Tools: shaker, strainer
    Glass: coupe

    To make the drink, combine all the ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe.

    Jeffrey Morgenthaler for Pépé le Moko, Portland, Oregon (This bar has permanently closed.)

    Perry Street Espresso Martini

    This refined interpretation of the Espresso Martini recipe by New York’s Perry Street highlights the coffee’s roasted chocolate flavors.

    The Roosevelt Room’s Espresso Martini

    The Roosevelt Room co-owner Justin Lavenue says he wanted to honor Dick Bradsell’s original recipe while giving the drink a flavor update, so he reached for a rich trio of macadamia liqueur, crème de cacao and a coffee-based amaro. “All of those flavors are ones that we love in a great shot of espresso, so we wanted to highlight and amplify them in our spin on the iconic cocktail,” he says of The Roosevelt Room’s riff. “It’s balanced and incredibly complex. Espresso liqueur provides the backbone of the flavor, then the amaro offers structure with some subtle bitterness, crème de cacao adds depth, a touch of salt boosts the flavor, and the macadamia liqueur provides a long, nutty finish.”

    1 oz. vodka
    1 oz. espresso liqueur
    1/4 oz. Trader Vic’s Macadamia Liqueur
    1/4 oz. crème de cacao
    1/4 oz. J. Rieger Caffè Amaro
    1/2 oz. cream
    1 dash salt mix (1:1 salt and water)

    Tools: mixing tin, strainer, fine strainer
    Glass: cocktail
    Garnish: ground coffee

    To make the drink, combine all the ingredients in a mixing tin with ice. Shake well and double-strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with ground coffee.

    Justin Lavenue, The Roosevelt Room, Austin, Texas

    Strange Brew

    Coffee amaro and a homemade coffee cordial make this the Espresso Martini for coffee lovers.





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