Vodka, coffee liqueur and a fresh espresso, shaken hard over ice and strained into a cocktail glass under a pale foam, with three coffee beans on top. Dick Bradsell made the first, as the Vodka Espresso, at London’s Soho Brasserie around 1983; it was renamed the Espresso Martini in 1997.
It has as much caffeine as the espresso in it.
Untested: not yet made in this kitchen. It is here for the Coffee Liqueurs, Irish Coffee and Coffee Cocktails page.
Ingredients
- 50 ml (1⅔ oz) vodka
- 30 ml (1 oz) coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) simple syrup
- 1 single espresso (about 30 ml), freshly made and still hot
- 1 cup ice cubes, for shaking
- 3 coffee beans, to garnish
Directions
- Chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer. Pull the espresso, then put it in a cocktail shaker with the vodka, coffee liqueur and syrup. Fill the shaker with ice.
- Shake very hard for 15 to 20 seconds, until the shaker is frosty.
- Strain through a fine strainer into the chilled glass, let the foam settle for a moment, and float three coffee beans on top.
Notes
Where this comes from The International Bartenders Association’s specification: 50 ml vodka, 30 ml Kahlúa, 10 ml sugar syrup, 1 strong espresso, shaken and strained into a chilled glass, garnished with 3 coffee beans. Some versions leave out the syrup; Difford’s Guide uses 1½ oz vodka, 1 oz hot espresso and ⅔ oz Galliano Espresso with two drops of saline. History Difford’s Guide: Dick Bradsell’s Vodka Espresso, on the rocks, Soho Brasserie, about 1983; renamed Espresso Martini at the Match bar in 1997; the “Pharmaceutical Stimulant” at Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy in 1998. The photo An Espresso Martini, 2022.