By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
December 3rd, 2023
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Though modern variations come in many forms, the original Espresso Martini is a simple combination of vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur. The drink originated in the 1980s and has seen its popularity vary wildly in the decades since, from one of the most visible representations of the pre-Millennium ’tini era, to a forgotten punchline, followed by a massive resurgence in recent years, almost four decades since its first creation.
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The most common telling of the drink’s origins is that the Espresso Martini was created in 1983 by London-based bartender Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Club.
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He originally called the drink, Espresso Vodka. The original cocktail reportedly included two types of coffee liqueur, Kahlúa and Tia Maria, along with a concentrated short pull of espresso, or ristretto. Here's the recipe for Espresso Martini.
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2 ounces vodka 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur 1 ounce espresso, freshly brewed 1/4 ounce simple syrup Garnish: coffee beans
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Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled.
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Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
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When it comes to choosing a coffee liqueur, Kahlúa has long been the standard bearer in Espresso Martinis. However, since the drink was first created in the early 1980s, a wider range of coffee liqueurs have entered the market.
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If you have an espresso machine, you can pull a short, 1-ounce shot and put it in the freezer for a quick chill. This will keep the hot liquid from melting the ice and overly diluting the drink as you shake it.
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If you don’t have an espresso machine, substituting cold brew concentrate is a simple hack, though it may lack some of the depth (and caffeine) of a cocktail created with fresh espresso, creating something more closely resembling an Iced Coffee Martini.