Best Espresso Martini

The Espresso Martini is a modern classic cocktail made with coffee, Kahlua and vodka! It is ideal as a pick-me-up or after dinner.

Coffee lovers, here’s the cocktail for you! meet him espresso martini. This is a perfect pick-me-up for a lazy afternoon or after-dinner drink…it even serves as dessert! The bittersweet coffee pairs perfectly with the rich sweetness of Kahlua. Add vodka and the trio makes a sophisticated, flavorful drink that tastes so much more than the sum of its parts. It’s fresh, frothy, and just sweet enough. Attention: These go under easily.

What is an espresso martini?

The espresso martini is a vodka martini blended with coffee that was invented in 1983. A bartender at Soho Brasserie in London named Dick Bradsell created the drink for a customer who asked for a drink to wake her up. (There was more to that quote…here’s the full story.) Apparently, the coffee maker was right next to the beverage station, and the espresso martini was born. The name came later, in the 1990s, when flavored martinis were all the rage.

There are many variations on exactly how to prepare this coffee martini. The original version had two types of coffee liqueur and plain syrup. Today it varies depending on the bartender. This cocktail is on the International Bartender Association’s list of official IBA cocktails, meaning it has an ‘official’ definition. The ingredients of an espresso martini are:

• vodka
• Double or coffee liqueur
• espresso or strong coffee

Where’s the plain syrup?

Many espresso martini recipes include simple syrup, including the official IBA definition. However, we have found that an additional sweetener is not necessary. This cocktail is sweet enough with just the Kahlua (I promise).

How to make an espresso martini

The only part of an espresso martini that takes time is the coffee preparation. Luckily you don’t have to wait for it to cool down. Wait a few minutes for it to warm up, then shake it. To prepare a coffee martini:

• Make coffee. Make an espresso shot with an espresso machine or in an aeropress. Or you can brew a really strong cup of coffee (we use Chemex or Aeropress).
• Shake in a cocktail shaker. Combine Kahlua, vodka, and still-hot coffee in a shaker, add ice cubes, and shake (Don’t have one? Use a mason jar!)
• Pour into a glass and decorate. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with coffee beans, the traditional garnish.

What is Kahlua anyway?

Kahlua is a fairly well-known liquor… but what is it really made of? What you need to know about this coffee liqueur:

• Double is a coffee liqueur made in Mexico. It consists of rum, sugar and coffee. It contains caffeine but only about 25% of the same amount of coffee.
• Is Kahlua dairy free? Yes! The standard version of Kahlua contains only rum, sugar, and coffee: no cream. Though it has a frothy top, this drink is vegan and plant-based.
• How much is Kahlua? It costs around $20 per bottle.
• What are the Kahlua Substitutes? You can also use other coffee liqueurs like Tia Maria or Sheridan’s.
• What other cocktails does Kahlua use? Use it to make Kahlua drinks like White Russian, Black Russian or Mudslide.

Does an espresso martini contain caffeine?

Yes! This martini coffee contains caffeine from coffee and Kahlua. The espresso provides 64 mg of caffeine and the kahula provides 2.5 mg, for a total of about 66 mg in this drink. That’s about 70% of the amount of caffeine in 1 cup of coffee (95 mg).

More coffee cocktails

Do you like fortified coffee? (We are.) Alcoholic coffee drinks combine the beautiful bittersweet taste of coffee into fantastic mixed drinks. Here are some of our favorite coffee cocktails:

• White Russian or Black Russian This classic vodka and kahlua cocktail is perfect anytime, anywhere. Do the classic version (black) or the creamy version (white).
• Café Amaretto This fortified hot drink is a cocktail and a dessert at the same time: you won’t be able to stop sipping.

When to serve an espresso martini

The espresso martini works before dinner, after dinner, or any time in between. Serve as:

• Happy hour drink
• afternoon cocktail
• Late night drinks
• Night drink for girls or boys
• Aperitif at aperitif time

More vodka martini recipes

Flavored martinis are a modern invention: built on vodka martini. Most of them leave out the vermouth… so they’re not classic martinis at all! Here are some of our favorite flavored martini recipes: