So we've all had traditional martinis I'm assuming and then we have had variations of that. Lately, I have been obsessed with the espresso martini and how can I change it to my palate. Now my husband is a bit of a purist and says martinis can only have vodka or gin otherwise it is just a cocktail in a martini glass. I disagree. I believe that it is still a martini. The other interesting thing I have noted is that bartenders are branching out with their "martini" glassware and using coupe glasses, also referred to as a fiesta or Magna grande.
I think it can still be a martini even if you change the main spirit or make it without a defined spirit, I personally prefer ones on the lighter side that are a cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, and espresso, hold the beans because why put those there? No one is going to eat them. But, I digress. To me what makes this particular martini is the coffee liqueur and I decided to experiment with this recently. I wanted to know the difference on the taste based on the coffee liqueur and which ones can hold their own in the drink when mixed with a variety of ingredients; what was formerly Gray Skies Distillery(now known as Eastern Kille) in Grand Rapids, MI was the winner. The coffee notes continually came through. Mind you I did not add actual espresso to my mixes while trying to determine this. What I did do was pull out all my liqueurs, of which there were a few, and take over my kitchen for the day. Below you will find some shots and my three favorite recipes. Did you know that Mezcal (El Tinieblo) really elevates it to a smokey level? This is a mezcal that I recently discovered (I believe new to the market as of this writing) and it has such strong cacao notes that you will think you are in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory!
Anyway, here are the recipes. Give them a try and drop a comment for which one is your favorite and how you made it your own (and don't be snarky, be bold!).
These are in no particular order:
#1 - 2oz. Mr. Black Cold Brew
2oz. Five Farms Irish Cream (I recommend scaling this back to 1 oz. as the Irish cream is pretty overpowering but oh so creamy)
.5oz. Starbucks toffee nut syrup
#2 - 2oz. Gray Skies (now Eastern Kille) coffee liqueur
.5oz. Starbucks toffee nut syrup
1oz. Reyka vodka
#3 - 2oz. Gray Skies (now Eastern Kille) coffee liqueur
2oz. Amarula Cream Liqueur
2oz. El Tinieblo Mezcal Dark
.5oz. Of Buffalo Trace Cream Liqueur
Now each of these mixes were put over ice in a shaker and given a good go. I did go back and add espresso to each after the initial tasting (needless to stay I was very high energy yesterday). The takeaway for me is that when you put a good, quality vodka in a flavored martini you will not be able to taste and nor should you, gin is a different topic altogether. My next round of experiments with this will include a few whiskeys I am pondering on.
Public Disclaimer: I am not responsible for anyone's obsession with any of these products nor your inability to sleep or heightened energy levels should you choose to follow my experiment. Just saying!
As always, photos and links below.
Reyka Vodka (The only vodka I buy and no I am not sponsored by them or anyone)
Excellent stuff. Cheers.