Espresso Martinis for People Who Actually Like Coffee

How to Make a Proper Espresso Martini (With Real Espresso)

The espresso martini has taken over cocktail menus everywhere, but chances are, the one you're sipping at your local bar isn’t actually made with espresso. Instead, many recipes are built around cold brew concentrate, a convenient albeit very different ingredient with an admittedly flat flavor profile. While these versions can be delicious, nothing quite matches a real espresso martini's richness, pulled with an actual shot of espresso. Please join us in a fun excuse to combine alcohol and coffee. 

A Brief History of the Espresso Martini

The original espresso martini is credited to London bartender Dick Bradsell, who reportedly crafted the drink in 1983 for a fashion model (some say Kate Moss) who wanted something to "wake me up and [something] me up." His simple recipe remains the standard:

• 2 oz vodka

• A "double shot" of espresso

• 0.5 oz coffee liqueur (originally Kahlúa)

• 0.5 oz simple syrup

• Shake, strain, and garnish with three floating coffee beans

Switch Up The Ingredients

• Vodka: It’s vodka—pick one you like. For fun, we went with one made by Jason Momoa because why not? If you are still choosing gin for your espresso martini, your brain needs to be studied by science, and we'd love to hear your experience in the comments.

• Coffee Liqueur: Instead of Kahlúa, we used Mr Black, a dynamic coffee-forward liqueur that dials back the sweetness and helps more of the espresso's flavor shine through. 

• Coffee: This is where things get very interesting. While most bars use dark, chocolatey espresso blends (or cold brew concentrates), we wanted to see how different coffees—decaf (yes, decaf), bright single origins, and classic dark roasts—would change the experience. 

The Espresso Test

To keep things fair, we pulled all four espressos at a 1:1.5 ratio (18g in, 27g out) to ensure that we maximize the coffee's flavor without watering down the cocktail. For a full take on the taste test, check out the full video linked at the beginning of the blog. Here’s how the different coffees fared:

1. Classic Dark Roast (The Great North Kick Step Blend)

• Smooth, familiar, and balanced. This is exactly what you expect from a classic espresso martini.

• Mr Black’s refined sweetness paired better, in contrast to Kahlúa’s syrupy and sometimes cloyingly sweet profile.

• Rich, creamy, and dangerously drinkable (hard to drink just one of these).

2. Decaf Espresso (Roseline Colombia Decaf)

• It is surprisingly complex, with light floral notes.

• Maintains that classic caramel sweetness without the caffeine hit.

• A great option for when you don’t want to be up all night.

3. Indonesian Natural Process (Coava Sumatran Single Origin)

• A more adventurous choice with brown sugar, lemon meringue, and fig notes.

• A bright, herbal twist that still felt balanced.

• For a natural-processed Indonesian, we were extremely surprised with how effervescent and light this espresso pairing is. It is very uncharacteristic of many Indonesian coffees you can grab at an average cafe. We are glad to see them get their due. 

• The lemon twist addition? Game-changing. We wish we would have thought of this years ago. 

4. Ethiopian Natural Process (Roseline Coffee Roasters Ethiopian Guji)

• Fruity, floral, and a bit unexpected.

• Initially, the front end was a bit off-putting with a funky bitterness, but adding a lemon twist completely transformed it. Normally, we like a little bit of funk, but this was a bit much. 

• As we spent more time with this martini, it became closer to a dessert espresso tonic—refreshing, complex, and surprisingly good. It's not our everyday choice, but something we'll have every now and again. 

If you’re looking for the best espresso martini, a rich, smooth, dark roast (like Kickstep) is a safe bet. But if you want something a little more adventurous, the Sumatran with a lemon twist might be the sleeper hit. Let's be real: your espresso martini is only as good as the coffee you put in it. So if you’re going through the trouble of making one at home, do it right—real espresso with a more complex and nuanced flavor and maybe, just maybe, a little citrus twist to take it to the next level.

Get the Test Coffees:

1. The Great North (Kickstep Blend)
2. Roseline Coffee Roasters (Decaf: Ciudad Flores Colombia)
3. Coava (Indonesian Single Origin: Sumatra Cindaku Natural Processed)
4.  Roseline Coffee Roasters (Ethiopian Guji Natural Processed Single Origin) This one was only available at a retail location in Portland, OR. Check out this alternative