Espresson Martini ☕🍸
3 ways
During the week, I found myself craving a homemade Espresso Martini made with freshly brewed espresso. It's one of my favourite cocktails, but the effort involved got me thinking about comparing it to simpler methods. I considered three options: the first being a premixed version straight out of the can, the second being a premix that still requires shaking in a cocktail shaker, and the third being the traditional homemade version. Here are my thoughts!
Absolut Cocktails - Espresso Martini
As I mentioned last week, this was one of the freebies I picked up at the London Coffee Festival. I didn't have high expectations for this ready-to-drink cocktail in a can, even though it boasted nitro foam, which caught my interest. I poured it into a Martini glass and took a sip. I honestly had low expectations and there were no surprises. The balance of flavours were off, and while it wasn’t so bad for a canned drink it didn’t reach the heights of a freshly made cocktail. I must say, however, I was impressed that it produced a slight layer crema! Personally, I wouldn't purchase this, but I can see the appeal of its convenience for others.
M&S Mini Marksologist Vanilla Espresso Martini Cocktail
M&S have a popular range called Marksologist, a variety of cocktails can be bought in small 125ml bottles and one of the pre mixes is an Espresso Martini. The method of making the cocktail was really simple:
Shake the bottle well
Pour the contents of the bottle into a cocktail shaker with ice and sake well
Strain into a martini glass
This method produced a truly exceptional Espresso Martini. It not only looked the part of a premium cocktail but also boasted a satisfying layer of crema, a hallmark of this drink. The taste was impressive, though slightly sweeter than expected, which led me to suspect that it might be masking the freshness of the coffee. Nonetheless, I appreciated the opportunity to play mixologist with minimal effort. I'll definitely purchase this again and look forward to trying their other pre-mixed drinks as well.
Homemade Espresso Martini
Using the following ingredients I embarked on making my homemade Espresso Martini:
Freshly poured espresso
Absolut Vanilla Vodka
Kahlua - Coffee Liquor
Simple Syrup
I poured all the ingredients into the cocktail shaker and mixed them thoroughly. Following that, I double-strained the mixture into a Martini glass and served it up. Of the three methods, this was my favourite, without a doubt. The balance of flavours was flawless, and there was a satisfying feeling in knowing that every component was as fresh as possible, right down to making the simple syrup myself. Admittedly, it takes the most effort to prepare, but the process is incredibly rewarding and, in many ways, makes me savour every sip even more!
Video filmed & edited by @trecay_
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