espresso martini recipe

The 10 Best Martini Variations

The martini is a cocktail that never seems to be out of style. No matter where you look, what TV show or film you’re watching, there’s always one character drinking this classy cocktail. Though some say you can’t beat a classic, at The Three Drinkers we’re always open to some variation and innovation! So without further ado, here’s our list of the top 10 variations on a martini!

The Classic Martini

The first thing you need to know about the classic martini is that it’s made with gin. That’s right - gin. Take that bottle of Grey Goose out of your hand right this instant, you’re not going to be needing it. Before you put vodka anywhere near a martini, have a go at the original recipe. A perfect blend of gin and dry vermouth that will never go out of style, here’s how to make the classic martini.

Ingredients
70ml Bombay Sapphire
15ml Dolin Vermouth Dry
lemon twist or olives for garnish 

Method
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, stir vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a pre-cooled martini glass. Garnish with either a twist of lemon or a couple of olives. Enjoy! 

Helena’s Smoky Martini

Though a smoky martini (using Scotch whisky instead of vermouth) has been knocking around for a while, this martini variation has been a recent favourite of our very own Helena Nicklin - so we’ve renamed it Helena’s Smoky Martini! The whisky gives the martini a significantly more smoky flavour (hence the name), and the savoury notes in the Scotch work perfectly with the botanicals of London Dry gin.

Ingredients
15ml The Glenturret 10 Year Old Peat Smoked Whisky
60ml London Dry gin
lemon twist for garnish 

Method
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, stir well and strain into a cooled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon and enjoy!

Dirty Martini

It’s time to get down and dirty with a classic dirty martini. You’ve probably heard this drink being ordered a few times, but do you know what actually makes it dirty? No, it’s not a handful of dirt, it’s pickle juice! The salty bathwater of olives is an ingredient that while not exactly expected, is as popular as ever. Our salt craving taste buds can’t get enough of the savoury Dirty Martini…

Ingredients
70ml Dima’s Vodka
25ml Dolin Vermouth Dry
15ml pickle juice
pickles for garnish

Method
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with cracked ice, stir vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a pre-cooled martini glass. Garnish with a pickle. Enjoy! 

Bond’s Vesper Martini

We’ve been expecting you… The Vesper, named after Bond character Vesper Lynd, isn’t just a movie invention - no, this cocktail comes straight out of the Bond novels (Casino Royale, published in 1953, to be exact). We even get a fairly comprehensive recipe given to us: “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”. Unfortunately, Kina Lillet stopped being produced in the 1970s. Since then, Bond lovers and mixologists have bound together to either a) Track down a rare bottle, or b) Find a suitable alternative. As for A, the last known full bottle to exist sits in the Museum of the American Cocktail, but for B, they’ve collectively decided that Cocchi Americano is a great alternative (phew).

Ingredients (according to Bond, James Bond)
3 measures Gordon’s Gin
1 measure vodka
½ measure Cocchi Americano
A large slice of lemon peel for garnish 

Method (according to Drinkers, The Three Drinkers)
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir well until ice-cold. We’re stirring rather than shaking, because shaking dilutes the Vesper too much in our opinion… sorry, James! Garnish with a large slice of lemon peel, got it?

Perfect Martini

In this sense, perfect does not mean ‘the best martini to exist ever’, it actually means that the cocktail has equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. The addition of the sweet vermouth makes this cocktail a little sweeter and gives it a beautiful amber colour. The Perfect martini makes a wonderful aperitif, but could also work as a tasty after dinner drink. Fun vermouth tip: keep the vermouth refrigerated after opening, as vermouth will oxidise and go bad after about a month!

Ingredients
50ml gin
15ml Dolin Vermouth Dry
15ml Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth
orange twist for garnish 

Method
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, stir well and strain into a cooled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange and enjoy!

Gibson

The Gibson may have fallen a little out of fashion, but that doesn’t mean it can’t come back into fashion! Though it has a different name, a Gibson is really just a funky name for a martini that’s been garnished with a tiny pickled onion rather than olives or lemon peel. We have to admit, the white onion with the clear cocktail does look pretty stylish and the savoury onion gives the cocktail an umami undertone it might not get otherwise. Try this one out!

Ingredients

70ml Bombay Sapphire
15ml Dolin Vermouth Dry
mini pickled onions for the garnish 

Method
Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice, stir well and strain into a cooled martini glass. Garnish with a mini pickled onions and enjoy! 

Breakfast Martini

The breakfast martini is an interesting take on a martini, namely because it uses a spoon of marmalade in its creation, but it is definitely worth a try. The trick to mastering this cocktail is using REALLY good marmalade (we’ve heard Paddington Bear gives out great recommendations). The result is an orangey treat you’ll be glad you took a risk on.

Ingredients
1 spoon marmalade
50ml gin
15ml Cointreau
15ml fresh lemon juice
orange peel twist for garnish
small triangle of toast for garnish 

Method
Put the marmalade and gin in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and stir until dissolved (this might take a while). Add the other ingredients and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a twist of orange. Slot the tiny toast onto the rim of the glass and enjoy!

French Martini

Oui oui mon ami, c'est le martini français! This delicious, fruity treat will transport you all the way to France with the inclusion of French raspberry liqueur Chambord. We’re not too sure how native pineapples are to France, but all geographical qualms will melt away once you taste the fresh, juiciness of this drink.

Ingredients
60ml vodka
15ml Chambord
45ml pineapple juice (not from concentrate)
slice of pineapple for garnish 

Method
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass and garnish with a slice of pineapple. Tchin tchin!

Espresso Martini

You know it, you love it, it’s the in your face bang slam cocktail that the world can’t get enough of, The Espresso Martini. There’s something about that beautiful white foam that glistens on top of this cocktail that is nothing short of mesmerising, and really impressive to serve to friends. If you’ve been too afraid to venture into espresso territory before, why not start now? We assure you that with the right ingredients, the Espresso Martini is nowhere near as scary as it might seem…

Ingredients
40ml Black Cow Vodka
25ml Kahlúa coffee liqueur
25ml cooled espresso
½ tbsp simple syrup
three coffee beans, for garnish 

Method
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with three coffee beans. Enjoy! 

Pornstar Martini

Oh come on, you know we had to include this one. Just the smell of passion fruit liqueur can get you thinking about nights full of raucous fun and bad jokes. You may want to check the stability of your kitchen table before you start serving these, however, as dancing is guaranteed. With the prosecco shot accompaniment, we like to sip it while we drink the cocktail - but you do you.

Ingredients
1 ripe passion fruit, halved
30ml vanilla vodka
30ml Passoa
10ml lime juice
10ml sugar syrup
prosecco, to serve 

Method
Scoop the seeds from half of the passion fruit into the tin of a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, passion fruit liqueur, lime juice and sugar syrup. Add a handful of ice and shake well, strain into a coupe and float half a passionfruit on top. Serve with a shot of prosecco and worry about when to drink it...

The Best Vodkas for Espresso Martinis

Best Vodka for Espresso Martinis thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

The Espresso Martini: undeniably one of the world’s most treasured cocktails known for its ability to ‘wake you up’ and then- Oh, you know the rest of the phrase… Make sure you’ve got this cocktail under your belt before the holiday season creeps up on you - it’s on its way! 

While cocktails fare well with most vodkas, there are definitely some more suited to certain cocktails. Here’s our list of the BEST vodkas for an Espresso Martini!

Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka

Best Vodka for Espresso Martinis Black Cow Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This vodka has shot to astronomical renown in the past few years, and it’s for good reason. Black Cow Vodka is made from pure milk, to be specific, the whey left over when creating Black Cow Farm’s award-winning cheddar (which we can confirm is REALLY good). Based in West Dorset, not only is it helping reduce food waste, but it’s also a seriously good quality vodka. Black Cow has subtle notes of cream and it's this quality that makes it so perfect for an Espresso Martini. To put it simply, espresso and Black Cow Vodka are a match made in mixology heaven: BUY NOW!!

ABV: 40%
Size: 70cl
Find here: £27.05

Finlandia Vodka

Best Vodka for Espresso Martinis Finlandia Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Finlandia, as its name suggests, is made in Finland and is distilled using glacial spring water. For this reason, some enjoy Finlandia frozen - but you won’t need to freeze it when mixing up a delicious cocktail for your family and friends. Finlandia is a very smooth vodka, meaning it’s brilliant for cocktails such as an Espresso Martini where a spiky vodka would interfere with the other flavours at work. Try it out today!

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £21 // US $20.99

Ketel One Vodka

Best Vodkas for Espresso Martinis Ketel One Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Ketel One is tried and true when it comes to vodka (around since 1691!) - loved all around the world for its versatility in cocktails. Its flavoured vodkas are also top quality, so after making your Espresso Martinis, it’s worth checking those out. Their neutral vodka has a creamy hint of honey, an edge that really shines through in a carefully crafted Espresso Martini. 

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: UK £26.65 // US $29.99

Tito’s Vodka

Best Vodkas for Espresso Martinis Tito's thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Tito’s Vodka is handmade in its birthplace of Austin Texas, and is still made in old-fashioned pot stills. Each small batch is meticulously taste tested and distilled to give a clean and pure vodka that is wonderful in a variety of cocktails. As the vodka is corn distilled, it has a touch of sweetness to it - which is ideal for using in an Espresso Martini! The corn also means it’s gluten free!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: UK £28.85

Stolichnaya

Best Vodkas for Espresso Martinis Stolichnaya thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Stolichnaya is a great all-rounder vodka - so if you’re mixologist extraordinaire you’ll love having a bottle (or three) of this around. Stolichnaya packs a bit of a punch, so if you like your vodka strong you’ll love it. Its neutrality makes it brilliant for a whole host of cocktails, from a Moscow Mule to an Espresso Martini! Pick up a bottle today and get that shaker out, you’re gonna need it!

ABV: 40%
Size: 70cl
Find it here: £20.90 // US $27.99

Chase Vodka

Best Vodkas for Espresso Martinis Chase Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Chase Vodka is made from tiny weeny potatoes that can’t be made into Tyrrells Crisps! We love an alcohol that reduces food waste, so Chase gets a big Three Drinkers eco-friendly star of approval. It’s also got a lovely creamy flavour with hints of warm spices, which definitely sounds like something we’d like in our coffee (Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone?). Chase Vodka is one to add to your bar cart if you’re after a great Espresso Martini - and don’t forget the Tyrells!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £35.35

If the Martini is your prefered drink of choice then these Best Value Vodkas for Martinis are worth checking out too.

The Most Popular Cocktails This Summer

The Most Popular Cocktails This Summer thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Picture it: the sun is shining, your friends are round and improvised appetisers are on the table. A flash of silver - what’s that? “Would anyone like a cocktail?” a cool voice calls out from the kitchen. The crowd pricks up their ears, who’s that sexy mixologist? It’s you, you’re the sexy mixologist. Shaker in hand, you begin to feel like a God… until you realise you don’t know any cocktail recipes.

Aha! Fear no more! There’s still hope for you to become the God of cocktail parties. Once you’ve got down the crowd pleasers, you need never worry again about accidentally getting Grandma plastered on your botched version of a ‘martini’. We’re here, armed with the nation's favourite cocktails to help you out.

10. Sangria

The Most Popular Cocktails Sangria thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

In at Number 10 is a tasty Spanish contribution - the Sangria! Essentially a red wine punch (though it can be especially tasty with white wine), the key to a great Sangria is the personal touch. Taste test with your favourite fruits and put together a family recipe to be passed down through the generations.

Ingredients

2 oranges, chopped
2 pears, chopped
2 lemons, 1 chopped, 1 juiced
200g red berries, chopped
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Ice
750ml bottle light red wine
100ml Spanish brandy
300ml sparkling water

Method

Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the chopped fruit in a large bowl. Stir to mix. Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge for at least an hour, but ideally overnight.
Fill up a large jug with ice. Stir the fruit mixture to ensure the sugar is dissolved and tip into the jug. Add the wine and brandy. Stir, then top up with the sparkling water and serve.


9. Long Island Iced Tea

The Most Popular Cocktails Long Island Iced Tea thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Fun fact: Long Island Iced Tea is claimed to have been invented by TGIFriday’s, but as all origin stories go, this is widely refuted. Oh well, let’s let them have it. Popular in the 1980s and still hugely successful now - the Long Island Iced Tea packs a PUNCH. If you’ve got a lot of leftover spirits around, why not put them to use and mix one up yourself?!

Ingredients

15ml vodka
15ml white rum
15ml silver tequila
15ml gin
15ml triple sec
15ml simple syrup
15ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Cola
Garnish: lemon wedge

Method

Add the vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, simple syrup and lemon juice to a tall glass filled with ice. Top with the cola and briefly stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge and straw. Simple!

8. Old Fashioned

The Most Popular Cocktails Old Fashioned thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Making it into this list is proof that the Old Fashioned isn’t as musty as the name might make it sound. We Brits still love the combination of whisk(e)y, simple syrup and angostura bitters - as we should! Why not have a Mad Men (without the dodgy workplace environment) themed party and serve these up to your guests!

Ingredients

50 ml of Whisk(e)y or Bourbon
1 tbsp sugar syrup
2-3 dashes of angostura bitters
1 twist of orange peel to garnish

Method

Place the sugar syrup and bitters in a rocks glass. Add some of the whiskey and a few ice cubes and stir for 15-20 seconds to cool the alcohol and start the ice melting. Keep adding a little more whiskey, then a little more ice, and continue to stir. Sip as you go and stop when the dilution is to your taste.
Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

7. Negroni

The Most Popular Cocktails Negroni thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Bella Italia! Mamma Mia! Use your best Italian while creating this beautifully complex cocktail - it was invented by one after all (to be precise it was Count Camillio Negroni in 1919 who asked for gin to be added to his Americano cocktail in Florence - the more you know!). 

Ingredients

25ml gin
25ml sweet vermouth
25ml Campari
orange slice, to garnish

Method

Pour all ingredients into a rocks glass with ice. Stir briefly. Garnish with a slice of orange.

6. Margarita

The Most Popular Cocktails Margarita thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

One of the most iconic (and delicious) cocktails to exist. Okay, maybe that was a bit biased - but the margarita is still a great cocktail to have under your belt! Close your eyes and transport yourself to Mexico/heaven. Also, if you’re using nice tequila for the love of the cocktail Gods DO NOT salt the rim - how are you going to taste that £50+ you just spent?

Ingredients

50m blanco tequila (or try a reposado if you’re feeling posh)
25ml lime juice
25ml Cointreau (or triple sec)
lime wedge for garnish

Method

Add tequila, lime juice and triple sec to a shaker with ice. Shake that baby until the sides feel icy. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a slice of lime. 


5. Pornstar Martini

The Most Popular Cocktails Pornstar Martini thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Who knew passionfruit was so naughty? The real question here is what to do with that dastardly prosecco shot. Do you drink it first? Drink it last? Add it to the cocktail? Drink it while drinking the cocktail? Chuck it at the next table? Leave it because the anxiety over how to drink it has got too much? ...yeah.

Ingredients

1 ripe passion fruit, halved
30ml vanilla vodka
30ml passion fruit liqueur
10ml lime juice
10ml sugar syrup
Prosecco, to serve

Method

Scoop the seeds from half of the passion fruit into the tin of a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, passion fruit liqueur, lime juice and sugar syrup. Add a handful of ice and shake well, strain into a martini glass and add half a passion fruit to each. Serve with a shot of prosecco and a pint glass of prosecco shot anxiety.

4. Sex on the Beach

The Most Popular Cocktails Sex on the Beach thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Another naughty name! Goodness me… make sure when you’re asking someone if they’d like this cocktail that you remember to say ‘A’ Sex on the Beach rather than just ‘Sex on the Beach’. That could go very wrong ;). 

Ingredients

45ml vodka
30ml peach schnapps
60ml orange juice
60ml cranberry juice
Orange wedge, for garnish

Method

Fill a tall glass with ice and add the vodka, peach schnapps and orange juice. Stir briefly. Pour over the cranberry juice for that all important ombre effect. Garnish with a juicy orange wedge.


3. Espresso Martini

The Most Popular Cocktails Espresso Martini thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This one’s dropped in the ranks this year, it used to be the UK’s favourite cocktail! It’s still getting the bronze medal, however, and this is definitely a cocktail to master - for how easy it is, it looks really impressive!

Ingredients

50ml vodka
25ml freshly brewed espresso coffee
25ml coffee liqueur
10ml sugar syrup
3 coffee beans for garnish

Method

Pop your martini glass in the fridge to cool (or in the freezer if you want that pretty iced effect on the glass). Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker along with a handful of ice and shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels icy cold. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with 3 perfectly placed coffee beans.


2. Piña Colada

The Most Popular Cocktails Pina Colada thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Dreaming of beaches and pools, are we? Legend has it that if you take a sip of a Piña Colada, close your eyes and say coconut three times, you might hear the sea. Might is the key word there. If by some random occurrence you happen to have a spare hollowed out coconut, USE IT NOW! Oh and some of those cheesy tiny umbrellas.

Ingredients

120ml pineapple juice
60ml white rum
60ml cream of coconut
Wedge of pineapple to garnish

Method

Pulse all the ingredients along with a handful of ice in a blender until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a wedge of pineapple.

1. Mojito

The Most Popular Cocktails Mojito thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

And the winner is….. A mojito! A mojito is a safe choice cocktail - you’re unlikely to mess it up (and if you do, just put on your sexy mixologist voice and drawl “that’s how it’s supposed to taste”). Not only that, but it’s delicious! 

Ingredients

Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp granulated sugar
Small handful mint leaves, plus extra sprig to serve
60ml white rum
Soda water

Method

Muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint as you go. Pour into a tall glass and add a handful of ice. Pour over the rum, stirring with a long-handled spoon. Top up with soda water, garnish with mint and serve.

Like what you see? Why not check out our other cocktail recipes to up your game!