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With a history that’s almost as rich as the drink itself, the Espresso Martini is a staple on your cocktail repertoire.

It was first reportedly invented by the legendary bartender Dick Bradsell in 1983, initially christened the ‘vodka espresso’.

Then, at some point in the 90s, the drink adopted the ever-popular ‘martini’ suffix, even though that means it should technically contain gin and vermouth.

No matter the name or the era, though, it is always made up of just four main ingredients: a fresh espresso shot, sugar, coffee liqueur, and vodka.

Okay, we’ll cut to the chase instead of doing that annoying thing recipe websites do where they introduce their grandmother’s mother, mother’s aunt, and their life and time before finally sharing how to make the darn thing you came for:

As you may well know after years of eating and drinking, the better the quality of the ingredients, the better the experience and enjoyment of consuming, right?

Right, so, it would be wise to ensure that those four ingredients are all quality stuff that bears the mark of skilled craftsmanship.

Since we have our finger on the pulse, you’re in the right place for the best-recommended brands to make the Espresso Martini absolutely scrumptious and daringly moreish.

What you’ll need:

• A shot (or 25 millilitres) of Albatross Cape Grape Vodka
• A shot (or 25ml) of coffee liqueur
• A shot (or 25ml) of fresh espresso using Deluxe Coffeeworks House Blend
• 15ml of sugar syrup (optional)
• Three coffee beans for garnish

Step by step on how to make an Espresso Martini:

• Put your martini glass in the fridge to chill.
• Add all ingredients to a shaker.
• Fill the shaker with fresh, cubed ice and shake hard.
• Double strain into the chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with three coffee beans.

Terry Cashman, who has many years of experience working behind the bar and going on to project manage at global drinks agency, Sweet&Chilli, says your best bet is fresh espresso to really make this cocktail shine:

“Creating a good quality, well-made shot of espresso is absolutely essential to the success of an espresso martini. Once made, allow the coffee to cool down slightly, as this will prevent too much ice dilution, but remember that coffee will begin to oxidise the second it has been ground. You want to avoid the coffee oxidising as much as possible, due to the bitterness created by this process.”

Deluxe Coffeeworks can help keep things real with its House Blend, boasting perfectly roasted beans from Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Brazil:

 

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Beans with those kinds of origins make for a full-bodied, bright coffee with an intense flavour, delicious aroma, and perfect finish.

You can bag a Deluxe Coffeeworks House Blend in whole bean form and use the extra beans for garnish after grinding the rest down for your morning brew and evening cocktail.

Following on from this, the vodka you choose matters, too:

“Obviously, as the biggest sole ingredient, vodka has a large part to play in the Espresso Martini. You need a quality vodka that can stand up to the coffee, and to bring something to the flavour profile other than just alcoholic strength.”

Albatross Cape Grape Vodka is distilled from a selection of the finest Cape Grapes and the purified water of the Table Mountain aquifer, which results in a pure, classy vodka with brilliant character and depth:

 

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Cashman also recommends shaking (hard) and not stirring so that the natural oils in the coffee can combine with air bubbles to form a delicate froth – arguably the most satisfying part of a good Espresso Martini.

If you’re not up to making your own at home, you can step out and visit Cafe Du Cap in Newlands, where you can be greeted with a freshly shaken Espresso Martini under the shade of the yellow umbrellas:

My heart is already fluttering pretty hard.

[source:diageobaracademy]