Espresso Martini

1. In the base of a cocktail shaker, add 1 part each of Absolut Vodka, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, and fresh Espresso.
2. Add ice and shake until frothy.
3. Strain into a cocktail glass quickly tp allow froth to settle.
4. Garnish with the coffee beans.

If you’re a coffee lover – and in Australia, it’s almost a birthright – when it comes to cocktails, there is no more enticing concoction than the espresso martini. Simultaneously ticking the boxes as a pick-me-up, dessert alternative, and classy shout, the caffeine-loaded combination of espresso coffee, vodka, and coffee liqueur is said to be Australia’s most-ordered cocktail.

While its popularity may have waned in recent decades in many other countries, our patriotic coffee culture has ensured it remains beloved across the country since the early noughties. And now, it’d enjoying a second wave globally, with The New York TImes recently declaring that the espresso martini is back, as bars in the US reintroduce it to post-pandemic crowds looking for a good time.

History goes that the contemporary classic cocktail was invented in the ‘80s in London by bartender, Dick Bradsell, while he was working at Soho Brasserie. While the origin story is a little muddled, allegedly a since-famous supermodel sashayed into the bar and asked for something to “wake me up”. With a coffee machine nearby and a splash of vodka, Kahlua, Tia Maria and sugar syrup at hand, the then-named Vodka Espresso was born.

While it’s true the drink doesn’t carry the ingredients to warrant the “martini” name, most cocktails served in martini glasses at that time were considered martinis. These days you can also find espresso martinis served in a coupe, and almost always with three coffee beans artfully placed in the foamy top – supposedly representing health, wealth and happiness.