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Cocktail History
The Christmas Espresso Martini is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created as a Christmas-inspired twist on the classic Espresso Martini. Similar to the original, it mixes vodka and freshly-brewed espresso, but instead of simple syrup, it calls for a flavored gingerbread syrup and adds some Irish cream liqueur to give it a thicker, silkier texture.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Vanilla Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with vanilla pods, grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. I used Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka.
Espresso: This is a concentrated type of coffee made from finely ground coffee beans and hot water. I used ground coffee from a local supplier.
Irish Cream Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with cream, whiskey, sugar, and spices. We used Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur.
Gingerbread Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger, baking spices, vanilla extract, honey, white sugar, brown sugar, gum Arabic powder, and water. I made mine using this sous vide recipe.
Coffee Beans: This is the a seed of the Coffea plant.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Espresso Machine: This brews hot espresso coffee. I used the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine.
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Tweezers: This is used to place the garnish on the drink. I used one from the Stainless Steel Food Tweezers Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Light cocoa color with a foamy top layer
• Aroma: Cream and coffee
• Taste: Cream-softened but still bold coffee flavor
• Finish: Accenting gingerbread spices and slightly bitter coffee
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “After three years of tastings, I’m finally starting to enjoy coffee-flavored cocktails a lot more, especially the holiday variations. Those are much sweeter than the original template, which means they’re perfect for my non-coffee-drinking self. If anything, I would maybe up the gingerbread syrup a little bit more, but that could make it too sweet. If you’ll be serving post-Christmas dinner drinks, this one will be a winner for your guests.”
Recipe
Christmas Espresso Martini
The Christmas Espresso Martini is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created as a Christmas-inspired twist on the classic Espresso Martini. Similar to the original, it mixes vodka and freshly-brewed espresso, but instead of simple syrup, it calls for a flavored gingerbread syrup and adds some Irish cream liqueur to give it a thicker, silkier texture.
Ingredients
Method
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Add vodka, espresso, Irish cream liqueur, gingerbread syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a martini glass.
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Garnish with coffee beans.
