Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer or fill with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail.

Brew espresso

Brew about 1 oz of espresso (Methodical or similar). Allow it to cool briefly at room temperature for 1–2 minutes so it is warm, not piping hot; this helps create crema when shaken but prevents excessive dilution.

Combine ingredients

In the cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Don Julio Añejo, 1 oz cooled espresso, 0.75 oz coffee liqueur, and 0.25 oz simple syrup.

Add ice and dry shake

Add 6 ice cubes to the shaker. Seal and shake vigorously for 8–10 seconds to chill and combine.

Wet & double shake for crema

Optional but recommended: pour out the ice, reseal the shaker, and shake again vigorously for another 6–8 seconds (a 'dry' phase followed by a 'wet' shake helps build a thicker crema).

Fine strain

Empty the shaker of ice and re-add fresh ice, then pour the cocktail back in and give a quick 4–6 second shake to chill. Using the Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer (if available), strain the cocktail into the chilled martini/coupe glass to capture any tiny ice shards and ensure a silky texture.

Add cocoa aroma

Lightly crush the 1 tsp cocoa nibs between a spoon or in a mortar to release aroma. Sprinkle the crushed nibs gently on top of the crema in the glass to provide a bitter-chocolate note and aromatic texture.

Optional coffee-bean finish

For the classic look, float 3 whole coffee beans on the crema arranged in a triangle.

Serve immediately. The cocktail is best enjoyed fresh, while the crema is still thick and aromatic.