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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Method
Cocktail
- 1
- 2
Pull espresso
Brew a fresh shot of espresso (about 0.75 oz). Let the espresso rest for 10–20 seconds so it cools slightly but still retains crema; this will help create a silky foam when shaken.
- 3
Build and shake
Add 2 oz vanilla vodka, 1 oz Kahlúa, 0.75 oz freshly pulled espresso, and 0.25 oz simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with the ice cubes. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and you see a thick, frothy crema forming.
- 4
Double strain and serve
Empty the ice or water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled mini martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to catch ice shards and produce a smooth surface with a crema.
- 5
Garnish
Carefully float 3 coffee beans on top of the crema as a classic garnish. Serve immediately.
- 6
Optional adjustments: If you prefer slightly sweeter, increase simple syrup to 0.5 oz. For a stronger coffee flavor, use a dark roast espresso. For a smaller 'mini' portion, scale quantities down proportionally (e.g., 1.5 oz vodka, 0.75 oz Kahlúa, 0.5 oz espresso).