Espresso Martini Recipe

Chill glass

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

Prepare espresso

Brew a fresh shot of espresso and let it cool briefly to warm-to-room temperature (about 1–2 minutes). To speed cooling without diluting, set the shot in a small metal cup in an ice bath for 20–30 seconds or add 1 tsp cold water and stir. The espresso should be warm but not steaming so it won't over-dilute the drink when shaken with ice.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add 6 ice cubes, 2 oz Kirinzan Classic Cold Brew Vanilla Sake, 1 oz cooled espresso, 1 oz vodka, 0.5 oz coffee liqueur, and 0.25 oz simple syrup or vanilla syrup.

Dry shake (optional for foam)

If you prefer a thicker, espresso-like foam on top, close the shaker and shake vigorously without ice for 8–10 seconds to emulsify the espresso and sake.

Wet shake

Add the ice (if you performed a dry shake, now add the ice) or simply close the shaker (if already containing ice) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is very cold and you hear the ice slapping.

Double strain and serve

Remove the chilled glass from the freezer or empty the ice water. Double strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer to capture small ice shards and ensure a silky texture. Pour gently to preserve the crema.

Garnish

Float 3 coffee beans on the surface of the foam in a triangle pattern as a classic garnish.

If you have leftover espresso, keep it refrigerated and use within a few hours. For a slightly sweeter profile, substitute the simple syrup with the same amount of vanilla syrup. Adjust sweetness to taste.