Which vodka do you use for an espresso martini?

A vodka without added flavour suits an espresso martini, because the coffee and the coffee liqueur already determine the taste of the glass.

Regulation (EU) 2019/787 describes that vodka in category 15: uncoloured, with at most 8 grams of sweetener per litre, and with only flavours that come from the distillate of the fermented raw material. Vodka from grain, from potato or from another agricultural raw material all falls under the same category. The regulation does require that a vodka that does not come exclusively from cereals or potatoes clearly states the raw material used on the label.

The official recipe consists of 50 millilitres of vodka, 30 millilitres of coffee liqueur, 10 millilitres of sugar syrup and one strong espresso.

All parts go together into the shaker, are shaken firmly with ice and then strained into a chilled cocktail glass. The International Bartenders Association names three coffee beans as garnish. The espresso goes into the shaker fresh, so that it cools along with the ice instead of warming the glass.

The coffee liqueur supplies sweet coffee flavour and part of the sugar; according to Regulation (EU) 2019/787, liqueur contains at least 100 grams of sweetener per litre, calculated as invert sugar.

So 30 milliliters of coffee liqueur already puts at least 3 grams of sugar from the liqueur into the glass, before any syrup is added. That explains why the recipe needs only 10 milliliters of sugar syrup. Coffee liqueur and fresh espresso complement each other: the liqueur brings sweetness and roasted flavor, the espresso brings bitterness and aroma.

The official recipe prescribes 10 millilitres of sugar syrup, alongside the coffee liqueur.

Those ten milliliters are small relative to the rest of the glass, but they tie the bitterness of the espresso to the sweet side of the drink. Anyone who wants the cocktail drier halves the syrup or leaves it out; the glass then becomes more bitter. Anyone who has no syrup at home and adjusts the proportions departs from the official version.

Flavoured vodka changes the recipe, because the added flavor in category 31 must in fact be predominant.

Regulation (EU) 2019/787 describes flavoured vodka as vodka with a predominant flavour that does not come from the raw material. In a glass with espresso and coffee liqueur, such a vodka adds a third flavour direction. A vanilla or caramel vodka is closest to what is already in the glass; a citrus or herb vodka pulls the drink in another direction. If you stick to the official recipe, you use a vodka from category 15.

An alcohol-free version consists of espresso, sugar syrup and an alcohol-free alternative to the coffee liqueur, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled glass.

Het resultaat heet dan geen espresso martini volgens de International Bartenders Association, want dat recept schrijft wodka en koffielikeur voor. Voor gasten onder de 18 is de alcoholvrije route de enige: de Alcoholwet verbiedt het verstrekken van alcoholhoudende drank aan iemand van wie niet is vastgesteld dat die 18 jaar is. NIX18 is de campagne van het ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport die daarbij hoort.