The Five Best Vodkas to Use in an Espresso Martini
Espresso Martinis are excellent choices for the holidays or for any time of year when you want to change things up. They require a shot of espresso,3/4 ounce condensed milk, 1.5 ounces of vodka, and a garnish of coffee beans. The cocktail is good for giving you a quick pick-me-up and it’s essential for espresso lovers. There are quite a few vodkas that feature tasting notes that go well with martini variants such as the espresso version. Not all vodkas, however, will do the job. Some may offer conflicting flavors that take away from the quality of your cocktail. To make the perfect espresso martini you need to use premium vodka with the most complimentary notes. Here is our pick of the five best Vodkas to use in an espresso martini.
5. Pure Cow Milk Vodka
Pure Cow Milk Vodka is an excellent choice for use in espresso martinis because of its premium quality and subtle creamy notes. It blends with the espresso and milk ingredients to enhance the texture felt on the tongue. It’s essential in the mixologist’s arsenal when crafting this cocktail. It’s made from the milk that remains after the farm makes its highly lauded cheddar cheese. It gets kudos for reducing food waste and creating a byproduct that turns out to be a premium ingredient rather than waste. They’ve killed two birds with one stone. The ABV of Pure Cow Milk Vodka is 40 percent.
4. Stolichnaya Vodka
The Stolichnaya Vodka label should sit on the shelf of all mixologists because of its versatility for use in multiple cocktail applications. It’s a neutral vodka that gives your cocktails an extra punch at the finish. The notes of this vodka do not interfere with the flavors of the ingredients in your cocktails, making it the ideal alcohol to give the espresso martini an extra kick. It’s a good idea to keep Stolichnaya vodka on the shelf in your arsenal because it’s one of the better options when you want to keep the notes of the liquor to a minimum when crafting signature house cocktails. The ABV is 40 percent.
3. Stoli Elit
Stoli Elit is a Russian distilled vodka made from grain grown on the estate of the distillery. It is a triple distilled label that goes through intense filtration through birch charcoal, and quartz, with ion charging and freezing processes to create a pleasant and light-bodied vodka. The ABV is 40 percent, providing just enough kick at the finish. Stoli Elit is made with premium locally sourced ingredients with a smooth and pleasant experience on the palate. Notes of mineral water, grain, and cream make it the perfect compliment for an espresso martini, enhancing the creamy texture of the cocktail with subtle earthy notes of grain.
2. Grey Goose Vodka
They distilled Grey Goose vodka in the country of France. It has an ABV of 40 percent. They chose grey Goose for many cocktails because of its light body and subtle nuances. It’s one of the less dry vodkas. The distilling experts craft Grey Goose from winter wheat grown in Northern France’s Picardy region. The distillers’ source mineral water from the Cognac area with other ingredients that present light and herbal notes with a nutty and buttery quality. Grey Goose comes loaded with delicate flavor nuances. The flavors blend wonderfully with various ingredients in some cocktails. It adds a complementary flavor to espresso martinis. The almond with light toffee tasting notes adds layers of character. They brighten the intense coffee flavor. The slight flower notes give it an herbal and light personality with an earthy undertone and a hint of sweetness. It’s one of the best choices for your holiday liquor cabinet because of its versatility in so many different craft cocktails. You can find Grey Goose Vodka at most brick-and-mortar retailers and online through various sellers. It’s not hard to find the label, which is offered at a reasonable price.
1. Hangar I Vodka
Hangar I Vodka is distilled in California. This premium vodka is uniquely made of a wheat base and distilled through rustic copper pots. Other ingredients include viognier grapes with citrus ingredients and a pepper infusion. The result is a versatile vodka that is suitable for use in various craft cocktails in a complimentary manner. The ABV is 40 percent. This vodka is lovely on the tongue of even the most discriminating vodka drinkers. The first notes are orange with a companion flavor that works well with the espresso martini. The initial notes fade to an earthy and warm nuance of cinnamon and white pepper, which both give it an extra kick while complementing the coffee flavoring of the cocktail. Hangar I Vodka is one of the better labels produced in the San Francisco Bay area. What we love the most about this versatile recipe is that it can be used to compliment sweet cocktails or those with more fruity or vegetable garnished drinks. Overall, we give it top marks for being among the most versatile vodkas for your liquor cabinet. We choose Hangar I Vodka as the best overall vodka for making craft cocktails, but especially recommend it for the espresso martini variation. If you prefer a smokier version to change up the tasting notes in your espresso martini, you may also want to include the Smoky version of Hangar I Vodka, also available at select online retailers.
