Where to find delicious espresso martini in Singapore, according to these mixologists

First things first: An espresso martini is shaken, not stirred. This ever-popular variation of a martini is listed on almost every bar menu across town and is widely available across the world. It’s as simple as the original martini but just as complex to master. 

The concoction calls for four ingredients: Vodka, coffee liqueur, sugar, and a shot of fresh espresso, which gives the drink that perfectly foamed crema that crowns the glass. Just one of these rich and creamy drinks is enough to wake your senses. Another will keep you going for the night.

Sago House’s co-founder Desiree Jane unpacks the unassuming tipple: “Espresso martinis are pretty simple drinks; each element has to be at peak quality or else the whole drink falls apart. A good espresso martini stands out when all the ingredients are considered and play well with one another, creating something more than the sum of its parts.”

The X factor, according to Jane, is the texture. “You want that silky, rich mouthfeel, so a nice hard shake is necessary. I don't want to drink a thin, cold coffee. The foam is where it's at,” she explained.

What we love about the espresso martini is the legend that fuels its popularity. The story goes something like this: In the 1980s, a famous model walked into London’s Fred’s Club and asked the late British bartender, Dick Bradsell, for “something that would wake me up” and then mess her up.  Bradsell obliged and poured his invention of vodka, coffee liqueur, sugar syrup and a fresh shot of espresso into a chilled martini glass, garnished it with three cacao beans for luck, et voila, and the legend was born. His blend of an upper (a stimulant which lifts the mood) to a downer (the alcohol) took the world by storm, and the drink quickly made its way to the all-time cocktail classics jukebox.

While the classic recipe remains ever-popular, local mixologists have unleashed their creativity and launched variations by playing with different components of the drink. Some versions play with the spirit base of vodka and switch it to rum, tequila, whisky, or a blend of spirits to create dimensions. Others add chocolate or amaro to boost the sweet or bitter notes. And then there’s the coffee.

Purists call for a fresh espresso shot, but according to Adrian Besa of Jungle Ballroom, a cold brew works just as well.  “An espresso straight from the espresso machine would be the most convenient, but it can also be technical because if it’s too hot, it will melt the ice faster, resulting in a diluted espresso martini.” He finds that a cold brew works well in high-volume bars like Jungle Ballroom, where they serve around 200 pours every weekend.

Across the road, Jigger & Pony’s bar manager Uno Jang argues in favour of the espresso shot: “Cold brew is like a cold infusion, which replaces the temperature and pressure with time, so it is less intense in flavour and lacks the crema. We’re not saying that espresso martini made with cold brew or coffee liqueur isn’t good, but just keeping with the whole Jigger & Pony ‘improved and true’ approach, we prefer to use freshly pulled coffee for each espresso martini in our bar.”

And then are futuristic variations where coffee is optional. At Analogue, Vijay Mudailar uses chicory, a coffee by-product, in his take called Faux Espresso, and at White Shades, Jiawei Bai is exploring ways to incorporate the coffee flavour sans coffee. “For people who don’t want coffee or caffeine, we are experimenting with ways to create an espresso martini with flavour of coffee, without using any coffee,” he revealed.

Finally, the coffee liqueur amps the caffeine and brings an element of spice. Every bar has its favourite; among them, the Australian Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur seems to be the reigning choice.To find some of the most delicious espresso martinis in our city, we asked five mixologists to nominate their best finds. Here are their favourites.

ADRIAN BESA, BEVERAGE MANAGER, JUNGLE BALLROOM, MONDRIAN HOTEL

The seasoned mixologist headed straight to Jigger and Pony for the most compelling espresso martini variation. He explained his choice: “They’ve considered every single aspect of their recipe to provide the very best combination. The base spirit is Grey Goose vodka, which they shake with ‘Jigger & Pony x PPP’ espresso special blend coffee, made with a combination of Rio Brilhante and Thippanahalli Estate beans for the ultimate espresso martini. It comes with a cacao tuile, which you smash with a spoon before drinking. It’s a must-try for any espresso martini lover!”

Mudaliar enjoys the “fun take” at Tanjong Pagar’s Nighthawk, which blends rum and vodka, amaro, coffee, chocolate, and MSG for a savoury note and replaces the espresso crema with a hot coconut cream foam head. “The cocktail uses cold brew concentrate instead of espresso for more acidity and is drier than a regular espresso martini. The two spirit bases and an amaro add flavours and complexity to the drink. The hot foam adds texture, temperate play, and sensory stimulation,” he stated.

Being a sustainability advocate, he pointed out how all garnishes at Night Hawk are either edible or reusable. He said: “The edible white chocolate wax seal contains the bar’s logo, compliments the flavours of the foam, and gives the overall drink a retro-mid-century look.”

“The espresso martini at Atlas is special because it stays true to the classic but still elevates everything that makes an espresso martini great. They combine fresh coffee with Mr Black Coffee liqueur, vodka, a dash of Angostura and a cinnamon cream float. It’s a perfect balance of coffee, spices, and soft texture without making it too sweet or too bitter,” said Mohlmann, who took on the bar at Manhattan last year.  

Atlas does not shake but stirs and gives it a zhuzh with full cream and freshly grated cinnamon. “The cream gives the creamy texture which usually comes if you shake espresso. Like an Irish coffee,” she said.

JIAWEI BAI, FOUNDER OF WHITE SHADES

“My favourite is Satisfaction from the old menu at Republic. They’re still serving it, but you must ask for it. It’s not an espresso martini but an Irish coffee. One of those does a good job of waking me up. At one point, I was drinking four or five of these in one night. And this is when I don’t enjoy coffee by itself,” said Jiawei, who has just launched his layered creation Black IIII, a cross between an espresso martini and an Irish coffee at his bar, White Shades.

He continued: “Satisfaction has simple ingredients — Jameson Irish whiskey reduction, cream, and coffee. The stout reduction gives it depth and flavour. It really complements the whiskey and coffee, and the taste lingers.”

DESIREE JANE, CO-FOUNDER OF SAGO HOUSE