There is nothing wrong with a classic martini. They’re strong, cold, and make you feel so sophisticated when ordering one. Sometimes we want to be a bit playful, though, and a lychee martini is the definition of a fun, fruity twist on the cocktail. If you aren’t sure if you like martinis yet, this one is a great place to start. The drink is still strong, but the lychee juice helps tone it down and sweeten it up. If you’ve never had lychee before, think of it as similar to a pear with a hint of citrus. If an espresso martini is good for the fall, then a lychee martini is what you need for the summer.
How To Make Lychee Martinis
INGREDIENTS
- Gin: Martinis can be made with gin or vodka. I’m a fan of gin personally, and it really is personal preference here. If you want to use vodka instead, no worries—it’s still the same amount.
- Canned Lychee: You can’t have a lychee martini without lychees. Using canned lychee over fresh gives you the syrup that the lychees are soaked in, and you’ll use both the syrup and the fruit for this martini. The canned version is softer and typically pretty easy to find in grocery stores. If you can only find fresh, you can use a simple syrup in place of the syrup.
- St-Germain: You can use any elderflower liqueur for this martini. Elderflower has a similar flavor to lychee, so it helps promote that sweet, floral flavor profile, and I think it really elevates the martini.
- Vermouth: I chose a dry vermouth for the martini since it also uses a syrup. If you like sweeter cocktails, you can use a sweet vermouth instead.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Grab a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Add the gin, lychee syrup, St-Germain, and vermouth.
Add the top on and make sure it’s secure. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very, very cold.
Using the strainer on the shaker, strain the drink into 2 well-chilled martini glasses. Add 3 lychees onto each cocktail pick and add the glasses. Serve while very cold.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe Tips
- Fresh vs. canned: If you are working with fresh lychee instead of canned, then make your simple syrup with a few of the fresh lychee to help flavor the syrup.
- No cocktail shaker? No problem: If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, stir your martini instead. You should still strain the cocktail to avoid any ice cubes in the drink. Even better is to chill all of your ingredients before making the martini ahead of time. A cold martini is the best martini.
Storage
Good news: You can prep your martini ahead of time! Make a big batch by scaling up your recipe depending on how many drinks you want to make. Remember that the recipe makes enough for 2 martinis. Store the drink in your freezer for even colder martinis. The batch is good to be kept in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
