Lotus Espresso

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (56 ratings)

Serve in a Martini glass

Ingredients:
2 oz Ketel One Vodka
12 oz Galliano Espresso Coffee liqueur
13 oz Maple syrup
1 oz Espresso coffee (freshly brewed & hot)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Martini glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of coffee beans.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. Garnish with 3 coffee beans arranged in a petal formation in the centre of the cocktail's foamy head.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10
Cocktail of the day:

8th April 2025 is Buddha's Birthday in Japan

Review:

Coffee to the fore but with complex, earthy bittersweet notes.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe discovered in 2005 at Lotus Bar in Sydney, Australia.
See: Espresso Martini story.

Nutrition:

One serving of Lotus Espresso contains 221 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 18.22% alc./vol. (18.22° proof)
  • 21 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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4th January at 21:51
Did it with Wódka Żołądkowa Gorzka de Luxe, Borghetti coffee liquor, Lavazza Espresso Italiano and an amber maple sirop. Added drops of my new marvellous Smoked vanilla Bitter from Beeter. I like it, would up the bitter/sour scale up to 7,5 though (but I like it).
Oliver Cheung’s Avatar Oliver Cheung
10th August 2024 at 21:08
I'd adjust the sweet-dry scale to make it a 4 at most, the maple syrup makes it quite sweet.
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
24th August 2024 at 17:07
What coffee liqueur did you use? This cocktail's balance is very coffee liqueur-dependent. Your choice of coffee will also have some impact.
Michelle Bell’s Avatar Michelle Bell
25th April 2024 at 18:57
Used Pisco instead…..good alternative! Next time I will try with rum as Luke mentioned.
Luke Ruppersburg’s Avatar Luke Ruppersburg
26th February 2023 at 03:41
I think this is becoming one of my favorite coffee cocktails, though I like to tweak it. Swapping the vodka for a clear rum is quite nice. Upping the maple syrup makes it practically a different drink, but a tasty one. Replacing 30 ml of espresso with 30ml of ristretto cuts down on the bitterness. I don't do all of these at once, just one or two depending on what I want at the moment.
Katherine Gelat’s Avatar Katherine Gelat
12th November 2022 at 23:35
Added 2 drops of coffee and cocoa bitters - very tasty!