Cafe de Jerez

Name: Cafe de Jerez
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Coffee liqueur; 45 ml Spanish brandy; 37.5 ml Espresso coffee (hot); 15 ml Salted vanilla syrup; 3.75 ml Olive oil; 3.75 ml Balsamic vinegar

Difford’s Guide

Discerning Drinkers (2)

Measurements in:

Serves:

Keep screen awake

Ingredients
1 fl oz	Galliano Espresso Coffee liqueur
1 1/2 fl oz	Spanish brandy
1 1/4 fl oz	Exprè Caffè Italiano (or freshly made hot Espresso Coffee)
1/2 fl oz	Salted vanilla syrup
1/8 fl oz	Extra virgin olive oil
1/8 fl oz	Balsamic vinegar of Modena

How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Coupe glass

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
Prepare coffee beans for garnish.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

Garnish with 3 coffee beans floated in a petal formation in the centre of the cocktail's foamy head.

To make Salted vanilla syrup:

150 grams of Cane Sugar; 150 grams of Boiled Water; 1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract; 2 grams Kosher Salt. Add all ingredients to a container and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. You can use a mixing wand or whisk to speed up the process. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within two weeks.
Recipe contributed in August 2023 by Jonathan Stanyard

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Cafe de Jerez contains 292 calories

Alcohol content:

1.5 standard drinks
14.22% alc./vol. (28.43° proof)
20.6 grams of pure alcohol

History

Created in August 2023 by Jonathan Stanyard in Seattle, USA, this cocktail was joint 2nd in the Galliano Espresso Martini Competition.

I love the espresso martini and finding different ways to make it more complex. I even started the crazy idea of putting parmesan cheese on top of an espresso martini. For this recipe, I focused on the Galliano Espresso liqueur, which has flavors of dark roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, and burnt nuts. These bold flavors pair very well with dates and raisins, so I used a Brandy de Jerez. My ex-bar manager introduced this brandy style to me, and I have always been intrigued by the solera method that bodegas use to create these complex brandies. These brandies are aged in ex-sherry casks, giving the brandy dried fruit, vanilla, and oak notes. This combination of the Spanish brandy with the Galliano Espresso liqueur is perfect.

The cocktail is made with the freshest espresso, giving the pillow-like froth. Salt is very complementary to bitter flavors. I blended salt and vanilla in a simple syrup to amp up the umami notes and provide a little body. When I think of espresso, I think of its origin in Venice, Italy, and I wanted to honor that. The last touch is olive oil and balsamic vinegar, reminding me of an Italian table essential. For the cocktail, the olive oil provides a luscious texture, while the vinegar adds a touch of acid and balances the sweetness in the cocktail. I usually express lemon oils or drop a peel in the tin for a regal shake, but this addition of vinegar was a match made in the glass.

The Galliano Espresso liqueur carries the weight of the drink, but the other major player in this Espresso Martini is the Brandy de Jerez. Since the brandy brings fond memories and is essential in the recipe, I call this cocktail Cafe de Jerez.
Jonathan Stanyard, August 2023

Review

Olive oil, balsamic and salt add pleasing savoury notes to this Spanish-Italian Espresso Martini. As befits the name, the original recipe calls for Spanish brandy, but I also tried and preferred Italian brandy. With a different name, this could be an entirely Italian production.