Vodka Espresso

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (45 ratings)

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Ingredients:
1 23 oz Ketel One Vodka
1 12 oz Espresso coffee (freshly brewed & hot)
23 oz Galliano Espresso Coffee liqueur
16 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of float 3 coffee beans in the centre of the drink, arranged in a flower petal formation..
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into ice-filled glass.
Cocktail of the day:

1st March 2025 is International Barista Day

Review:

Vodka and coffee combine in this tasty wake-up call.

View readers' comments

History:

Created circa 1983 by Dick Bradsell while bartending at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street, London who created his Vodka Espresso for a woman, said to be an "American model," who famously asked for "Something that's gonna wake me up, then fuck me up."

The Vodka Expresso
SHAKE
50mls good vodka
12.5mls Kahlua
1 dash of sugar
A shot of extra extra strong espresso coffee.
Shake on ice. Pour all over rocks in a small old fashioned glass.
Two sipper straws (optional).

Dick Bradsell, 2010s

Over a decade later, this cocktail was tweaked and served straight-up to become the much better-known Espresso Martini and you can read more about both cocktails on our Espresso Martini page.

Nutrition:

One serving of Vodka Espresso contains 195 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 15.93% alc./vol. (15.93° proof)
  • 19.1 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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Matt B’s Avatar Matt B
1st March 2024 at 00:06
I dont have an expresso machine to try this, but why would you use hot expresso when you're shaking this with ice? Wouldn't all the water from the melted ice just turn the expresso in to room temperature coffee?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
1st March 2024 at 08:28
It is counterintuitive to use hot fresh espresso, but espresso that has been allowed to cool is more acidic and lacks the flavour of freshly made espresso. With good ice, over dilution is not an issue. However, if you don’t have an espresso machine, then there are some purpose-made coffee concentrates available, e.g. https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/6790/solo-coffee-cold-brew-concentrate
Adam M’s Avatar Adam M
5th November 2020 at 19:19
Optional addition of a pinch of salt when making espresso depending on taste, cancels out bitterness