Lemon Drop Martini

Ratings: from .

PREP TIME 2 min

Cocktail Type

Martini

Great for

After Work

Difficulty

Easy

Two pretty Lemon Drop Martinis on a glass table, garnished with a sugar rim each

The Lemon Drop Martini is a festive serve if ever there was one. Sashaying into the party with a perky attitude and a pretty sugar rim, this perfectly balanced and refreshingly tart drink hails from the heydays of the 1970s and was named after a zesty sweet that was equally popular at the time.  

Why we love the easy Lemon Drop Martini so much

The Lemon Drop Martini is one of those cocktails that will quickly become a regular occurrence on your drinks line-up as soon as you’ve poured the first one. This is because it’s a hat trick of cocktail joy – super simple to pour (like amazingly so), pretty to look at, and sensational to sip. So, without further ado, here’s how you make it!   

QUICK TIPS

01

Try a pineapple-infused vodka if you’re in the mood for a more tropical serve

02

Twist the lemon over the drink to release those amazing essential oils

03

Maple syrup makes a handy substitute for sugar syrup

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

1 Person

10 Ml

0.33 Oz

0.33 Parts

20 Ml

0.67 Oz

0.67 Parts

lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
15 Ml

0.5 Oz

0.5 Parts

sugar syrup
To garnish, a lemon twist per cocktail
Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

01

Rim a chilled martini or coupe glass with sugar

02

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until cold

03

Fine strain into your prepared glass and garnish with a twist of lemon

Top tips for garnishing your Lemon Drop Martini like a pro

Rimming a Martini glass and making a lemon twist becomes second nature as soon as you’ve done it once, but that also means you need to figure it out that first time. Happily, we’ve got the beginner’s guide right here:  

The easiest sugar rim

Not all types of Martinis get a rimmed glass, but the sugar rim provides a nice sweetly textured contrast to the tartness of the Lemon Drop Martini. Make one the easy way by cutting a notch in a lemon wedge and running it around the rim on your chilled Martini or coupe glass.  

Then spread sugar in an even layer on a dinner plate, and tilt the rim of your glass into the sugar so that only the outer edge is coated. Let it stand to dry for a while before shaking off any loose sugar. 

The simplest lemon twist

To make a lemon twist without any fancy tools, you will need one whole lemon and a paring knife. Cut your lemon down the middle, width-wise, so you get a circle. Then cut it again into 5mm slices.  

Run a paring knife around the edge of the lemon circle to remove the peel, cutting away as much of the pith as possible. Remove the fruity bit and set it aside. Cut through one side of the peel circle so you are left with one long bit of lemon skin. Twist it and hold it in this twist position for a few seconds so it holds that shape when you use it to garnish your Lemon Drop Martini 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A Lemon Drop Martini is a great cocktail to serve at New Years, over Christmas, at a hen do, girl's night or a dinner party.

The Lemon Drop Martini combines SKYY Infusions® Citrus Vodka, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and sugar syrup.

The Lemon Drop Martini combines SKYY Infusions® Citrus Vodka, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and sugar syrup. You can also substitute the lemon juice and simple syrup with limoncello for an Italian twist. It will push up the ABV of the drink, but also makes for a super zesty serve.

A Lemon Drop Martini pairs well with substantial savoury appetisers like bacon-wrapped dates and fresh seafood like raw oysters. Also goes down a treat with vegetarian dishes such as quinoa and black bean salad with orange-coriander dressing. Or simply, nice sharp cheese and a few savory biscuits. We love an aged cheddar.

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