Calvados Appletini
A fruity, sour and bubbly brandy cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 11.4% ABV ∙
The Calvados Appletini is a shaken sour of Calvados apple brandy, unsweetened apple cider, lemon juice and sugar syrup, served up in a martini glass.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Calvados 40 mlApple cider (unsweetened) 30 mlLemon juice 20 mlSugar syrup 10 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a dehydrated apple slice floated on the cocktail
Tips
- Use unsweetened cider as listed; the 10 ml of sugar syrup is measured for it, and a sweet cider makes the drink cloying.
History
The Calvados Appletini is a variation on the Appletini, a cocktail credited to bartender Adam Karsten, who created it in 1996 at Lola's, a restaurant in West Hollywood, Los Angeles (some accounts date the creation to 1997). It was originally called the Adam's Apple Martini after its creator before the name was shortened to Appletini.
The standard version is built on vodka with apple juice, cider, or apple liqueur; this variation replaces the vodka with Calvados, Normandy's apple brandy, for a more complex, oak-inflected apple character.
FAQ
How do you make a Calvados Appletini?
Shake Calvados, unsweetened apple cider, fresh lemon juice, and sugar syrup with ice, then fine-strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a dehydrated apple slice.
What is a Calvados Appletini made of?
40 ml Calvados apple brandy, 30 ml unsweetened apple cider, 20 ml fresh lemon juice and 10 ml sugar syrup. Calvados in place of vodka gives it a deeper apple flavor than the classic Appletini.
Is a Calvados Appletini shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The cider, lemon juice, and syrup all need the aeration and quick chill of a hard shake; stirring would leave the drink flat and under-diluted.
What glass is a Calvados Appletini served in?
A martini glass, served up with a dehydrated apple slice as garnish and no ice in the glass.
Can I use apple brandy instead of Calvados?
Yes, any dry apple brandy works as a substitute, though Calvados specifically must come from Normandy under French appellation rules. Other apple brandies are made the same way but lack that geographic designation, so the flavor can vary more bottle to bottle.
