IBA
Lemon Drop Martini – IBA
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.2% ABV ∙
The Lemon Drop Martini is an IBA-listed sour of vodka, triple sec and fresh lemon juice, shaken and served up in a cocktail glass — a Martini in name only.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Vodka 30 mlTriple sec 20 mlLemon juice 15 ml
- Strain into the chilled cocktail glass
Tips
- A hard shake of a full 10-15 seconds whips air into the lemon juice and takes off its sharp edge.
- Squeeze the lemon juice fresh right before shaking.
History
The Lemon Drop Martini is the name the International Bartenders Association uses for the classic Lemon Drop on its official list of cocktails, where it sits in the Contemporary Classics category. The IBA's specification calls simply for vodka, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice, shaken and strained, the same three ingredients as the first 1970s Lemon Drop described below. Our own Lemon Drop recipe swaps the triple sec for limoncello.
The underlying Lemon Drop is generally credited to Norman Jay Hobday, who is said to have invented it sometime in the 1970s at Henry Africa's, the fern bar he founded in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. From there the drink spread quickly through the city's bars and beyond, later also becoming common as a sugar-rimmed shot.
FAQ
What ingredients are in a Lemon Drop Martini?
Vodka, triple sec and fresh lemon juice: 30 ml, 20 ml and 15 ml. There is no gin or vermouth in it, so the "Martini" in the name refers only to the cocktail glass.
Is there a difference between a Lemon Drop and a Lemon Drop Martini?
Not in the classic recipe. Lemon Drop Martini is the IBA's name for the shaken Lemon Drop served up; the plainer name is also used for a sugar-rimmed shot version. Our own Lemon Drop card swaps the triple sec for limoncello.
How do you make a Lemon Drop Martini?
Shake vodka, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice hard with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
