Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 24.6% ABV ∙
The Pear and Elderflower Martini is a stirred martini of London dry gin and pear vodka with elderflower liqueur and dry vermouth, finished with a pear slice.
The Pear and Elderflower Martini combines gin and pear-flavored vodka with elderflower liqueur and dry vermouth in a stirred, fine-strained martini format. It follows an earlier, differently built drink from the same stable of recipes, the Pear and Elderflower Fruitini, adapted from a formula created in 2001 by Angelo Vieira at St. Martins in London, which paired vodka and elderflower liqueur with fresh pear juice rather than gin, pear vodka, and vermouth.
The pairing of pear and elderflower itself became widespread in bartending after the French liqueur St-Germain launched in 2007, when elderflower flavor became a common partner for pear in vodka- and gin-based martini riffs.
This Pear and Elderflower Martini takes 30 ml London dry gin, 20 ml pear vodka, 20 ml elderflower liqueur, and 20 ml dry vermouth.
Stir the gin, pear vodka, elderflower liqueur, and dry vermouth with ice, then fine-strain into a pre-chilled martini glass and garnish with a pear slice on the rim. Stirring rather than shaking keeps the drink clear and silky.
Yes, they are a classic pairing: both are delicate, fruity-floral flavors, and neither drowns the other. The pair became common in bars after St-Germain elderflower liqueur launched in 2007.