Strudel Martini
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17% ABV ∙
The Strudel Martini shakes gin, vodka, cognac, Pedro Ximénez, apple cider, apple syrup and cream, served up with grated cinnamon. Silky and rich on the tongue, with a soft orchard sweetness giving way to a warm, spiced finish dusted over a chilled, velvety pour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 15 mlVodka 15 mlCognac 15 mlPedro Ximénez sherry 15 mlApple cider (unsweetened) 15 mlApple syrup 5 mlSingle cream/half-and-half 30 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before straining so the cream-based drink stays cold longer once poured.
- Shake hard and long enough to fully emulsify the cream with the apple cider and four spirits before fine-straining.
History
The Strudel Martini takes its name and dessert-pie character from apple strudel, built around apple and cinnamon-leaning flavors dressed up as a Martini. The drink traces to a vodka-based predecessor created in 2002 by bartender Jason Borthwick at Tiles, a bar in Edinburgh, Scotland; today's Strudel Martini reworks that simpler vodka drink into a richer, multi-spirit dessert cocktail built around apple, gin, vodka, cognac, and Pedro Ximénez sherry.
As a member of the Fruit Martini family, it follows a broader trend from the late 20th century in which bartenders began dressing up the classic gin-and-vermouth Martini with fresh or flavored fruit elements, stretching the Martini name to a wide range of fruit-forward, vodka-based drinks served up in a Martini glass rather than the traditional spirit-and-vermouth formula.
FAQ
What is in a Strudel Martini?
A Strudel Martini combines London dry gin, vodka, cognac, Pedro Ximénez sherry, unsweetened apple cider, apple syrup, and cream, shaken and fine-strained into a chilled glass. The mix of apple, sherry sweetness, and cream is built to evoke the flavor of apple strudel, finished with a dusting of fresh cinnamon.
What is a strudel drink?
A strudel drink is a dessert-style cocktail designed to taste like apple strudel, pairing apple and warm spice notes with a rich creamy element. The Strudel Martini captures this with apple cider and cream, shaken and finished with grated cinnamon.
Is a Strudel Martini shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The cream and apple cider need the vigorous agitation of a shake to blend fully with the four spirits before fine-straining into the glass, which stirring would not achieve.
How strong is a Strudel Martini?
A Strudel Martini is about 17% ABV, notably lighter than a classic spirit-only Martini because cream, apple cider, and apple syrup make up nearly half the pour.
