Watermelon Martini
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 26.7% ABV ∙
A Watermelon Martini is a stirred vodka martini variation made with watermelon liqueur and a touch of dry vermouth, served up with a watermelon wedge. Ripe melon sweetness rides over a clean vodka backbone, with a whisper of dry vermouth keeping the finish crisp rather than syrupy.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Vodka 50 mlWatermelon liqueur 30 mlDry vermouth 10 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a watermelon wedge
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before straining so the drink stays cold without extra dilution from waiting on ice.
- Fine-strain to keep any watermelon liqueur sediment out of the glass for a clean, polished pour.
- Stir rather than shake to keep the drink clear and silky instead of aerated and cloudy.
History
The Watermelon Martini has no single documented creator, but drinks writers trace it to London in the 1990s, likely at the Met Bar, a nightspot credited with popularizing fresh fruit martinis among a fashionable crowd. It belongs to the broader Fruit Martini family, vodka-based drinks built with fresh or pureed fruit and a touch of sugar in place of the classic Martini's dry vermouth-forward profile; that style itself has no single inventor but grew out of 1990s bartenders muddling or juicing seasonal fruit into vodka Martinis to create a sweeter, fruit-forward variation. The Watermelon Martini simply applies that formula to watermelon, using it as the defining fruit note.
FAQ
What is in a Watermelon Martini?
Vodka, watermelon liqueur, and a small amount of dry vermouth, stirred with ice and fine-strained into a chilled martini glass. It is finished with a watermelon wedge garnish rather than an olive or twist.
How do I make a Watermelon Martini?
Pre-chill a martini glass, then stir the vodka, watermelon liqueur, and dry vermouth together with ice. Fine-strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a watermelon wedge.
What alcohol goes best with watermelon?
Vodka is the classic pairing, since its clean, neutral profile lets watermelon's sweetness lead without competing flavors. This build pairs vodka with a watermelon liqueur and a touch of dry vermouth to add depth and dryness to the fruit.
What is a vodka and watermelon cocktail called?
It is called a Watermelon Martini, a stirred vodka drink flavored with watermelon liqueur.
