Espresso martinis seem to go through cycles of being trendy, and the concoction of vodka, coffee liqueur, and a pulled shot of espresso has entered yet another heyday. Due to its freshly brewed espresso, it can be a slightly tricky cocktail to make — leave a good tip when you order one at the bar — but if you enjoy the taste of coffee then it’s a rich drink with strong flavors. There have been plenty of spins on the drink, from smoother cold brew espresso martinis to celebrity chef Alton Brown’s espresso martini with black licorice flavored Fernet-Branca liquor. In any case, any variation requires ingredients which blend with the strong coffee flavor, and not every liquor does that.
For a fairly straightforward twist, the cocktail still works if you swap the vodka for tequila. That may not sound like an easy swap, because tequila has a much stronger flavor than vodka, which is more neutral and mild in flavor (if not in intensity). However, a good tequila with some hints of vanilla can cleanly blend with the taste of coffee, and you can usually find these sorts of flavors in barrel-aged reposado tequila. The sharper flavor of the tequila can also help wake you up a bit more, if that’s your reasoning for ordering the espresso martini in the first place.
Tequila, espresso, and coffee
There are plenty of other substitutions you can make: Espresso martinis aren’t real martinis anyway because there’s no vermouth or olive garnish (nor should there be), so don’t feel like there are any unbreakable rules. If you prefer coffee to espresso in the morning, then you’ll also notice some differences if you substitute coffee for your tequila espresso martini. Some prefer espresso over coffee because it creates more foam, which adds texture and allows you to garnish the espresso martini with espresso or coffee beans. Espresso also has a sharper, more concentrated flavor than coffee.
Fortunately, tequila and coffee have a history of going together. If you want a cocktail which goes down a little more smoothly, substituting coffee for espresso will get you a different cocktail known as the “Mexican coffee” cocktail, a relative of the Irish coffee cocktail, which substitutes Mexican tequila for Irish whiskey. Mexican coffee cocktails also frequently include coffee liqueur like Kahlúa alongside the real coffee. The ideal tequila for Mexican coffee is considered to be a slightly aged reposado tequila with a spicy finish, which should also work fine an espresso martini with more bite. Don’t be afraid to mess around with combinations of the two, but be prepared to stay up for a while if you make one too late into the evening.
