Citrus Martini

The Citrus Martini is a shaken cocktail served in a martini glass. It’s made with lemon-flavored vodka, fresh lemon juice, triple sec, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and fine-strained into a chilled glass.

Despite the martini name, this drink is structurally closer to a sour-style cocktail than a classic dry martini. It gets the name from the glass, not the formula. Think lemon-forward, sweet-tart, and easy to make at home.

Citrusy and sour, with a bright lemon character up front. The triple sec brings orange undertones that add depth without taking over, while the simple syrup keeps the whole thing from going too tart.

You’ve got the sharp, zesty punch of lemon juice balanced by the sweetness of simple syrup, with a citrusy vodka base tying everything together. The result is crisp and lively, with a smooth finish.

The Citrus Martini and its history overlaps with a few different cocktails. Some link in to the London cocktail scene of the late 1980s.

The closely related Lemon Drop has its own separate story placing it in San Francisco sometime during the 1970s. In fact, our recipe for the Lemon Drop Martini is very similar to the recipe for the Citrus Martini you’re looking at on this page except with slightly different measurements.

What’s clear is that the Citrus Martini as it’s made today, with lemon-flavored vodka, lemon juice, triple sec, and simple syrup, has become a well-established classic in its own right.

A few simple touches will make a real difference to your Citrus Martini.

• Pre-chill your glass
  Pop your martini glass in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before you shake. A cold glass keeps the drink colder for longer.
• Always shake, never stir
  This drink has lemon juice in it, which means it needs to be shaken. Shaking chills, dilutes, and aerates it properly.
• Use standard ice cubes
  Avoid crushed or pebble ice for shaking. More surface area means more dilution, and not in a good way.
• Fine-strain it
  Double straining removes ice flecks and fruit pulp that affect the look and feel of the drink in the glass.
• Juice your lemons fresh
  Bottled lemon juice won’t cut it here. Fresh lemon juice is best used within a few hours of squeezing.
• Watch your balance
  This style of drink is easy to make too tart. Taste as you go and keep the sweet-sour ratio tight.
• Cut your twist fresh
  Pre-cut citrus zest loses its aromatic punch quickly. Cut it just before serving and express it over the glass for the best taste.

Check out these twists and tweaks on the classic Lemon Drop Martini recipe. 

• Lemon Drop Shot
  This classic shot shakes together lemon-flavored vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup, and is served in a sugar-rimmed shot glass. You won’t find a fresher, tastier shot than this. Discover the recipe for a Lemon Drop Shot.
• Basil Lemon Drop Martini
  There’s just something special about basil and lemon together – they click in a way that feels effortless.

  This variation keeps the same base ingredients, then layers in 20 ml of orange curaçao and a few fresh basil leaves. The result is a brighter, more aromatic, and far more complex than the classic version.

• Add orange bitters
  Add a couple of dashes of orange bitters to your Citrus Martini to lift and brighten the orange notes from the triple sec.

• Serve the Citrus Martini straight up in a chilled martini glass or cocktail glass. No ice in the glass, just a well-strained, cold drink served up.
• For the garnish, a lemon zest twist is a clean, classic choice that matches the drink’s lemon-led profile. If you want to go further, an orange zest twist adds aromatic depth and brings out the triple sec. You can express the zest over the glass before dropping it in, or rub it around the rim for extra fragrance.
• Want a sweeter presentation? A sugar rimmed cocktail glass is a nod to the Lemon Drop-style serve and works well if you prefer things on the sweeter side. Play around with it and do what works best for you.

A Lemon Martini is made with lemon-flavored vodka, fresh lemon juice, triple sec and simple syrup.

Here’s how to create a twist of lemon zest for your Citrus Martini:

1. Cut a wide strip of lemon peel with a knife or peeler, keeping as little white pith as possible.
2. Take a clean, straight straw and tightly wrap the peel around it in a spiral.
3. Hold the peel wrapped around the straw for 15–30 seconds so it sets into a curl.
4. Slide the peel off the straw; it should keep its spiral shape.
5. Twist the peel over the drink to release the oils, then drop it in or rest it on the rim as a garnish.

Both the Citrus Martini and the Lemon Drop Martini use the same ingredients and are made the same way – shaken with ice using Absolut Citron, lemon juice, simple syrup, and triple sec but they differ in how those ingredients are proportioned.

The Lemon Drop Martini is also served in a sugar-coated martini where the Citrus Martini is not.