Lychee Martini

The Lychee Martini is a stirred cocktail and a twist on a classic martini, which substitutes vermouth for lychee liqueur. Like a classic martini, it can be made with vodka or gin.

Lychees have a very distinct sweet flavor that’s reminiscent of rose petals and, in a Lychee Martini, it’s on full display. The flavor of lychees work wonderfully with the smoothness of vodka.

“Elegant, balanced – it’s incredibly sweet but it’s not too sweet. Smooth, very stiff,” offers Rico.

While the exact year, bartender, and place responsible for inventing the Lychee Martini remain unclear, New York City, USA, is undoubtedly its birthplace. 

Most accounts suggest it was first crafted in 2001 at a Korean restaurant in the city, while some sources claim it was originally created in 1993 at a New York bar and later popularized by the Korean restaurant.

In the early 2000s, the Lychee Martini was the must-have cocktail, appearing on menus everywhere. However, its popularity has since waned, and now, two and a half decades later, it is typically found only on the menus of Asian restaurants.

We think it’s time the Lychee Martini made a comeback, don’t you?

• Chilled Martini Glass
  A chilled glass is a simple yet essential step in crafting the perfect Lychee Martini. Place a Martini Glass in the freezer at least 30 minutes before so that it’s perfectly chilled.

• Double Strain
  In the video above, you’ll see that Rico strains the cocktail using a Hawthorne Strainer together with a Fine Mesh Strainer before pouring the mixture into the Martini Glass. Read this article to learn more about double straining a cocktail.

• Shaken Lychee Martini with Lychee Purée
  In the video on this page, Rico makes a classic stirred version and a shaken version of the Lychee Martini with Lychee Fruit Purée. The shaken version is sweet and balanced, not a stiff drink like the stirred version. “It’s more like a sour – a lot more approachable,” Rico says.
  
  If you’re like us and you can’t get enough of Lychee, you’ll also love Rico’s cocktail hack, where he shows you an easy way to make purée for your cocktails using a Blender and Canned Fruits.
  
  After emptying the can of Lychees into the Blender, Rico adds 15 ml / 0.50 oz (0.50 a part) of Simple Syrup to add some extra body before blending.
  
  Once the Lychee Purée is ready, Rico adds 20 ml / 0.75 oz (¾ of a part) of freshly squeezed Lemon Juice into a Boston Shaker, followed by Absolut Vodka, the Lychee Purée, and Ice Cubes. He then shakes everything together and uses a Fine Mesh Strainer to pour the cocktail into a Martini Glass.
  
  How does it taste? “The shaken Lychee Martini is very sweet, very balanced – it’s not a stiff drink like the stirred one. It’s a version of a sour and it’s a little bit more approachable.”

• Lychee Martini with Gin instead of Vodka
  Yes, you can use Gin instead of Vodka, which will add some nice Juniper notes and a lovely aromatic and floral flavor.

• Add Dry Vermouth to your Lychee Martini
  True to an original Martini, many Lychee Martini recipes add 15 ml / 0.50 oz (half a part) Dry Vermouth, which adds a briny element to the drink. For more Martini variations, be sure to check out our article on 10 of the best Martinis and variations.

• Use Lychee Syrup instead of Lychee Liqueur in your Lychee Martini
  I made a version of the Lychee Martini where I used Lychee Syrup instead of Lychee Liqueur. You can use the syrup from a can of Lychees or buy a bottle of Lychee Syrup. The result is notably sweeter but it does accentuate some really rich floral notes, most similar to rose.

• It’s a Martini, so we recommend serving it in a Martini Glass, of course.

• To garnish, we recommend a whole Lychee on a cocktail stick, which can be then placed across the corner of the glass.

• In the video, you’ll see Rico also likes to add Lemon Zest. Simply use a Peeler to peel a strip of Lemon Zest, then squeeze the oils over your drink before discarding the peel.

No, but it’s entirely down to taste preference. Many Lychee Martini recipes add 15 ml / 0.50 oz (half a part) Dry Vermouth, which adds a briny taste to the cocktail.

That’s up to you and your tastebuds! Some enjoy the botanical notes of gin that complement the rose-like qualities of lychees, while others prefer vodka, which allows the lychee flavor to take center stage. Try both and see which you prefer

We recommend substituting Vermouth with Lychee Syrup to make a Lychee Martini. But hey, mix it up!

That’s up to you as both offer a different drinking experience. Personally, we prefer a stirred Lychee Martini, which is more spirit-forward like a classic martini.

In the video, you’ll see Rico make both a stirred Lychee Martini and a shaken version. For the shaken version, he adds Lychee Fruit Purée, resulting in a sweeter drink.