I usually despise anything that calls itself a “martini” that isn’t gin and vermouth, but this cocktail just seems so classy and delicious I’ll let this one slide. I was looking for a solid coffee-influenced cocktail for the winter months, especially one that could be served after a nice big meal in lieu of a regular cup of coffee. Yes, there are plenty of hot coffee drinks out there, but I’m honestly not a fan of hot drinks in general. This fit the bill, and with after a few tweaks, is easily a delicious after-dinner sipper. I made this with a dose of the Durham Distillery Damn Fine Coffee Liqueur, which is made from Slingshot Coffee Company cold brew coffee, over in Raleigh.
This is what I would call “improved coffee”.
I also start off this drink with an infused TOPO vodka. TOPO is made locally as well, a grain-to-glass organic vodka that’s not half bad. Coincidentally, Scott Maitland, the founder of Topo is also the president of the NC Distiller Association.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Vanilla-infused Topo Organic Vodka
- 1 oz Coffee (not Decaf, what kind of monster are you?!)
- 1 oz Durham Distillery Damn Fine Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz simple syrup
To make the vanilla infused vodka, take a vanilla bean and score it down the center to allow more of the flavor to infuse. I also cut the bean in half since I was only preparing a few ounces of vodka. Let this sit at least 90 minutes – longer if you want a stronger vanilla flavor. Once it’s done, strain it into an ice-filled shaker and add the rest of the ingredients. Shake it all up, and strain it into a glass. I used the remainder of the vanilla bean as a garnish for the drink. The taste isn’t far off from a sweet ice-coffee…with a kick, of course!
