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Vodka · Shaken
Vodka, raspberry liqueur, and fresh pineapple juice, shaken vigorously. The drink arrives fruity and mellow in the glass, topped with a fine foam cap from the pineapple. Vermouth or gin, as in the classic Martini, are nowhere to be found here.
As of: · New York, late 1980s
Raspberry leads the way here. The liqueur brings the fruit flavor and nearly all the sweetness, since no sugar is added otherwise. Pineapple juice rounds out the drink and gives it a light acidity that keeps the sweetness in check. The vodka itself is barely noticeable in flavor but delivers the punch: 45 milliliters is more than half the glass. Shaking creates a fine foam layer on top—only the pineapple juice can achieve that. The expressed lemon zest hovers over everything as a fresh aroma. In the finish, berry lingers, slightly sticky but never heavy.
A great starter cocktail. It tastes fruity, not bitter and not sour, so almost everyone gets on with it. It works best as an aperitif or early in the evening, whenever things should stay light. Still, it's sweet, and you'll notice that by the second glass. If you're after bold or dry drinks, you're better off with a Dry Martini.
What matters
Use fresh pineapple juice and shake it really vigorously. Only then will the fine foam cap that defines the drink form. Juice from a carton barely foams and tastes flatter. Also reach for a neutral vodka: a flavored one will clash with the raspberry and pineapple and throw off the whole drink. Finally, express the lemon zest over the glass—the oil from the peel makes all the difference.
The French Martini originated in New York's bar scene in the late 1980s. At the time, it was fashionable to serve fruity vodka cocktails in the V-shaped glass and call them martinis. It therefore has nothing to do with the classic recipe of gin and vermouth—the name mostly describes the glass shape. It's called French because of the liqueur, not the method. The pineapple contributes more than just fruitiness: it's what creates the fine foam layer when shaken, the drink's signature feature.
In the same direction
A fruity cocktail made from vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, and passion fruit purée. It's served with a small glass of Champagne on the side, sipped separately. The passion fruit tastes sweet and tangy, while the Champagne stays dry.
Zum RezeptVodka, peach liqueur, orange juice, and cranberry juice come together in a colorful, fruity long drink. It tastes distinctly sweet, with the juices' acidity pushing back just a little. You simply stir it together right in the glass—no shaker needed.
Zum RezeptVodka and coffee liqueur over ice—that's all the Black Russian is. It tastes dark and coffee-forward, carries noticeable sweetness, and comes entirely without cream.
Zum Rezept