We adore a drink that transports you to a tropical paradise, even in the dead of winter. So if you're in need of a tropical vacay but don't have the time to get away, try a lychee martini. Lychee has a sweet tropical flavor that tastes like paradise but saves you from clearing your schedule and packing your suitcase.
How to Make a Lychee Martini
No time to fly to Hawaii, harvest some prickly pods, and pull out the juicy, ripe fruits? Yeah... we get it. We love lychee, with its subtle and sweet rose + citrus + pear + melon flavor, but we don't have a tree in our backyard, either. But we do have a liquor store nearby, and it sells lychee liquor. So really, it's the next best thing to being there.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce lychee liqueur
- ½ ounce lychee syrup or juice
- ¼ ounce dry vermouth
- Ice
- Lychee for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, vodka, lychee liqueur, lychee syrup, and dry vermouth.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into a chilled glass.
- Garnish with lychee, if desired.
Related: 18 Tropical Drink Recipes That Taste Like a Vacation
Variations and Substitutions
The lychee martini isn't quite like any other cocktail. Try a few of these variations as you experiment.
- Lychee pairs well with coconut, honey, lime, pears, oranges, and raspberries. Why does this matter? Try your lychee martini with flavored vodka using these.
- In addition to vodka, you can use those flavors with simple syrup or liqueur in place of lychee.
- You can skip the dry vermouth in favor of Lillet Blanc, a style of semi-sweet vermouth.
- Add a splash of coconut rum to up the tropical flavors.
Garnishes
The lychee martini can use any complementary flavor for a garnish; you don't need to limit yourself to a lychee or two, although you will have several on hand should you use lychee syrup from a can.
- Utilize the flavor pairings and use a raspberry or orange wedge as a garnish.
- Use a lime wedge, wheel, or slice to give a stronger tart citrus note or a lime ribbon, twist, or peel for a pop of color without an overwhelming citrus touch.
- Add a strip of coconut with or without another garnish.
- A pear wedge or slice adds an elegant touch.
- Consider a mint sprig for a touch of refreshment.
A Sweet Martini You'll Love to Sip
Although the lychee fruit may not be familiar to you, it will soon become the cocktail your friends are all asking for any time they see you. Thankfully, the lychee pairs well with many other fruity and tropical flavors, meaning your lychee martini options are endless. Perfect for making all those friends happy.
