Ingredients
Quality ingredients make all the difference. Each component plays a crucial role.
Method
Technique transforms ingredients into something extraordinary.
Rim a chilled martini glass with sugar
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice
Shake vigorously and double strain into the glass
Garnish with a lemon twist
Glassware
Served up in a sugar-rimmed martini glass
Garnish
Master's Tips
Professional insights to elevate your craft
Double strain to keep the texture silky
Zest lemon into the sugar rim for extra aroma
Chill the glass well to keep the drink bracing
Variations & Riffs
Classic cocktails inspire countless variations. Here are some popular riffs on the Lemon Drop Martini.
Raspberry Lemon Drop
A vibrant and modern classic that elevates the foundational sweet and sour interplay of the 1970s Lemon Drop with fresh raspberries, creating a visually stunning and deliciously complex cocktail.
Lavender Lemon Drop
A floral lemon drop—vodka, lemon, and lavender syrup shaken and served in a sugar‑rimmed glass.
Spicy Lemon Drop
A modern evolution of the classic Lemon Drop that transforms the original's straightforward sweet-sour profile into a complex interplay of tart, sweet, and heat through chile-infused vodka.
Purple Lemon Drop
A visually striking modern twist on the classic Lemon Drop, combining tropical passion fruit with vanilla sweetness and Empress 1908 Gin's color-changing magic for an Instagram-worthy experience.
Other Variations
Tart Drop
Cuts back on simple syrup for a sharper bite.
Changes
Strong Drop
Adds extra vodka for a more spirit-forward sip.
Changes
Citrus Bomb
Uses citrus-infused vodka to amplify the lemon.
Changes
History & Heritage
“Norman Jay Hobday introduced the Lemon Drop in the early 1970s at his San Francisco fern bar Henry Africa's. Designed to woo a newly liberated female clientele, the vodka sour took its name and candy-like profile from the lemon drop sweet. The drink spread nationally through the decade's "tini" craze, resurfaced on Oprah in 2006, and helped pave the way for modern fruit martinis like the Cosmopolitan.”
More to Explore
If you enjoyed this cocktail, these similar creations might capture your interest.
Appletini
A neon-green vodka martini flavored with sour apple schnapps – sweet, tart, and playful.
Boston Sour
A whiskey sour with a silky crown—bourbon, lemon, and simple syrup shaken with egg white for a classic foam.
Bourbon Basil Smash
A modern classic that brilliantly marries American whiskey tradition with vibrant, herbaceous character. This descendant of the Gin Basil Smash swaps botanical gin for bourbon's rich vanilla and caramel, creating a refreshing yet complex cocktail.