Cucumber Martini

This cucumber martini is a crisp, cool take on the classic cocktail, featuring the refreshing scent of this hydrating vegetable.

This drink is as refreshing as it is sophisticated: the Cucumber Martini! It’s a cool, crisp take on the classic martini starring cucumber, vodka, and the floral notes of St Germain. Take one sip and your palate will be amazed: it’s fresh, dry, and floral, with just the right scent of cucumber. It’s great for summer, but it works anytime. When Alex first made this for me, I exclaimed “Wow!” upon the first sip. It’s a unique drink that you’ve got to taste.

What’s in a cucumber martini?

This cucumber martini is a spin on the vodka martini, which itself is a spin on the classic martini. The dry martini is on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning it has an official definition: gin and vermouth. The cucumber version swaps vodka for gin, and adds a few special ingredients that bring new life to the classic! Here are the ingredients in a cucumber martini:

• Vodka
• Dry white vermouth
• St Germain
• 2 slices cucumber

How to make a cucumber martini (basic steps)

It’s very simple to make a cucumber martini! All you’ll need is a cocktail shaker, a muddler (or wooden spoon), and a martini glass. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):

1. Place the cucumber slices in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and muddle them! See below for more.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice. Shake for 15 seconds until cold.
3. Strain into a glass and garnish with cucumber slices.

The right way to muddle

Muddling is gently mashing herbs or fruits, or in this case vegetables to release their juices. This is often used when making cocktails like this cucumber martini, because it helps the flavors incorporate better than if you just threw the whole ingredient right into the drink. Here’s how to muddle…the right way:

• Place the cucumber slices in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. If you don’t have one, you can use a large metal cup or bowl.
• Using a wooden cocktail muddler or unfinished wooden spoon, gently mash the cucumber slices a few times to release the juices. Do not mash with a lot of force! The key to muddling is a light touch.

What is St Germain?

If you don’t have St Germain in your cocktail arsenal, we highly recommend grabbing a bottle for this cucumber martini! Of course, it would still taste good without it. But with the St Germain, it adds floral and lightly sweet notes that take this drink over the top.

What is it? St Germain is a liqueur made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. This flavor is warm and floral. Interestingly enough, St Germain was invented recently: in 2007! With the beautiful vintage-looking bottle, Alex and I always assumed it had hundreds of years of history. (Here’s the story behind inventing it.) It’s safe to say this newcomer to the cocktail scene has enjoyed massive popularity.

How do you say St Germain? First off, don’t say “Saint”. It’s actually pronounced “Sahn-jer-MAHN.” But however you want to say it to not sound too pretentious with your friends, go for it!

More with St Germaine: Try St Germain & Cranberry Cocktail and Elderflower & Lemon Cocktail.

More about vermouth

What’s vermouth? Vermouth is a fortified wine, meaning liquor has been added to the wine to preserve it. Other fortified wines you may have heard of are Port, Sherry or Madeira. There are two main types of vermouth: sweet (usually red) and dry (usually white).

This cucumber martini calls for dry vermouth. The flavor of dry white vermouth is crisp and clear: on its own, it tastes like a very dry white wine. Vermouth is easy to find at liquor and grocery stores. Make sure to buy a dry vermouth here! Sweet red vermouth is something completely different: it’s used in drinks like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Americano.

More martini recipes!

Looking for more of this tasty classic cocktail? Here are a few other types of martinis:

• Dirty Martini Serve it “dirty” with olive juice, and it rounds out the sip with a briny tang.
• Vesper Martini Invented by James Bond, it’s become a true classic! Crisp and herbal, it stars Lillet Blanc with gin and vodka.
• Gibson Cocktail The same as a martini…except for the garnish!
• French Martini Perfectly balanced with vodka, pineapple juice, and raspberry liqueur.
• Mexican Martini Full of zingy flavor, with lime, tequila and an olive garnish.
• Pomegranate Martini or Watermelon Martini These jewel-toned drinks are tangy and light: the perfect fruity variation.
• Espresso Martini Made with coffee, Kahlua, and vodka. Perfect for coffee lovers!
• Lemon Drop Martini An ultra tangy martini featuring vodka, Cointreau and lemon.

When to serve a cucumber martini

This cucumber martini is sophisticated, with a refreshing and summery flair. It’s great as a:

• Summer drink
• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Late night drinks drink
• Guys or girls night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

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More classic cocktails

Here are a few more of our best classic cocktails you might also enjoy:

• Classic Margarita Here’s our favorite: tequila, lime and Cointreau. So classic! Or try all our best margarita recipes.
• Tom Collins This popular gin cocktail that’s light, sweet tart, and bubbly!
• Southside Cocktail An easy and refreshing gin drink made with mint, lemon and lime: think of it like a gin mojito. Or try the Southside Fizz, the bubbly version.
• Classic Mojito Perfectly balanced with lime, rum and fresh mint! This iconic Cuban cocktail is refreshing and just sweet enough.
• Amaretto Sour The perfect amaretto sour recipe that will impress everyone! It’s got just the right balance of amaretto with bourbon and lemon.