The blood orange Martini is a beautiful variation on the vodka Martini, and it’s definitely something you’ll want to try at least once.
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What is Blood Orange Martini ?
A blood orange Martini is a version of the vodka Martini, with added blood orange juice to bring it color and flavor. It does not have vermouth at all, but it does have triple sec to aid the citrus notes in blood orange. In a way it resembles a Cosmopolitan, but far less sour since it doesn’t have cranberry juice and as much lime as a Cosmo.
Blood Orange Martini Cocktail Recipe
A vodka Martini with blood orange juice.
Ingredients
- 3 oz blood orange juice
- 2 oz vodka
- 0.5 oz triple sec
- 0.25 lime juice
- granulated sugar for the rim
Instructions
- Wet the rim of a Martini glass, dip it in sugar. Set aside.
- In a shaker combine all ingredients, add ice. Shake well.
- Strain into rimmed Martini glass.
When is this drink best ?
The blood orange Martini is a great summer cocktail, with its impressive shade of red and really refreshing citrus juice. I also see this as a fun drink, one you might order on a night out with friends, or at a club.
However, blood oranges are in season from December through May so you might have a better change of getting fresh juice in the colder season. I’ve had blood orange Martini with carton juice and it came out just fine too.
My thoughts on Blood Orange Martini
I liked blood orange Martini, since I like blood oranges in general and think they offer a unique flavor – sort of a mix between perfectly ripe oranges and juicy raspberries. And since vodka is a very simple and plain as far as flavors go, I think it’s uniquely qualified to let the blood orange shine in this drink.
The triple sec is a nice touch, and I think it adds both sweetness and extra citrus notes to round out the flavor here.
If you like Blood Orange Martini, you might also like…
Blood Orange Margarita – a Margarita with blood orange juice
Cosmopolitan – a cranberry and lime vodka sour
Pineapple Martini – a vodka Martini with added pineapple juice
Madras – a cross between the Cape Codder and Screwdriver
Raspberry Martini – a vodka Martini with raspberry and cranberry
Strawberry Martini – a vodka and cranberry Martini with strawberry
Notes, substitutes, and tips
Plain vodka works best here, but you can easily swap it for a citrus vodka if you have it on hand.
Fresh blood orange juice is preferred, both for acidity and the freshness factor. But if all you’ve got is carton juice, that will do just fine since it’s somehow better than regular OJ in a carton. it’s just not as bitter as OJ.
