Lawrenny Estate Distillery sent ManSpace magazine their Espresso Martini kit, coming in a neat box is the Lawrenny Saint Clair Vodka and Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur and boy did it come at the right time as we’re back to entertaining guests and also need some Christmas gift ideas.
Firstly, as a cocktail, the two produce the high watermark for Espresso Martini’s: it’s not over-the-top sweet which some cheaper ones can be (cough Kahlua cough) and you can really taste the individual components. I had it with some higher end coffee beans which bring their own complexity to the table, but I’m sure it’d be top notch with run-of-the-mill coffee; the two bottles are that good.
And on that topic, as individual drinks, they’re wonderful. Firstly, the coffee liqueur gets the nod of approval when you tell guests how it’s made: “A blend of local bush and meadow honey is incorporated into the rich cold brew, producing a unique coffee liqueur,” Lawrenny describes.
“Toasted wattle seed and vanilla beans accompany the nutmeg, cinnamon and cocoa, to deliver a honeyed mocha with deep yet balanced sweetness all supported by a delicious cold brew coffee backbone.”
Maybe it’s because I’m from Melbourne and Melbournians are born with a hint of coffee in their blood, but it’s incredible and something you can easily drink on the rocks or even with other cocktails as a featured ingredient.
Next up, the Saint Clair Vodka is a great drop. I’ll preface this by saying vodka is most definitely not my thing, but if I’m mixing vodka with something like soda water or lemonade, I’m picking this one ahead of most of the pack.
But on the same token, I can’t speak too much to the botanicals and flavour of the spirit itself since I’m not a neat vodka drinker. Elsewhere, mixing or in the Espresso Martini, it gets my tick of approval.
The combination of the two bottles is available on the Lawrenny website here if you want to wrap your lips around this yourself or wrap it in green and red and put it under the tree. Your call.
