Cocktail throwbacks that were popular in the 1990s have come back into style; this was the era of the flavored martinis. Taking a look at the Lychee Martini, we head over to the KOJO bar to check out their version created by David Roth, Beverage Director for Hi Hospitality which includes KOJO. He describes the cocktail menu at the restaurant and bar fun and progressive with an enthusiastic bar team. There is no denying a standout in popularity at KOJO is their Lychee Martini.
Roth explains, “I was drinking a Bohemian Cocktail by my friend Misty Kalkofen a few years back and joked it was the best Lychee Martini I ever had. There is no lychee in it, of course. It’s a delicious mix of gin, elderflower, grapefruit juice and bitters. When the time came to open KOJO in Sarasota, they knew they wanted a great Lychee Martini so I took Misty’s drink and really leaned into it. I don’t love the lychee fruit as a garnish for 2 reasons. The first is fresh lychees can be cost prohibitive to use and second, canned lychees are soaked in syrup, which would change the balance of the drink. So I played up the floral notes of the liqueur blend, used an edible flower and added rose water for a refreshing bouquet.”
KOJO LYCHEE MARTINI
Photo Credit – Emma Getchell
KOJO LYCHEE MARTINI RECIPE
- 1.5 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Lychee Blend*
- 1 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
- .25 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes Peychauds Bitters.
Shake with ice the first 5 ingredients. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an edible marigold and spray with rose water (in atomizer with marigold).
* Equal parts elderflower liqueur and lychee liqueur
KOJO BAR DETAILS
1289 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236-5603
Our Best Stories Delivered Daily
