This cucumber mint martini is garden-fresh, crisp, and more complex than it looks. Built on clean FLORENA Diamond organic vodka with a homemade cucumber mint syrup, a little Green Chartreuse, and fresh lime, it is bright and herbal without being sweet. Here is how to make the syrup and the drink.
Ingredients with Notes
- 2 oz FLORENA Diamond Organic Vodka
- 1.5 oz Cucumber Mint simple syrup
- 0.5 oz Green Chartreuse (the herbal soul of the drink)
- 0.5 oz Lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 drops Mint bitters
How to Make It
Chill your glass
Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for at least 5 minutes, or fill with ice water while you build the drink.
Build the shake
Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour in FLORENA Diamond, cucumber mint syrup, Green Chartreuse, and fresh lime juice.
Shake hard
Seal and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the tin is very cold. Proper shaking aerates the drink and creates the slight froth that makes this martini visually striking.
Double strain
Empty your chilled glass. Double-strain (through both shaker strainer and a fine mesh strainer) into the glass to catch cucumber pulp and ice shards.
Bitters finish
Add 3 drops of mint bitters across the surface. They'll bloom on top — don't stir them in.
Garnish & serve
Garnish with a thin cucumber wheel on the rim or a small sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Make your own cucumber mint syrup
The fresh, garden flavor comes from the syrup. Combine one cup sugar, one cup water, six fresh mint sprigs, and four inches of sliced cucumber. Heat until the sugar dissolves, steep off the heat for twenty minutes, strain, and refrigerate. It keeps for about two weeks and makes several martinis.
Why Green Chartreuse
This 130-herb French liqueur is the soul of the drink. Just half an ounce adds a herbal complexity that separates this from a standard cucumber martini. If you cannot find it, a dry white vermouth or a splash of elderflower liqueur is a milder stand-in, though the character changes.
Gin or vodka
This recipe uses FLORENA Diamond organic vodka for a clean base that lets the cucumber and mint lead. Prefer a botanical edge? Swap in a gin and the drink shifts toward a cucumber gin martini, with the juniper playing against the cucumber.
Variations
- Cucumber gin martini: swap the vodka for a dry gin.
- Spicy cucumber martini: muddle a slice of jalapeno in the shaker.
- Cucumber basil martini: swap the mint syrup for a basil syrup.
Bartender Notes
Make your own syrup
Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 6 fresh mint sprigs, and 4 inches of sliced cucumber. Heat until sugar dissolves, steep 20 min off heat, strain, refrigerate.
Green Chartreuse
This 130-herb French liqueur is the soul of the drink. Don't substitute — its complexity is what separates this from a standard cucumber martini.
The bitters drop
Mint bitters add aroma before the first sip. The nose is half the experience in a martini.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cucumber martini made of?
Vodka, a cucumber mint syrup, a little Green Chartreuse, and fresh lime, shaken and double strained into a chilled glass.
How do I make cucumber mint syrup?
Simmer equal parts sugar and water with fresh mint and sliced cucumber until the sugar dissolves, steep twenty minutes, then strain and chill.
Can I use gin instead of vodka?
Yes. Gin turns it into a cucumber gin martini, with the botanicals playing against the cucumber. Vodka keeps it cleaner and crisper.
What can I use instead of Green Chartreuse?
A dry white vermouth or a splash of elderflower liqueur works, though the herbal complexity will be softer.
Is a cucumber martini sweet or dry?
It sits in the middle: lightly sweet from the syrup, balanced by lime and the herbal Chartreuse. Adjust the syrup to taste.
What garnish works best?
A thin cucumber wheel on the rim or a small sprig of fresh mint, with a few drops of mint bitters across the surface.