Vodka-based Martinis now become an everybody’s fad. A lot of recipes, variety of vodkas – flavoured or not, juices, liqueurs, bitters… Crazy times, crazy drinks.

I have to admit that recently I’ve gave up and started to invent my own Martinis too.

Here is one of that recipes. I’ve called it «Baltic Martini» because of Riga black balsam and Finlandia Vodka used there. The third ingredient is homemade black currant infusion traditionally made in Central and Northern Russia.

About infusion.

That’s very simple thing. Ripe berries were washed and placed in a bottle until the bottle became full. Then vodka was added to fill all space around berries. After that this bottle has been forgotten and was waiting almost six months at dark cold room in our country-house till it has been found and presented to me.

Early I have nice experience drinking and mixing cherry infusion made in similar way. It was outstanding so I was happy to get another infusion for further experiments.

After some iterations my Baltic Martini recipe was ready:

Baltic Martini

A small quantity of simple syrup is recommended. Otherwise, the cocktail will be unpleasantly bitter and tart. So simple syrup quantity is a variable, and I believe that for sweeter drink crème de cassis can substitute for black currant infusion.

My favorite version of Baltic Martini was a bit sharp and dry.

Great appearance – deep red with violet undertone, nice nose – dried black currant on vodka background.

The taste begins with black currant tart and sour flavour with bitter herbal notes especially impressive on the swallow. Light sweet berry tone are spotted going right away, and after that I’ve got pleasant dry aftertaste of herbs and dried berries with medium burn of ginger and vodka.

Later this aftertaste smoothly comes to long mild finish with delicate dry black currant and herbs undertones.