Lychee Martini With Homemade Lychee Liqueur

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/23/22
Lychee martini with homemade liqueur

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Infuse: 672 hrs
Total: 672 hrs 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The lychee martini (also known as "lichitini" or "lycheetini") is a beautiful, delicate, and unusual cocktail that features the sweet taste of lychee fruit. It is a delicious vodka martini and very easy to make. Mix vodka, lychee liqueur or syrup, and lime juice to make your cocktail in less than five minutes.

Our thorough recipe also offers you the instructions to make lychee liqueur and lychee syrup (you only need one or the other), even though you can buy lychee liqueur. But because these can be hard to find—brands like Soho, Bols, and Kwai Feh are available—you can DIY with our recipe. Be mindful that making a liqueur at home takes a minimum of four weeks, whereas the syrup takes less than an hour.

If you are unfamiliar with this supersweet fruit, first try a whole fruit on its own to get a taste for its natural flavor. Lychees have an interesting sour bite and taste a bit like a strawberry mixed with watermelon and grapes. Their sweetness and tartness make a nice contrast to the sweetness of a liqueur, and together they make a refreshing and delicious cocktail.

Ingredients

For the Lychee Liqueur:

  • 2 cups lychee fruit, about 380 grams

  • 1 lime, zested

  • 375 milliliters vodka, about 1 1/2 cups

  • 1 cup simple syrup

For the Lychee Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/2 cup peeled and pitted lychee fruit

For the Cocktail:

Steps to Make It

Make Lychee Liqueur

Time is the biggest factor with a homemade lychee liqueur, but the result is worth the wait. It will take about one month to finish.

This recipe makes about 16 ounces or a little more than a pint of liqueur. It's best to start with this smaller batch until you perfect the recipe to your taste. Take notes on any adjustments you make, and once you have it where you like it, scale it up to make a larger batch.

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for lychee liqueur
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Peel and cut the lychee fruits in half. Add the pieces to a glass jar that has a capacity of at least 16 ounces. Add the zest of 1 lime, then fill the jar with the vodka.

    Cut lychee in vodka
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Seal the jar and give it a good shake.

    Shaking the jar
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Store in a cool, dark place for four weeks, shaking it every couple of days. Give it a taste test after two weeks, then again a week later to see how the flavor is progressing. Four weeks will give it a good flavor, but it might take more to get to your ideal flavor.

    The lychee liqueur is opened for a taste test
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Once the vodka is flavored to your liking, heavily strain the fruit from the vodka through a cheesecloth or a very clean kitchen towel. Be sure to squeeze all of the liquid from the lychee.

    Straining the fruit from the vodka
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Strain again to ensure all of the liquid is removed from the fruit. During this final straining, you can filter it directly into the bottle that will store the liqueur: Use a funnel and place the cheesecloth inside.

    A second straining into a bottle
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add 1 cup of simple syrup to the bottle, tighten the lid, and shake vigorously. Store the finished liqueur in the refrigerator where it will keep for about three months.

    Simple syrup is added before the bottle is stored
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Or Make Lychee Syrup

Lychee syrup is very easy to make and is a great substitute for the lychee liqueur. It is no different than any other flavored syrup. You'll simply use lychee fruits for the flavor. It takes less than an hour from start to finish, and the finished syrup can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.

This recipe makes about 1 cup of syrup. It can be adjusted by increasing the sugar and water quantities in an equal manner.

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for lychee syrup
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Combine 1 cup each of sugar and water in a saucepan.

    Sugar and water in a saucepan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.

    Bring to slow boil
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the lychee fruit, reduce the heat, and cover.

    Add lychee fruit
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

    Cover pot and heat
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

    Remove saucepan from heat
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Strain the fruit from the syrup and pour it into a glass bottle with a tight-sealing lid. It will keep in the refrigerator for two to three weeks.

    Fruit is strained and liquid bottled
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Lychee Martini

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for a lychee martini
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the vodka, lychee liqueur or syrup, and lime juice. Shake well.

    Cocktail shaker with vodka, lychee liqueur, and lime juice
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Strained cocktail in a glass
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Garnish with pitted lychee fruit. Serve and enjoy.

    Lychee martini with some scattered lychee fruit and a lime
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Is There a Quicker Way of Making Lychee Liqueur?

  • For a shortcut liqueur, skip the one-month infusion and simply add 1 cup of lychee syrup to 375 milliliters of vodka. Add more vodka or syrup to taste.

Lychee Liqueur Tips

  • Fresh lychees are often available in the summer months and take a little preparation. You will need to peel the lychee and remove the stone. Only the fleshy white fruit is needed. To make this year-round, use canned lychee fruit. Buy it online, check the international aisle of upscale supermarkets, or go to grocery stores specializing in Asian produce.
  • For the finished liqueur, you will need a bottle or jar that holds at least 3 cups. It's a great way to recycle 750-milliliters liquor bottles.
  • Test your liqueur after mixing in the syrup. It should be slightly sweet and have a soft lychee flavor. If it's not sweet enough, add more syrup in small amounts. Shake and test it with each new addition until it suits your taste.
  • If you find that the liqueur is lacking both sweetness and fruit flavor, make a lychee syrup and add it instead of plain syrup.
  • Use your liqueur in margaritas, daiquiris, mojitos, and Champagne, gin, and rum cocktails.

Recipe Variation

You can also make a lychee martini with a lychee-flavored vodka, such as the one offered by Kai Vodka. A few other brands produce it as well, though these tend to come and go on the market. You can also do your own lychee vodka infusion using the liqueur recipe without the syrup.

  • For the martini with lychee vodka, begin by pouring 2 ounces of lychee vodka, 3/4 ounce simple syrup (plain or lychee), and 1/4 ounce lime juice. Shake it up and see what you think. If needed, make adjustments to any of the ingredients to get your desired flavor.

How Strong Is a Lychee Martini?

Like most martinis, this is not a light drink. When made with the average lychee liqueur, its alcohol content falls in the 25 percent ABV (50 proof) range.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
254 Calories
1g Fat
40g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 254
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 171mg 854%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 416mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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