The Lemon Drop is a bright, citrus-driven vodka sour defined by a clean balance between fresh lemon acidity and subtle orange sweetness from triple sec. Crisp, refreshing, and lightly sweet, it delivers a sharp yet polished profile with a smooth, chilled finish.
Add vodka, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Fine strain into a chilled martini glass with a sugar-rimmed edge.
Served straight up in a chilled martini glass, the Lemon Drop features a clear, pale lemon-gold hue with a fine sugar rim and a freshly expressed lemon twist resting on the edge.
Pairs well with light seafood, fresh salads, oysters, and salty appetizers that contrast its citrus brightness.
The Lemon Drop originated in the United States during the 1970s, emerging from West Coast cocktail culture as a vodka-based sour inspired by the popular lemon candy of the same name.
Ideal for aperitivo moments, summer evenings, cocktail parties, and occasions that call for a lively, crowd-pleasing classic.
Sharp lemon aroma up front, followed by clean citrus acidity, gentle orange sweetness, and a smooth, neutral vodka backbone.
Bright, playful, and confident — approachable yet unmistakably zesty.
Classic variations adjust sweetness with a small amount of simple syrup or replace triple sec with orange curaçao, while maintaining the core lemon-vodka structure.
25%
⚠️ Alcoholic beverage: not suitable for minors, pregnant individuals, or designated drivers. Please enjoy responsibly.
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These routes use ingredient pairs that actually appear in Lemon Drop and group cocktails with the same pairing logic.
Cocktails where Vodka and Triple Sec appear together in the recipe structure.
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Cocktails where Triple Sec and Sugar appear together in the recipe structure.
Lemon Drop sits around 25% ABV. Use these routes to compare drinks with a similar drinking weight, then narrow them by style, method or glass.
Cocktails in the Sour category with 25–32% ABV.
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