Mad Eye Martini

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.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/5/23
Mad eye martini recipe

The Spruce /Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
377 Calories
1g Fat
72g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 377
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 60g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 226mg 1,130%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 737mg 16%
*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.)

The mad eye martini is a perfect Halloween cocktail, complete with a gruesome eyeball garnish. The drink itself has that beautiful pale blue color, which is the signature of Hpnotiq, and the flavor is as pleasant as can be with its delicate lychee accent.

Creating the creepy garnish is rather easy and may take a bit of practice to get the right look, but the membrane-like look of the lychee fruit is a perfect base. It's a fun project to prepare before the party and can be used on any cocktail. Your efforts will pay off because this fruity vodka martini is sure to steal the show and light up everyone's night!

Ingredients

For the Eyeball Garnish:

  • 1 lychee

  • 1/4 teaspoon red fruit preserves (e.g., cherry, raspberry, or strawberry)

  • 1 blueberry

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 ounce vodka

  • 1/2 ounce Hpnotiq Liqueur

  • 2 ounces lychee juice

  • Lychee eyeball, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Eyeball Garnish

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Eyeball garnish
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  2. Drain and dry the lychee, then fill with red fruit preserves.

    Drain lychee
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Place blueberry—blossom end facing out—into the cavity.

    Place blueberry in
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Skewer with a cocktail pick so it will lay across the rim of a glass. Continue building eyeballs until you have enough to garnish all of the drinks you'll be mixing up. They can be refrigerated in a single layer inside a sealed container until the party.

    Skewer
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Make the Mad Eye Martini

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Mad Eye martini
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck 

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the vodka, Hpnotiq, and lychee juice. Fill with ice, and shake well.

    Cocktail shaker
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Strain into a cocktail glass
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck 

  4. Garnish with the lychee eyeball. Serve and enjoy.

    Serve
    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Check your local party store for Halloween-themed cocktail picks or skewers that look like a miniature ice pick to complete the ghoulish effect.
  • Premium vodka is recommended for this cocktail because it has such a clean taste. Choose one that you wouldn't mind drinking straight and you'll have a great tasting martini.
  • Lychee juice is not the most common ingredient, though you may have luck finding it at international grocery stores. For the garnish, you'll also need to hunt down canned lychees, which have the fruit's hull removed and are packaged in a syrup. The syrup is not the best substitute for a juice, though.
  • As an alternative, mix up the martini with a lychee liqueur. To retain the martini's blue color, choose a clear liqueur as some take on a red or pink hue and will result in a purple cocktail.

Recipe Variations

  • Homemade lychee syrup is also a viable substitute for the juice. It's a great alternative if canned or fresh lychees are your only option. You will, however, want to change the proportions or it will be too sweet: try 1 ounce Hpnotiq, 1 1/2 ounces vodka, and 1/2 ounce lychee syrup.
  • If you skip the lychee ingredient and pair Hpnotiq with vodka, then add a splash of lemon juice, you'll have an equally impressive cocktail called the Halloween Hpnotist. It's typically "garnished" with a glow stick for an illuminating display but has the same look as this recipe, so it's a perfect fit for the eyeball!

How Strong Is a Mad Eye Martini?

As far as martinis go, this one's surprisingly light because most of the volume is comprised of lychee juice. Its alcohol content should fall into the 12 percent ABV (24 proof) range, making it equivalent to the average glass of wine.