What is up with the reappearance of the espresso martini? If you were schmoozin’ and boozin’ in the 1990s, you probably had your share of the smooth, chocolatey-brown dessert beverage—it was all that and a bag of chips. But popular industry lore dates the birth of the beverage back to the early ’80s, when it was reportedly concocted on the fly for a soon-to-be-famous supermodel in a London bar by legendary British bartender Dick Bradsell. So where did it go? And why is it back? Billie Keithley, “liquid chef” for Breckenridge Distillery, says maybe the drink never went anywhere. “Guests order it quite frequently,” she maintains. “Espresso cocktails are still very much desired. The bitterness and richness that coffee can bring is a welcome flavor profile.” Here are two recipes Keithley regularly busts out for guests:
3 Beans to a Happy Evening
In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ½ ounces Breckenridge Espresso Vodka, 1 ounce cold brew coffee, ¾ ounce cinnamon simple syrup, and 1 egg white. Dry shake and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with coffee beans.
Espresso Indulgence
In a shaker, combine 3 ounces Breckenridge Spiced Rum Cream Liqueur and ¾ ounce cold brew coffee. Shake with ice and strain up into a martini glass. Top with whipped cream and garnish with Breckenridge Spiced Rum pralines.
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