Old-school DC may have been a steakhouse town, but take a look at any cocktail menu these days and it seems we’re now an espresso martini city. The 2020 trend is still buzzing hard—credit all our high-performing drinkers craving a more effective buzz. And now, the District will have its very first canned, ready-to-drink espresso martini to call its own: Blossom, which will be released on Saturday, November 12 at Union Market.
Creator and Blossom Beverages founder David Jack wears a lot of fashionable hats, like leading marketing at Residents Cafe & Bar in Dupont Circle, where espresso martinis reign king. (Blossom is not affiliated with Residents, nor sold there).
“I’m a highly caffeinated individual and social millennial,” says Jack, who also owns a digital media agency. “I’m in the boardroom with three cups of coffee, and then I can have that same buzz at happy hour?! Say less!”
If espresso martinis are the “adult vodka Red Bull” for cocktail bars, Blossom is aiming to be more like the adult High Noon for clubs and events.
“The idea is to democratize this cocktail and make it for everything—rooftops, kickbacks, parties, shows, sporting events, weddings, even,” says Jack. “What better way [than espresso martinis] to get me through at Echo Stage and Wizards games? But good is espresso is critical, and tough—you’re not going to find it next to the popcorn machine at the Caps.”
Jack started on the path toward creating a tasty vodka-and-espresso can over two years ago when he noticed the ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol market booming. There are a few versions already available—including one from Kahlúa, which is very Kahlúa-y. Also Summer House star Kyle Cooke’s Loverboy Espresso Martini, which is sugar-free, gluten-free, spiked with calorie-burning MCT oil, and made with orange wine instead of vodka. (“Not shit talking these guys, BUT, how in the hell did someone approve this?,” says Jack).
Working with Boardroom Spirits in Philadelphia, Jack created a more traditional cocktail with a vodka base, hints of vanilla, nutmeg, and chocolate, and real-deal espresso. The 12-ounce drinks are less potent and creamy with partying in mind, and clock in at nine percent alcohol—less than, say, a Cutwater Margarita—with the caffeine equivalent of a single espresso shot. Over 8,000 cans are waiting for a DJ-fueled release on Saturday, November 12 and 13 at Union Market with free Blossom giveaways and the four-packs available for sale ($24.99). You can also find Blossom online, at the new Housebar store in Navy Yard, and a handful of entertainment venues and hotels like Echo Stage, Soundcheck, and the Graham Georgetown.
As for the name—and very bright, un-espresso design—Jack says he was channeling the essence of that first espresso martini glow.
“When you have that boozy buzz, your shoulders perk up, and you begin to blossom. Friendships grow. And everyone who enjoys that cocktail, it’s like a beautiful flower.”
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
