☕ Your Espresso Martini Is Basic — Let’s Fix That

Written By Christopher SEDLACEK

How Coffee Origin + Roast Level Should Be Driving the Entire Damn Drink

Let’s get one thing straight: if you’re still making espresso martinis with mystery beans and a shrug, you’re not crafting cocktails — you’re making brown noise in a coupe.

Baristas obsess over origin, roast, and extraction. But behind the bar? Most folks just mash espresso into vodka and hope for the best. That’s like pairing filet mignon with store-brand ketchup.

It’s time to rethink how we build coffee cocktails — starting with the bean.

🎯 The Core Philosophy:

Coffee has terroir.
Different origins, roasts, and processes drastically change the flavor — and deserve specific spirits to elevate, not bury, those notes.

Instead of starting with the booze and adding coffee as a gimmick, flip it:
Start with the coffee. Build the drink around it.

🥀 Exhibit A: The Geisha Garden

  • Coffee: Ethiopian Geisha (light roast, floral, bergamot, peach tea vibes)

  • Base: Saffron-infused Citadelle Gin

  • Modifiers: St-Germain, Lillet Blanc, Verjus

  • Why it works: Elegant, floral ingredients enhance the jasmine/tea-like nature of Geisha. It’s a high-wire act — refined, delicate, unforgettable.

This isn’t a coffee cocktail. It’s liquid ikebana.

🌶️ Exhibit B: The Peaberry Heatwave

  • Coffee: Tanzanian Peaberry (medium roast, bright acidity, chocolate & berry notes)

  • Base: Reposado Tequila

  • Modifiers: Framboise, St-Germain

  • Why it works: Peaberry’s fruit-forward zip dances with framboise and plays off the vanilla/oak in reposado. St-Germain smooths the edges and adds a floral lift.

It’s bold. Funky. A little dangerous. Like mezcal in a tux.

🧠 TL;DR: Coffee Deserves Better

The espresso martini of the future isn’t built on convenience. It’s built on crafters who care about origin, roast, and the story in the cup.
You already obsess over bitters, vermouth, and ice clarity. It’s time to show coffee the same damn respect.

Want a printable spec sheet or tasting menu layout for these?
Or a rotating “origin x spirit” pairing guide you can give out at events or post on IG like a terroir-fueled flex? I can make that magic happen.

Christopher SEDLACEK