The appeal of the espresso martini cannot be denied. Invented in the 1980s in London, the combination of vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup has been enjoying a steady resurgence for the last several years. It’s decadent and balanced between roasty and sweet. It’s also easily customizable, so it can display other, complementary flavors. You can switch up the coffee element, the spirit, or the liqueur, and you can use all kinds of ingredients to elevate the espresso martini. One of the most popular flavors, owing to its iconic status in coffee-shop drinks, is mocha. This combination of chocolate and coffee brings rich, desserty bittersweetness to the espresso martini. But the hitch is that this cocktail is also notoriously kind of a pain to make. Ready-to-drink cocktail brands have us covered with plenty of options for instant espresso martinis, but how good are these options, and will any satisfy the craving for a flavor like mocha? We ranked 14 canned espresso martinis to find out.
Our number-one pick was Thomas Ashbourne’s The After Hours Espresso Martini, which happens to be a collaboration between the brand and actor Neil Patrick Harris. It was the best of the bunch in general, but it boasts the added bonus of chocolate and vanilla. Together, they give the drink an iced mocha profile — with the creamy foam top you’ll get from giving the can a shake before pouring, it’s a velvety, chocolatey experience that will please espresso-martini purists and mocha fans alike.
What people say about The After Hours Espresso Martini
The After Hours Espresso Martini beat out plenty of competition for ready-to-drink options with its balanced flavor, touch of froth, and silky, full mouthfeel. The fact that this Thomas Ashbourne offering also brings chocolate and vanilla flavors to the table is a happy coincidence for espresso martini enthusiasts who love mocha. One can is 12% ABV, and the cocktail is made with natural ingredients and is gluten-free and kosher.
This tipple took gold at the 2023 San Francisco Ready to Drink Competition, but what do everyday imbibers have to say? On the Thomas Ashbourne website, Tim A. calls it “the best damn espresso martini.” Brigitte H. says it’s “perfectly crafted, what you would expect from a top barman in a [five-star] hotel…Try it and you won’t buy anything else.” On Total Wine, where a four-pack of The After Hours is available for around $19.99 depending on your location, shopper KRB4 raves that it’s “one of the best bottled and canned [espresso martinis] on the market. It tastes like it came right from a high-end restaurant or bar. I’ll be re-ordering!” Meanwhile, another buyer likes that it’s not too sweet and incorporates real espresso. It also achieved a score of 95 out of 100 when reviewed by Wine Enthusiast, which translates to “superb.” The After Hours is perfect as it is, but you can play up its mocha character with chocolate shavings or a chocolate syrup-covered rim on your glass.
