CH Distillery Espresso Martini 1L

CH Distillery Espresso Martini 1L is a ready-to-drink espresso martini made with scratch-distilled vodka and locally roasted coffee, bottled at 19.9% ABV in a 1-liter format. It earned 94 points out of 100 from Tastings.com in January 2023, placing it among the highest-rated bottled espresso martinis on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 19.9%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, United States  |  Ready-to-Drink Cocktail  |  Distillery: CH Distillery

Production & Heritage

CH Distillery operates in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, producing spirits that are milled, mashed, and fermented from scratch on-site — a grain-to-glass approach that gives the house vodka its clean, neutral foundation. For this espresso martini, the distillery partners with Dark Matter Coffee, a well-known Chicago roaster, sourcing their coffee to build the cocktail's espresso backbone. The result is a locally rooted collaboration between two Chicago producers, bottled in a generous 1-liter size designed for easy serving without the need for a shaker, espresso machine, or bar setup.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with roasted espresso and dark chocolate notes carried by clean vodka. Tastings.com describes the aromatics as very elegant and precise.

Taste: The palate delivers a bold coffee intensity balanced by the smoothness of the house vodka. The profile is powerful and complex, with bittersweet espresso character dominating the mid-palate and a subtle sweetness rounding out the body.

Finish: The finish lingers with roasted coffee bitterness and a clean, dry close. There is no cloying sweetness — the vodka base keeps the tail end brisk.

How to Drink CH Espresso Martini

Pour chilled over ice or shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass for the classic espresso martini presentation. No additional ingredients are necessary, though a garnish of three coffee beans follows tradition.

• Classic Espresso Martini: Shake the bottled cocktail with ice and double-strain into a chilled coupe for a frothy, café-quality serve.
• Espresso Martini Affogato: Pour over a scoop of vanilla gelato — the 19.9% ABV and coffee intensity stand up to the cream without diluting flavor.
• Black Russian Riff: Combine with a float of heavy cream or serve alongside a shot of CH Distillery's own vodka for added strength and depth.

Best For

• Hosting dinner parties where a bar-quality espresso martini is expected without the barista equipment
• Gifting a cocktail enthusiast who values Chicago-made, small-batch spirits
• After-dinner service when a dessert cocktail doubles as the course itself
• Stocking a home bar with a high-scoring, ready-to-pour cocktail for impromptu entertaining

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CH Espresso Martini taste like? It delivers a bold, bittersweet espresso profile with clean vodka undertones and restrained sweetness. The Dark Matter coffee gives it a roasty depth that reads more coffeehouse than candy bar.

How does CH Espresso Martini compare to On The Rocks Espresso Martini? On The Rocks uses Hornitos Tequila as its base spirit and clocks in at a lower 20-proof (10% ABV), making it a lighter, agave-inflected drink. CH Distillery's version is vodka-based at 19.9% ABV, nearly twice the strength, with a more traditional espresso martini profile anchored by scratch-distilled spirits.

Is CH Espresso Martini good for cocktail beginners? Yes — it requires no mixing skill or equipment beyond a glass and ice, and the balanced sweetness makes it approachable for drinkers new to coffee cocktails.

Where is CH Espresso Martini made? It is produced at CH Distillery in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, Illinois, using the distillery's own grain-to-glass vodka and coffee from Chicago-based Dark Matter Coffee.

What foods pair well with CH Espresso Martini? Tiramisu mirrors the coffee and sweet-bitter balance. Dark chocolate truffles complement the roast character. Salted caramel desserts contrast the bitterness with richness. A cheese course featuring mascarpone or aged Gouda works well alongside the cocktail's weight and complexity.

What sizes does CH Espresso Martini come in? The expression is available in a 1-liter bottle, which yields approximately five to six standard espresso martini servings.

Is CH Espresso Martini worth the price? It positions as a premium ready-to-drink cocktail, and the 1-liter format offers strong per-serving value compared to ordering espresso martinis at a bar or buying the individual ingredients. The 94-point Tastings.com score reinforces its standing at the top of the RTD espresso martini category.

Why CH Espresso Martini?

A 94-point score from Tastings.com sets this apart in a crowded ready-to-drink field where many bottled espresso martinis lean too sweet or too thin. The use of vodka distilled in-house from scratch grain — not sourced from a bulk supplier — gives CH Distillery direct control over the spirit's quality before it ever meets the coffee. Partnering with Dark Matter Coffee, one of Chicago's most recognized specialty roasters, adds genuine craft credibility rather than generic espresso flavoring. At 19.9% ABV in a full liter, it delivers real cocktail strength and enough volume to serve a small gathering without compromise.