The Espresso Martini Alternative You Should Drink All Summer

Looking for a potion that will keep you going from the darty to the rave? You don’t need magic—though the espresso bomb martini might make you feel like you’re under a spell.

Touted as a hangover cure, the original espresso bomb went viral due to its recipe’s inventive simplicity. Espresso boosts energy, salt delivers electrolytes, and water, well, you can never drink enough when you’re hungover. However, when I see a drink go viral, all I can think about is: How good would that be if it had alcohol?

Turns out, I’m not alone. Diego Osorio, founder of premium tequila brand Lobos 1707, shares the same thought. “I knew that Lobos would taste great with coffee in this drink,” Osorio says.

Osorio started Lobos 1707 in 2020 to honor his heritage. “I wanted to mix my passion for storytelling with my love of spirits,” Osorio says. “I grew up around wine and sherry. I had a great grandfather that traveled from Spain to Mexico with sherry wine barrels.” It became obvious to Osorio that he should be the first to finish his tequila in sherry barrels, which required him to petition the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, the Mexican organization that maintains strict tequila production guidelines, before he was successful.

Osario’s not only an innovator—he’s a people-person. He makes his vision connect with backers like LeBron James who helped make Lobos a household bar essential.

The next hot summer drink trend? Add Lobos 1707 Reposado to your espresso bomb.

The espresso bomb martini is the culmination of everything Osorio wanted Lobos 1707 to be. Remember when your chemistry teacher would drop vinegar into a baking soda volcano and cause it to “erupt”? This cocktail is just as fun to make.

First, pour both Lobos 1707 and sparkling water into a highball glass. Next, rub the bottom of a shot glass with an orange slice and coat it in salt. Then, fill the shot glass with Mr. Black and espresso. Drop that into the highball and the intoxicating concoction will fizz up.

“I’m an artist, and I like things to be theatrical,” Osorio says. That theatricality paid off. Yes, making the cocktail is as head-turning as ordering fajitas at a restaurant. But it has more to offer than that. Thanks to caffeine, the drink is guaranteed to get you pumped like you’re with the Black Eyed Peas in 2005. There’s plenty of sparkling water, so it’s more hydrating and refreshing than a typical spirit-forward cocktail. Unlike a traditional espresso martini, this comes in a highball glass; no more spilling your precarious drink while gesturing wildly or breaking into dance. And, frankly, it’s delicious.

“It's very fresh and summer forward, and the Reposado has that peppery, rounder and softer finish with the sherry,” Osorio says. “It balances really well with the coffee.”

So what are you waiting for? The drink of the summer has arrived. Drop that shot into your Lobos and get the party started.

A hangover cure turned party cocktail? Sign me up.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Lobos 1707 Reposado
• 1 oz Espresso
• ½ oz Mr Black
• 5 oz Sparkling water
• Orange slice
• Salt

Directions

Fill a highball glass partially full with sparkling water and an ounce of Lobos 1707 Reposado. Rub the bottom of a shot glass with the orange slice and coat in salt. Pour espresso and Mr. Black coffee liqueur into a shot glass. Drop shot glass into highball glass. Enjoy!