Boston Bartender Bottles Signature Espresso Martini Inspired by U.S. Navy Service

A Boston bartender is turning decades of mixology experience — and a little Navy inspiration — into a thriving bottled cocktail business.

Glenn LeMaitre, a longtime bartender at Bricco Ristorante & Enoteca in Boston’s North End, is known for serving one of the restaurant’s most popular drinks: the espresso martini. After 16 years behind the bar, he estimates more than one million of the cocktails have been served.

His recipe stands out thanks to a rich blend of fresh espresso, vanilla vodka, Kahlúa, Baileys, Frangelico, and amaretto. But the drink’s origin story is just as distinctive.

LeMaitre first created the cocktail in 1989 while serving aboard the USS Forrestal. After more than 100 days at sea, he experimented with available ingredients while on shore leave in the Virgin Islands — creating the same recipe he still serves today.

More than three decades later, that signature drink has evolved into a bottled product called “Drink That,” which he launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ready-to-drink espresso martini is now produced in large batches at a facility in Dedham, Massachusetts, maintaining the same flavor profile as the original bar version.

Distribution currently spans Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the venture also supports a meaningful cause. A portion of proceeds from every bottle sold benefits the USO, helping provide services and support for active-duty military members and their families.

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