The cinnamon flavor can debuts an “aura-style design” instead of its original gradient. | Blossom Beverages Blossom Beverages brings a new wintertime flavor to local liquor stores and Capital One Arena Last Tuesday, Blossom Beverages founder David Jack braved an overnight journey to the canned espresso martini company’s production facility in Ohio from D.C., all in the pursuit of the perfect cinnamon-flavored release. After traveling over six hours, the restaurateur and marketing manager finally tried the new mix — and was alarmed to find that something in the 900-gallon batch tasted off. Blossom Beverages David Jack holds up the original can, which was redesigned to prominently advertise the espresso martini inside. “I just felt like it wasn’t what we envisioned it originally to be, what we taste tested for six months creating and spent so much time tinkering with in the lab and behind the bar. And I just said, I said, ‘guys, this isn’t right,’” Jack remembers. It turns out there was a significant numerical error in the recipe for the huge batch; instead of the 22 pounds of Dutch cocoa powder the mix called for, only 2.2 pounds were poured into the huge shaker. Instead of making a six-figured monetary mistake, Jack’s taste test allowed them to make a quick addition to the industrial shaker and make its deadline on December 16, when Blossom’s holiday-ready cinnamon espresso martinis in rebranded cans hit shelves at three hand-picked D.C. liquor stores and Capital One Arena. “Now we have the product that we’re really proud, but the sacrifice was, you know, my sleep,” Jack joked. “I’m driving these small, winding roads from Ohio to D.C., and it was just another analogy of this journey ... you have no idea what’s in front of you.” That commitment to excellent ingredients, months of taste testing over 40 variations, and careful production of a ready-to-shake-and-drink product developed by D.C. bartenders and hospitality veterans stand out in the competitive market for trendy canned cocktails. In two years, the original pink-and-blue boxes went from being sold in a handful of liquor stores to now being stocked in 20 spots in New York City and over 100 stores and venues in the District, adding Safeway, Whole Foods, Capitol One Arena, Audi Field, and Streets Market to the local vendor list in 2024. Blossom’s original mix of Madagascar vanilla, Dutch cocoa powder, vodka, and Brazilian coffee produces what he calls a “very balanced flavor profile” that tastes like an espresso martini made by a talented mixologist. “That’s what we’re trying to do, taking these moments and these great cocktails from trendy cocktail bars, and hopefully able to scale that everywhere and anywhere,” he says. The cinnamon release uses a lighter Peruvian roast and adds cinnamon spice, creating a seasonal variation that warms up your stomach and gets your heart racing. Blossom Beverages The new boxes advertise all the advantages of the dairy-free, gluten-free Blossom mix. “So the cinnamon flavor we hope gets people who maybe aren’t die-hard coffee, like espresso lovers, but love cinnamon. We hope this really brings more people into the fold,” says Jack. The branding of the boxes and cans also look different these days, with “espresso martini” displayed in a larger font to attract more eyes in store aisles. Fresh new blurbs advertise the 9-percent alcohol level, real espresso, and natural ingredients inside. Jack hopes the rebrand and three more martini flavors in the works will help drive Blossom’s expansion into Maryland and Virginia in 2025. The brand remains committed to the DMV, with the name itself referring to the iconic cherry blossom flowers that take over the Tidal Basin in the spring and its own cherry flavor that debuted earlier this year. New York stores can also expect to see more Blossom cans in 2025. “And then in 2026 we’ll kind of roll out to the West Coast, which is really exciting,” Jack says. Starting in Los Angeles, that expansion out west will follow a concurrent expansion into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Beyond that, he teases there are also “a few non-espresso martini cocktails in the hopper.” Blossom Beverages The coffee-fueled martinis can enjoyed at home but are also sold at event spaces in D.C. and New York City. Despite all these big plans for geographical and recipe expansions, Jack emphasizes its commitment to “thoughtful and steady” growth. For example, the new boxes and flavor can only be found in Uncorked, Potomac Wine and Spirits, Schneider’s of Capitol Hill, and Capitol One Arena right now, all leading up to a ski lodge-themed debut party at The Cove on January 18.