Some collaborations are obvious the moment you say them out loud.

I've had a Nespresso machine on my kitchen counter for 16 years. It's what fueled Hotel Lobby Candle from the very beginning, the late nights and early mornings in our Brooklyn apartment during COVID when this brand was just an idea and a lot of caffeine.

Matt and I have each had at least one Nespresso a day for SIXTEEN YEARS! That’s a lot of coffee. So when the opportunity came to work with Nespresso, the concept landed almost immediately: the Nespresso Martini. It was a no-brainer.

I love how popular espresso martinis have become over the past few years, and what I love even more, is how often I’m seeing new and refreshing takes on the classic version of the cocktail. (While I’m still a vodka purist, half of my girlfriends prefer theirs with reposado tequila.) 

A Nespresso martini, to me, is the perfect “night out” cocktail — a sweet treat to have before dinner (or after) that perfectly balances your buzz with a caffeine boost. What’s better than that?

One late afternoon in New York a few years ago, I met up with two of my best girlfriends at a great hotel bar. It was late afternoon, and our plan was to catch up and get some work done together (no, really—we had brought our laptops and everything.) 

As soon as we grabbed a seat and were about to order coffees, a server swiftly intervened and told us that we were forbidden from having laptops out, because “the laptop hour” was over.

So, we did as we were asked. Then we looked at each other in agreement, knowing that we had two options: we could leave. Or. We could order a round of espresso martinis. Unsurprisingly, we chose the latter.

As the first round of espresso martinis made their way to our table, I knew we were going to be in trouble. They looked absolutely delectable: frothy, dark, and delicious. After a single sip, it seemed our fate was sealed: we’d be ordering another round. (So we did.)

Not long after, we were approached by a group of acquaintances who said: "Do you ladies like espresso martinis?"

Before we could even say “no thanks” to another round, out of the corner of my eye, I clocked a massive tray filled with martinis in coupe glasses… that appeared to be heading right for us. You can probably imagine where this story goes. 

It was a very, very fun (and wildly unexpected) kind of night. We didn’t get home until late. When we woke up in the morning, we remembered that we had decided to impulsively book a trip to Paris together…  and the flight was in 3 weeks.

I thought a lot about that moment as we started developing the candle—the fun, the spontaneity of it—and more importantly, the scent memory: the freshly-brewed espresso being shaken over ice; the whipped, frothy crema that balanced the bitter bite of the coffee note. 

I'll be honest: I'm not typically a fan of coffee-scented candles. They can be overpowering and one-note. So the goal was to create something with real layers and depth, where you can pick out individual elements, rather than only smelling a single note.

We spent months going back and forth with our perfumers. The early versions were too heavy on the espresso. Then one night, during the development Matt and I went out for drinks and ordered espresso martinis, and it clicked.

The candle was missing that milky, frothy sweetness you get right at the top of the glass, right before the first sip. We went back to the perfumers with that feedback, and the version they returned to us with is the version we fell for immediately.

The final scent opens bold with freshly brewed espresso, then sweet cream froth comes through, followed by warm toasted almond, a hint of vanilla vodka, and golden caramel to finish. It's what I call a "grown-up gourmand." Subtle sweetness that appears sparingly. Rich but not heavy.

To partner with a brand as iconic as Nespresso for a collaboration as fun as this one is a milestone for Hotel Lobby Candle. 

The Nespresso Martini candle is available starting April 30 on our website, on Nespresso's website, and at Nespresso Boutiques around the country. 

I hope you love it as much as we do.

xx
Lindsay