Neil Patrick Harris Joins The Mixology World With The After Hours Espresso Martini

Thomas Ashbourne has taken over the ready-to-drink top-shelf cocktail market in the most A-list way possible by pairing them with some of our most-loved celebrities. Neil Patrick Harris is the face of their latest product, the After Hours Espresso Martini. The cocktails are crafted with the eminent partners directly with the outcome not just a fame-tinged branding move. For example, the “Perfect Cosmo” is through a partnership with Sarah Jessica Parker and the Hardscatto was created with rapper Playboi Carti with the partners being involved with a stake in the company and fully involved in its sales.

Neil Patrick Harris was already an espresso martini drinker so it was an easy decision for him to work on the recipe with Thomas Ashbourne. We learned more when Harris gave us the low down on the After Hours Espresso Martini.

Why did you think a partnership with Thomas Ashbourne for the After Hours Espresso Martini a good fit for you?

A partnership with Thomas Ashbourne was a no-brainer. They’re not only passionate and committed partners, but they’re also dedicated to the art of craft cocktails and producing the highest quality offering on the shelf. Together we worked hard to bring this cocktail to life. After many evenings of bar hopping around New York City trialing espresso martinis, formulations, and recipe revisions we’ve landed on a best-in-class ready-to-sip espresso martini that I’m very proud of.

With sweet, pastel drinks like the pina colada, mojito, margarita, Moscow mule, and other cocktails making the top 10 for almost all of 2022, why do you think the espresso martini, a kind of a not-too-sweet dark-brown cocktail, made the top 10 as well?

Whenever I’m out I see people of all kinds enjoying espresso martinis. It’s always been a classic, but I believe the resurgence has something to do with people wanting a drink that has a natural upper effect. That’s what sold me. The After Hours has actual espresso in it, so it always does the trick. It not only tastes incredible, but it gives the extra boost I need before a night out.

Thomas Ashbourne has captured a huge part of the ready-to-drink cocktail market with their collections. Do you think that entire cocktails that can be refrigerated and poured are a natural progression for the alcohol industry in the way that mixers and bottled spiked sparkling seltzer have become available? And thank you for making life easier for mixologists all over the world!

My plezh. Look, nobody can deny the ease of accessibility. For me, the opening of a bottle or popping of a can in my own home and pouring out a bar quality cocktail without having to do the work allows me the time to enjoy some of my other favorite things. More time with my kids, more time in the kitchen with David, more time with friends I’m hosting. Thomas Ashbourne gifts us that same elevated experience anywhere at anytime.

Is the Espresso Martini sold to bars as well for the straight pour to customers?

Yes, that’s the beauty of it! Making an espresso martini can suck up a lot of work and time. The After Hours takes that out of the equation for the service industry and customers. We’ve seen bars and restaurants love the ease of just shaking with ice and pouring out for guests. Locals can enjoy both. My espresso martini is sold at Bottle Hampton and EHP Resort + Marina in East Hampton.

What kind of coffee went into the mix? How did you contribute to the taste profile of the drink?

It was important to me to create an espresso martini that hit all the flavor marks and one I’d want to drink time and time again. I worked alongside the Thomas Ashbourne team and their creative cocktail director and master mixologist Nico de Soto to develop the perfect ready-to-sip espresso martini. We layered coffee blends with aromas of Arabica and extra dark roast espresso beans, hints of vanilla and rich dark chocolate to yield a deliciously smooth and elevated caffeinated cocktail.

You have mentioned that The After Hours Espresso Martini in a bottle gave you Agatha Christie and James Bond vibes … please elaborate — you look amazing in the dark suit holding the cocktail. Espresso martinis are my personal weakness.

Well, thank you very much! I usually drank martinis in classier situations. I remember nights when I hosted award shows or was wearing a tuxedo. There’s something sexy and old-school about holding a martini glass in a suit, but I’ll tell you… there’s something even sexier when it has notes of rich, aromatic Arabica coffee, luscious notes of dark chocolate, and subtle hints of creamy vanilla. The taste and scent put you in that sophisticated yet mysterious mood.

Shooting the stylish video must have been fun. Who or what were you inspired by when you were filming it?

The shoot itself was inspired by the inspiration of the drink: The After Hours. It’s always been about crafting a best-in-class espresso martini that can take you from the early evening into the after hours of the evening. It’s about a classy cocktail that you can enjoy at your favorite bar or your favorite part of the home.

Is there a special mixologist that made your favorite espresso martini before you partnered with Thomas Ashbourne?

I’m partial to Jonathan Lind, who helmed the beverage departments of the Nomad Hotel, Crown Shy, and others. David gave me a holiday gift of mixology lessons from Lind, I learned a ton, and we have since become fast friends. He’s Yoda to my Luke.

We love your lifestyle brand, Wondercade! How would you describe it to our readers? Your epicurean side is really so exciting to experience.

Thank you! My team and I put a lot of time and love into it, so it’s always fantastic to hear it’s being enjoyed. Wondercade was born out of my passion and curiosity for food and drink, design and decor, experiences and games… I’ve always loved entertaining, and constantly seek out new experiences whenever and wherever I can. Wondercade is my way of sharing them with people. It’s really been a lot of fun, and we’re only just getting started!

You have been a mainstay of the East End for a long time now. What about the region do you and your family love? Where do you like to go or visit?

We love the Hamptons for the space and the relaxation, not for the status and the pretension. East Hampton and Sag Harbor feel more relaxed, more authentic, more comfortable. The family will go out clamming one day, then wander Main Street another. It’s idyllic, and allows us all a chance to breathe, to smile.

Learn more about Thomas Ashbourne and the Afterhours Martini by visiting www.thomasashbourne.com.

Ty Wenzel

Co-Publisher & Contributor

Ty Wenzel, a recent breast cancer survivor, started her career as a fashion coordinator for Bloomingdale’s followed by fashion editor for Cosmopolitan Magazine. She was also a writer for countless publications, including having published a memoir (St. Martin's Press) and written features for The New York Times. She is an award-winning writer and designer who covers lifestyle, real estate, architecture and interiors for James Lane Post. She previously worked as a writer and marketing director for The Independent. She has won multiple PCLI and NYPA awards for journalism, social media and design, including best website design and best magazine for James Lane Post, which she co-founded in 2020. Wenzel is also a co-founder of the meditation app for kids, DreamyKid, and the Hamptons social media agency, TWM Hamptons Social Media.