It’s World Espresso Martini Day on March 15, when fans around the globe raise a glass to the famed caffeinated creation.

Legend has it that cocktail connoisseur and London bar legend Dick Bradsell first mixed this cocktail in 1984 for Cindy Crawford. It was originally called the Pharmaceutical Stimulant before it was reinvented as the Espresso Martini.

According to Punch, while the Espresso Martini is a global success story, it is particularly beloved in Australia, where it has become a “national obsession”.

“Order one at any Aussie cocktail bar, and the bartender will rush to the full-sized, professional espresso machine (there’s one in every bar), pull you a creamy shot of caffeinated goodness, and whip up your drink as naturally as if you’d ordered a Negroni,” it notes.

“The longevity—and sheer popularity—of the drink in Australia is matched only by our obsession with good coffee. In fact, it’s the café culture cultivated by the latter that not only served as the blueprint for the Australian craft cocktail bar, but made the marriage of booze and espresso a matter of fate.”

While it can be found on cocktail lists at thousands of bars around the country, you can also raise a glass at home with Curatif’s Espresso Martini cocktail in a can, which blends specialty brewed single-origin Brazilian coffee and Archie Rose Original Vodka.

But can a canned cocktail really compare to one mixed by a bartender? We asked Curatif co-founder Matt Sanger for the lowdown on the secrets to serving the perfect Espresso Martini.

His caffeinated creation – the Curatif Archie Rose Espresso Martini – has won a swag of awards, including Double Gold at the SIP Awards.

According to Sanger, the “craziest thing” about Espresso Martinis is that the actual coffee component is often overlooked.

“We source all our coffee beans from two farms in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil,” he said.

“They’re all grown at 800m of altitude and then brought back to Melbourne where they’re roasted and ground. Then, we brew them ourselves at our facility in Port Melbourne within a day or two of grinding.

“Over the last six years we’ve developed a proprietary method to brew the coffee that extracts the maximum amount of character from the beans – and caffeine too if that’s something you’re into! There’s an enormous amount of time, effort and consideration that goes into just one aspect of the cocktail, so when you apply that same level of obsession to the balance of the recipe and ingredients you find the magic starts to present itself.

“A perfectly prepared and served cocktail is a tiny moment of indulgence, of luxury that you can prepare for yourself. It’s a tiny first-class flight to the mental destination of your choice. So it’s got to be great – the let down of a shabby, watery, one-dimensional and boring cocktail is like the screen going black in the middle of your favourite movie.”

Which brings us to the art to ensuring the perfect serve. According to Sanger, Espresso Martinis must to be cold and should be in a fancy coupe.

“To perfectly pour a Curatif Espresso Martini, I’d recommend giving it an hour in the freezer first to get it super frosty, give the can a good shake – remember we only make real cocktails so you have to shake them to make them – then give the can a little rest, it’s done an important job protecting that precious cargo,” he said.

“Then, crack the can just a little bit to let that first burst of excitement out. Once everything’s calmed down open the rest of the tab, pour it into that aforementioned fancy coupe and enjoy.”

As to why Aussies love Espresso Martinis so much, Sanger said it’s because they are the perfect pre-party drink.

“There’s a little bit of excitement when you go to have one – it’s the bell for the first round of whatever the night ahead holds,” he said.

Curatif’s Archie Rose Espresso Martini is available from Dan Murphy’s and independent bottle shops, or you can purchase four cans for $45.00 from Curatif.com.

Curatif partners with Amber Beverage Group