For Nigel Barker, the move from fashion photography to the cocktail business began with a familiar drink — and a problem.

The espresso martini had become a fixture on cocktail menus, but making one well could be complicated. Coffee had to be brewed and cooled, requiring the skills of both a bartender and a barista.

“I thought, what if I could create a real great pre-batched sort of RTD [ready to drink] version of an espresso martini,” Barker said.

Barker, an internationally recognized fashion photographer and longtime judge on America’s Next Top Model, co-founded The Barker Company with spirits industry veteran Philippe Roederer. Developing the recipe took two years and involved testing 77 types of coffee, Barker said. The company’s espresso martini uses Colombian espresso, vodka and caramelized brown sugar.

Now, the brand is bringing its nationally distributed cocktails to four boutique hotels operated by Foster Supply Hospitality in the Catskills. The collaboration features exclusive espresso martinis inspired by the individual properties, combining The Barker Company’s ready-to-pour drinks with locally influenced ingredients and distinctive presentations.

At The DeBruce, for example, the cocktail incorporates a house-made forest syrup using locally sourced herbs and spices, along with stone pine liqueur and bitters. At Hemlock, the drink is topped with brûléed marshmallow fluff and graham cracker crumble.

For Barker, the partnership is also personal. He discovered the Catskills more than 20 years ago after coming to the United States and bought a home in the region with his wife in 2013. The family lives in Woodstock.

“We are very firmly based here,” he said.

The collaboration offers something beyond traditional retail distribution, Barker said: an opportunity to create experiences shaped by the places where the cocktails are served.

“When you sort of join forces with a boutique group like this, like Foster Supply Hospitality, you get that ability to express yourself in a way that is not overly commercialized,” he said.

The collection’s launch celebration is scheduled for Oct. 17 at Kenoza Hall, one of Foster Supply Hospitality’s properties.

As The Barker Company expands its distribution, Barker hopes to bring a taste of the region to consumers across the country.

“I see us hopefully bringing as we go nationwide that taste of New York and the Catskills across the country,” he said.

Editor’s Note: Foster Supply is a financial supporter of Radio Catskill.