Espresso Martini

Credit: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Ingredients

1 oz cold brew coffee concentrate
3/4 oz 100 proof vodka
3/4 oz Kahlua
lemon peel

Directions

Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express a lemon peel over the glass.

Notes

This. Is. It. Ugh, single-word sentences, that’s the 100-proof vodka kicking in. Now I get why you need the stronger vodka—it cuts through the sweetness of the Kahlua. The lemon peel is a reminder of how well citrus and coffee pair. I made two of these at once, but next time I’d make them individually to ensure adequate foam levels. Stellar.

Here’s a video of the cocktail’s creator, Dick Bradsell, making the drink—originally called a Vodka Espresso. He shares the origin story as well. :-)

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Cafe Colada

Credit: Cocktail Chemistry, citing Brandon Bramhall, Attaboy Nashville

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Appleton Estate Signature Blend Rum
1/2 oz Tempus Fugit Creme de Banane
1/2 oz Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
3/4 oz Coco López
1/2 oz orange juice
1/4 oz lime juice
nutmeg garnish

Directions

Shake and strain over crushed ice. Grate nutmeg over the top.

Notes

Another great tiki drink. It reminds me of the Mr. Bali Hai as coffee is the dominant flavor to me, then coconut. I didn’t get much banana, but I might try it next time with Giffard Banane du Bresil.

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Lucano Corretto

Credit: The Educated Barfly, citing Ryan Wainright and Kara Newman, Nightcap

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Amaro Lucano
1/2 oz Flor de Cana 12 Year Rum
1/2 oz Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
1/2 oz heavy cream
2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
chocolate garnish

Directions

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Grate chocolate over the top.

Notes

This is a perfect nightcap. Even with no sugar syrup and using a much less sweet coffee liqueur, the drink is plenty sweet from the amaro, and has a bitter, spicy, intriguing flavor. I’d like to get white chocolate next time for a bit more creaminess—I used a dark chocolate almond orange bar, which was still fantastic. And Fee’s Aztec Chocolate bitters have so much flavor!

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Mr. Bodi Hai

Credit: Shannon Mustipher, Tiki, citing Nathan Hazard

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz blended aged rum (I used Appleton Estate Extra 12)
1/4 oz Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
1/4 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil
1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz macadamia orgeat
dash of Angostura Bitters
Luxardo cherry garnish

Directions

Shake and strain over crushed ice.

Notes

Alas, I wanted this drink to be sweeter. I also couldn’t really taste the banana or the orgeat. My husband liked it though…he said he liked “its darkness.” Oh well, back to Mr. Bali Hais for me!

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Mr. Bali Hai

Credit: Leandro DiMonriva, The Educated Barfly

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz dark Jamaican rum
1 oz white rum
3/4 oz Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz 2:1 demerara syrup

Directions

Shake and strain over crushed or pebble ice.

Notes

OMG. Sooooo good. Doesn’t taste strong at all! I used Patron XO Cafe for the coffee liqueur, but want to try it with Mr. Black’s. I also did a Luxardo cherry garnish since I don’t own a traditional Mr. Bali Hai mug, which has a skull cap. :-)

Update

The first time I made this drink I used Patron XO Cafe. This time I used Mr Black and it makes a difference. You can taste the coffee note much better, which somehow works perfectly with the rum and pineapple.

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Tasting: Coffee Liqueurs

The Flight

Kahlua (20% ABV)
Mr Black Cold Brew (25% ABV)
Patron XO Cafe (35% ABV)

Notes

Kahlua: sweet, less syrupy than expected. Would be great on ice cream or in dessert drinks.

Mr Black Cold Brew: WOW. Tastes like true coffee. Want to use this for White Russians and tiki drinks.

Patron XO Cafe: boozy. More complex than Kahlua. Could see sipping this over ice, or just adding to coffee.

The Verdict

If I had to choose 2, I’d choose Kahlua and Mr Black Cold Brew.

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Patron XO Cafe and Gelato

Ingredients

Patron XO Cafe
Vanilla gelato

Directions

Pour Patron XO Cafe over gelato. That’s that.

Notes

A nice idea, but a bit too boozy. I think Kahlua would work better here, if you’re just pouring booze over ice cream.

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