You may be familiar with the appeal of boozy espresso if you like an Irish coffee or an espresso martini. This combination is so appealing that it has led to the practice that alcohol is aged in barrels which once contained coffee beans. The addition of coffee to a spirit barrel can enhance bitter chocolate notes and give it a rich, nuanced flavour. This is different from adding coffee or coffee flavouring to the bottle or glass.
Coffee and Spirits
There are many ways to combine coffee and spirits. Colin Spoelman is the co-founder of Kings County Distillery and also a distiller. He makes Coffee Whiskey, which is a mixture of un-aged, barrel-aged, and cold-brewed whiskeys that have been diluted from barrel proof to bottle proof.
We had a partnership with Stumptown. It was mostly between our employees. We would occasionally trade whiskey for coffee. Spoelman stated that they barrel-aged cold brew for a while in one of their 5-gallon barrels. The best cold brew I’ve ever tasted. It was high in caffeine, but also high in proof because the barrel contained residual alcohol (I would guess 8 or 9 ABV). It was impossible to make, but it was a lot of fun for our staff. It was a wonderful project.”
Although it is common for coffee beans to be aged in whiskey barrels, rum, whisky, and tequila producers are also using coffee barrels to enhance the taste of their spirits.
“We started with a simple but bold dream: to combine great tequila with great coffee. Mike Winters is the founder and CEO of Quintaliza Tequila. He shares that the idea was to not only create something new and different within the tequila market, but also to do it in a natural way without any additives.
These five coffee-aged spirits are worth trying.
Santa Teresa 1796 Arabica Coffee Cask Finish Rum
Santa Teresa 1796, Venezuela’s oldest rum manufacturer, is located in Caracas. They are now combining their award-winning triple-aged Venezuelan Solera Rum with an Arabica Coffee Cask finish. Santa Teresa has created a rich, coffee-tinged Rum. The secret is that the rum spends an additional three months in American white oak barrels that were previously used to age rum-based coffee. This rum-based cold brew coffee was made from 100 per cent Arabica beans. The rum is then aged for a third age in Solera vats of French Limousin Oak. The final product is sweet, cocoa-coffee rum with vanilla and oak notes. This is a perfect after-dinner beverage.
VHW Scholars Craft Coffee Cask American Single Malt Whiskey
This whiskey is made from 100 per cent malted barley single malt. The whiskey is aged in bourbon barrels, and then finished in coffee barrels containing a small amount of ethically-sourced coffee. This results in a single malt that has a mocha-like taste, with oaky vanilla notes. Virginia Distilling Co., based in Lovingston, VA, is owned by women. Scholar’s Craft is the name of the whiskey, which honours “Angela H. Moore – Women In Distilling Scholarship.” The proceeds from the sale of this bottle will go to an endowment fund at Appalachian State University.
Quintaliza Reposado Organic Tequila
Quintaliza Organic Reposado Tequila is a blend of tequila aged in coffee barrels and with bourbon flavours. Quintaliza rests its organic reposado in bourbon barrels, coffee barrels, and seasoned organic coffee from Chiapas to create this bottle. Iliana Partida is a fourth-generation master distiller who produces a certified organic Tequila. The reposado is infused with a subtle chocolate flavour and coffee note. Made in Jalisco, Mexico.
Ironclad Vessel Craft Bourbon Coffee Cask Whiskey
Ironclad, based in Newport News, Virginia, has developed a bourbon whiskey that is finished in coffee barrels. Vessel Craft Coffee, located in Norfolk, Virginia, provides the coffee barrels. This bottle is 122 proof and uncut, making it the strongest coffee-finished bourbon on the market. The whiskey is aged in coffee barrels for three months, giving it a rich coffee flavour with dark chocolate notes. The bottle has a yellow seal with an anchor imprint on the neck. Vessel Craft Coffee offers Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee to complete the collaboration.
Mosswood Espresso Barrel Aged Whiskey
Mosswood in Berkeley, California, has been creating barrel-aged spirits since 2013. Mosswood’s local partnership with Bicycle Coffee Co. continues this tradition. Mosswood finishes their whiskey in Bicycle Coffee casks and seasons it with Bicycle Coffee cold brew Espresso Roast. The result is a whiskey that has milk chocolate notes, hints of nuts, and even fruity flavours. Mosswood is releasing a second coffee collaboration, and Bicycle Coffee Espresso Roast is an exclusive pairing with Mosswood whiskey. You can drink it straight or use it to make a Manhattan inspired by coffee.
