Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

Rating: 17/23 Happy international coffee day! Nose: Deeply roasted with undertones of dark chocolate and a mild hint of soy sauce. It's not exceptionally complex, but it is pleasant. Palate: Significantly sweeter than the aroma suggested. I anticipated bitterness based on the nose. It's sweet! It doesn't feel like powdered sugar, but it is full-bodied and thick. There's a clear roasted flavor, with notes of medium roast astringency emerging. I detect some chocolate sweetness and faint traces of soy sauce. This is quite enjoyable. I understand the preference for this over Kahlua. The soy sauce element might be a bit pronounced here, but it's interesting, and I appreciate it. Hints of vanilla are present. Finish: Vanilla, soy sauce, dark chocolate, and some sweetness. The harmony slightly falters here, but it remains a very pleasant dram that is easy to drink. - Conclusion- I'm a fan. I'm not entirely certain of its best use, but it's the finest coffee liqueur I've sampled. This isn't as sweet and thick as Kahlua, but Kahlua tastes overly sweet, and the sugar is very apparent in its texture. In contrast, the soy sauce is quite noticeable here, which might not be perfect, but I'm enjoying this more than that old bottle of Kahlua I found at my parents' place. After shaking this, it becomes slightly creamier with a bit more soy sauce chocolate and a noticeable bite. I'm unsure if this improves it. Chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. I like it. Soy sauce - not so much. I enjoy soy sauce occasionally, but not in my coffee. Is this a 19? Unlikely. It's more realistically a 17 or 18. When mixed 1:1 with bourbon, the result is surprisingly savory. I appreciate the chocolate and coffee, but the savoriness is undesirable. After a few more cocktails with bourbon and bitters, I'm not impressed. That odd savory soy sauce note just doesn't fit. I would feel more confident using Kahlua. Despite its great flavors, it has one peculiar note that I cannot fully endorse. I'm settling on a 17.

Appearance: The liqueur presents as extremely dark brown, nearly black, in the bottle. Poured into a sherry glass, it shows as dark mahogany against a white background. Held to a strong light, it's a translucent, hazy burnt sienna. Aroma: Many find this liqueur smells like strong black coffee, which is accurate but incomplete. To me, it precisely mimics freshly ground espresso arabica beans, rich with oils and so aromatic it perfumes the entire room. There's no hint of alcohol. Taste and Texture: It glides onto the palate, silken and velvety, with a substantial yet not thick body. It begins soft and sweet but avoids being overly sugary. The development is just like a lightly sweetened caffè corretto, with vodka, a couple of drops of vanilla extract, and a touch of cacao syrup. The alcohol is warming and comforting, neither harsh nor intrusive. This is significantly less cloying than most coffee liqueurs. If the idea of a bittersweet liqueur gives you pause, rest assured. It remains a sweet drink, just not sickeningly so. It truly resembles a perfectly made, strong cup of European-style black coffee with just enough sugar to mellow the bitterness. I'd gladly enjoy a serving of this after dinner in place of my usual coffee. One last point: It surpasses even my homemade coffee liqueur, something I never anticipated. I haven't encountered a better coffee liqueur and fully endorse the official score. "Outstanding": 93/100 (5 stars)

A dozen years ago, in a remote Peruvian town, I celebrated New Year's Eve. I smoked my last pack of cigarettes, and from then on, cigarettes and coffee were out of my life. Quitting coffee wasn't too difficult. For the first year after quitting cigarettes, I'd crave one when drinking; the second year, I'd crave one when drinking or if someone nearby was smoking. After that, no issues. I occasionally took a sip of coffee from my wife's cup and randomly tried things like cold brew from Japanese vending machines, but generally, caffeinated beverages were gone from my life. Anyway, I purchased Dancing Sands chocolate gin, and my wife wanted to make a cocktail (which I usually avoid like the plague because they're too sweet). So, I found a recipe using their product: 45ml Chocolate Gin 30ml espresso shot (expertly made by my wife) 30ml coffee liqueur A few pieces of 90% dark Lindt chocolate added. I then searched for a good coffee liqueur. Tia Maria? No. Others? No, no. Then the liquor store clerk suggested this. He brought out a bottle from under the counter. I tried it and thought it was very good quality, still a bit sweet for my liking but a great spirit nonetheless. Later, I checked the distillery and saw a glowing review from a friend, which provided validation! Fast forward to tonight, I made the cocktail, and to make a long story short, I'm not sure if I'll sleep tonight, but it's damn nice! They offer a single-bean variety that I'll look for sometime.

I believe this is my first experience with a liqueur. When some guests gifted me this recently, I had no clue how to approach it. I can't drink it with my morning coffee; that 25% ABV would make for a rough (or perhaps joyful, depending on the day) start. It's also not suitable for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, as the same 25% ABV would likely send me to sleep instead. However, I discovered it's fantastic as an after-dinner drink, perhaps with a little whipped cream or milk. It's also superb over ice cream, like French vanilla with this liqueur as a base. It's surprisingly not sweet, contrary to my usual association with liqueurs, which is why I've avoided them. It strikes a bitter-sweet balance, much like the finest freshly brewed coffee from roasted beans. The alcohol content enhances the coffee aroma and flavor to a remarkable degree. Coffee enthusiasts absolutely must try this. At a price point of $25-30, it's quite affordable.

Good product! It's not excessively sweet, but it has enough sweetness for my beverages. Personally, I prefer less sugar in my cocktails than most recipes suggest and adjust it to my liking. Mr. Black features the deep, roasted, chocolatey notes of a 12-hour cold brew, which is my preferred brewing method. The presence of vodka is detectable, but it complements the coffee flavors well. Despite the 25% ABV, I can still perceive the caffeine. It's becoming one of my favorite components. So far, I've tried it neat, in a White Russian, Black Russian, and a Revolver. The Revolver is my preferred preparation, especially with rye or high-rye bourbon. It's also excellent with milk and in milkshakes. Honestly, I can't get enough of this.

This is an intense Coffee Liqueur, crafted by Tom Baker & Philip Moore for Distillery Botanica in Erina, Central Coast, Australia. It's handmade using a combination of premium Arabica coffee and Australian wheat Vodka. The initial aroma offers notes of freshly roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, and espresso. The bold, thin body delivers flavors of espresso, caramel, cacao, and dark chocolate, leading to a lengthy finish with hints of coffee, biscuit, vanilla, and citrus. Sampled January 2021.