Coffee Liqueur (Kahlúa)

Rum-based Mexican coffee liqueur — sweet, dark, and familiar.

Liqueurs Veracruz, Mexico 20% ABV
Flavor profile: sweetboozy

Kahlúa, created in Veracruz in 1936, is the world's best-known coffee liqueur: a rum-based liqueur flavored with Arabica coffee, vanilla, and sugar. It runs sweet; a little goes a long way. Tía María is a comparable Jamaican competitor with slightly different aromatics. For craft bars, Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur is a drier, more coffee-forward alternative that makes a better Espresso Martini. In a White Russian or Black Russian, Kahlúa is traditional and appropriate.

History

Created in Mexico in 1936 by Pedro Domecq, originally marketed domestically and only reaching the US market in the 1960s.

Common uses

Espresso Martini, White Russian, Black Russian.

Cocktails that use Coffee Liqueur (Kahlúa)

  • Espresso Martini — Vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso — rich, frothy, and wired
  • White Russian — Vodka and coffee liqueur topped with heavy cream — The Dude abides
  • Black Russian — Two-ingredient perfection — vodka and Kahlúa on the rocks

Substitutes