White Out: Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur Erases the Competition

Mr. Black - no I don’t care for the name either - is a coffee liqueur. Think you’ve been there and done that? No you haven’t. This is, hands down, the single best coffee liqueur on the market. It’s made with cold brew coffee using a bittersweet blend of Arabica coffees and Australian wheat vodka. The math means it has half the sugar and ten times the coffee of ‘old-world’ liqueurs, so if you’re a coffee purist, you’ve found what you’ve always been looking for.

Mr. Black got its start in 2012 between fashion designer Tom Baker and distiller Philip Moore of Distillery Botanica in New South Wales, Australia. It took over 230 attempts to come up with the product that won a gold medal at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London in 2012. But you may not have heard of it. Let’s change that. It was Crowdfunded in Australia, then distributed in the UK, and finally in 2019 has limited distribution in California and New York. Once roasted the coffee is ground, cold brewed, and mixed with alcohol, and left to sit. Then liquid is press-extracted, coaxing out as much raw flavor as it can provide.

What I appreciate about this is the lack of viscosity. This is more in line with coffee with added alcohol, not a thick liquid that leaves a gluey film over your mouth, which is true of the majority of coffee liqueur brands. Yes, the nose is potent coffee, which is good. The resulting effort of deep roasted coffee, semi-sweet without being syrupy, clean without being cloying and simple without being boring. Ideal for after dinner, maybe before dinner, hell, maybe before breakfast depending on your leanings, this is coffee done right, with added vodka, also done right, resulting in an ideal coffee drink unlike anything you’ve had before. ($40/750 ML, and worth every penny).

MR. BLACK

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night - St. Pat, Mr. Bergin & Irish Coffee

Everyone has heard of Irish coffee yet everyone probably misunderstands exactly what it is. Coffee and whiskey, right? Well, Not exactly.
 
The origins of Irish coffee are indeed Irish as the name implies. Recently I sat down with Derek Schreck, owner of Tom Bergin’s Public House in Los Angels (they hold the 2^nd oldest liquor license in LA) to uncover the origins of Irish Coffee for St. Patrick’s Day. To be fair there are several iterations of Irish Coffee and its genesis, but Sheridan, an airport and whiskey are all the main words you need to know.

Derek Schreck manning the bar

It was 1939 and at the Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland it was a frightful night to travel. When a plane took off it was forced back to the airport due to the torrential storm. Cold, tired and trembling the passengers were miserable. Joseph Sheridan who operated the restaurant at the airport decided to make a warm drink to calm the passengers nerves and lift their spirits. He mixed Irish whiskey, specifically Tullamore Dew, with sugar, coffee and whipped cream. It was an instant hit and it soothed the anxiety of the passengers and, Irish coffee was born – in Ireland. That original concept of Irish coffee didn't migrate to America until 1954 however. Tullamore Dew has always been the "proper" whiskey to use, not their higher end Phoenix or other Irish Whiskey, though I love Teeling, Yellow Spot and Red Breast 12.
 

Beverage Director Brandi Boles and I making cocktails

Anyhow, Tom Bergin’s Public House in Los Angeles is the “home of Irish coffee” as it has been for 60 years. Schreck is only the third owner in the pubs' history, and is emphatic that Irish coffee should be considered a cocktail, not merely a coffee drink, and that’s one of the reasons it is not served in a mug with a handle. The coffee they use, roasted for them from New Mexico, is a strong, robust coffee as more mild coffees don't hold up to the potent whiskey. It was always known that true hand-whipped Irish cream was gravity intolerant, meaning it would hold to your hand when turned upside down, thus making it suitable as part of the drink- - you never use spray crap out of a can.
 

Toasting Carey Grant's Shamrock at his booth

If you don’t like coffee, or even Irish coffee, a visit to Tom Bergin’s is cool for a number of reasons:

-They have one of the largest selections of Irish Whiskies in the U.S.

-It was originally co-owned by Bing Crosby

-It was a watering hole for nearby movie studios in the 40s and 1950s

-The TV pilot for Cheers has hatched here

-Carey Grant was such a regular he has his own booth
-Prior to the Lombardi trophy Super Bowl champs got just a banner they could hang in their stadiums. The Los Angeles Rams actually won the super bowl in 1951 - good trivia right there, and that winning banner now resides at Tom Bergin’s.

Classic Irish Coffee

If you’re in the LA area, make it a point to visit Tom Bergin’s, which has a vast Irish whiskey catalog and brown spirits to serve you. Here is the original Irish Coffee recipe, properly served in a warmed toddy glass. The result is a juxtaposition of a cool cream cap, which breaks into the hot coffee with warm woody notes and a great balance of coffee and whiskey. 

Warm 6 oz. glass with hot water, add:

1/2 ounce simple syrup

1 ½ ounces of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey

Add to nearly the rim dark, strong coffee

Top with hand-whipped Irish cream.

The Best of 2013

As a wine and spirits writer for a variety of publications like The Hollywood Reporter, The Tasting Panel, IntoWine.com, Draft, Fine Wine & Liquor (China) and others, I taste through a lot of booze in a given year. 2013 was a good year, but not a great year, for new discoveries. I’ve listed the top 5 wines and the top 5 spirits I rated this year. If you get the chance, I suggest you put them on your dance card. And for 2014, don't be afraid to try something new...and let me know about it!

2013’s Top 5 Wines

Croft 2011 Vintage Port (91)

2011 was a declared Vintage year and this Port shows why. Viscous and rich with hefty black cherry, slightly smoky wood, dusty cinnamon, suburb tannins and proper acidic undertones – this is why people drink port – not to get a sugar rush, but to bask in the rich, opulent, smooth wine which is just so damn fun to drink. $120

Halter Ranch 2010 Ancestor (91)

Coming from Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast the Ancestor has great notes of cedar, blackberry, dark cherry, cinnamon and raspberry, a lush, rich wine which always calls for a 2nd bottle. It is seamless with its tannins, use of oak, pop of fruit and its smooth finish. $50

LaZarre 2012 Vin Gris (90)

Rose needs more love and for this little jewel there's a nice little acidity perfect for food with flavors of cranberry pomegranate and to a lesser degree, strawberry. It has an almost earthy, smoky quality to it and it’s lean and clean. $18

Vina Ventisquero/Grey 2011 Carménère (90)

From Chile comes this outstanding example of this unknown grape. This happy little number has a boatload of rustic zesty black cherry, rich red and black fruit, spicy pepper, and a slight acidity. $23.99

Robert Hall 2010 Merlot (90)

Paso Robles is Cabernet country, but Merlot is best expressed by Don Brady and his devotion to this grape. I’ve tasted though various years of his Merlots and they always work. Earthy, rustic, clean and soft tannins. $18

2013’s Top 5 Spirits

Herradura Reposado Tequila (90)

This reposado really intrigued me with its smooth caramel and resin flavors, sweet oak and a stealth citrus back note. Clean and viscous, there's a slight burn and a beautiful butterscotch aroma. $40

Stone Barn Brandyworks Coffee Liqueur (89)

Available only in Oregon, sadly, this this is a blend of coffee from El Salvador and Yemen. They infuse a house-distilled Pinot Noir brandy and pear/apple spirit with fresh roasted coffee. Toss in some Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon and invert the sugar to make the liqueur and, voila! $27

Bully Boy White Whiskey (89)

USDA certified organic white whiskey therefore it’s clear and lacking the caramel and wood flavors. There’s a smooth viscosity to this, a little burn but the liquor is rounded inside the mouth. This is clean, with near mint overtones, and it presents a cooler vibe not hot and alcoholic, medium bodied and subtle. $28

Hornitos Lime Shot (89)

Using blue agave, lime and salt this is cool, clean, minty, and yes, limey, and way too easy to drink. It's certainly drinkable on its own though it works better as a mixer. $18

Astral Tequila (88)

This tequila is produced from nothing but organic blue agave (I’m always a fan of organic if the end result is a better product). It has a cool clean nose of resin and eucalyptus and a spicy mint-ish vibe which grips the mouth. $34.99

Brandy’s Dandy but Coffee’s Quicker

Coffee is a ritual the world over. According to the April 2013 issue of Discover Magazine, the world “consumes close to 1.6 billion cups of coffee everyday.” Sadly I only add to that number by 2 cups. So when the Stone Barn Brandyworks – Red Wing Roast Coffee Liqueur arrived at my house I got more excited than a triple-shot espresso.

This coffee liqueur is a blend of El Salvadoran coffee and coffee from Yemen. Sounds intriguing right there. They infuse a house-distilled Pinot Noir brandy and pear/apple spirit with fresh roasted coffee. This liqueur relies on fruit-based alcohol, no grain spirits are used of any kind – so there’s no inherent burn. Toss in some Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon and invert the sugar to make the liqueur and voila!

This is not a viscous elixir - that oftentimes wonderful liqueur which is so thick and sticky-sweet you can use it as glue. No, this is pure coffee essence with its slightly appealing woodsy and bitter note. This is also not for coffee drinker who likes Yuban and is impressed with reality TV. Stone Barn makes potent stuff. What’s cool is that, even though coffee is the driving force, you can pick up the subtle brandy notes. This is smooth but also a packs enough flavor that it takes over your mouth, so don’t try any fancy food pairings, just enjoy the purity of coffee and brandy comingling is a beautiful brown liquid. After trying the Red Wing Roast I may switch over my morning espresso routine! STONE BARN BRANDYWORKS

$27/ 375 ml – Alc: 25%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING: 89 POINTS