When you hear the words coffee liqueur, I’m betting that the first thing that pops into your head is Kahlua. They’ve been the brand leader for years and with the help of their new ad campaign, (which I actually rather enjoy) they’re getting back into the fore-brain of consumers. As part of that strategy, they’ve released a new limited edition liqueur that I’ve been lucky enough to be sent a sample of, Kahlua Coffee Cream.
My immediate thoughts on opening the package is that Kahlua is making a bid to do battle with Irish cream. Upon sampling, I’d agree with my first thoughts, to a degree. You’re going to first notice the difference in the aroma. Rather than the coffee aroma being a light background note as it is in Irish Cream, the coffee is much more forward in Kahlua Coffee Cream. The coffee aroma you get is very clean and bright.
The flavor profile definitely follows the aroma in this case. You still get the vanilla, chocolate and caramel notes coming through, but the coffee is definitely the star. Although, while the star, it’s not overwhelming and a good balance still exists between the flavors.
As I was sipping the two side by side for comparison, (they’re similar, but quite different) an idea came to me. This could be basically an instant White Russian. All you’d need to do is add some vodka and ice and you’d be set. Interesting. More on that in a bit. I find Kahlua Coffee Cream to be a bit less sweet than standard Kahlua and really like that. In general I find Kahlua straight up too sweet for me and wouldn’t drink it straight. Kahlua Coffee Cream, on the other hand, I’d willingly reach for and pour over a bit of ice as a nice nightcap.
So, what of the White Russian? Well, interestingly enough, the press release for this product (which I read after my tasting) actually lists a recipe for the Curious Russian. This drink being an equal parts combo of Kahlua Coffee Cream, Kahlua and vanilla vodka. While the drink sounds pretty good I’m guessing most people don’t have a ready supply of vanilla vodka in their cabinets. So, being the thoughtful experimenter, I offer you a simpler alternative.
Coffee Cream Russian
1 1/2 oz Kahlua Coffee Cream 1 1/2 oz Vodka
1) Build in a rocks glass over ice
My overall verdict on the Kahlua Coffee Cream is that it’s very good. If you’re a big fan of White Russians, (or fancy a mudslide) I’d give this a go. Finally, with a SRP of $17.99 you really can’t go wrong. Salud, mis amigos!
†The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.