Beverly Hills

It is a cognac day for me and here I've used Martell single distillery cognac in another California-themed drink. Everybody knows Beverly Hills. But the drink is little known. It is a strange combination of triple sec base, brandy and a taste of coffee liqueur. I chose Cointreau over plain triple sec because it is stronger and less sweet. There's plenty of sweetness in my home made coffee liqueur.

Martell single distillery VS is a solid cognac, much drier than its competitors. It is a new product designed to feature the craft of a single distillery, and therefore doesn't have the roundness, that chewy flagship brand taste, of a Hennessey or Remy Martin. You do get a nice traction on the tongue that is similar to apricot juice and lemon zest. I wouldn't call it smooth, though. And maybe that is the point.

Anyways, I liked this drink as a slow and luxurious sipper that combines bold fruit flavor with a little coffee, vanilla and chocolate bitterness--a real luxury.

• 2 oz. triple sec (Cointreau used)
• 1 oz. brandy (Martell single distillery VS used)
• 1/2 oz. coffee liqueur (home made version used)

Gentle Bull

If the Brave Bull is a drink that you need to man up for because it is just tequila and coffee, the Gentle Bull lulls you into tipsiness as a creamy dessert. Tres Agaves appears again in this cocktail that calls of silver tequila, though a gold would be acceptable.

Tres Agaves makes a big deal of the culture of the town of Tequila and the rural lifestyle of the people who produce Mexico's spirit. The Jimador is the hardworking agave growers, often depicted with their broad brim palm hats and shovels.

• 2 oz. silver tequila (Tres Agaves)
• 1 1/2 oz. half-and-half
• 1  oz. coffee liqueur (homemade used)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Jamaican Coffee

You have to love these tropical coffee drinks in the wintertime. They are so exotic, with rum and spices, and yet so festive here at home. The Jamaican Coffee is no exception here!

My homemade coffee liqueur and Cruzan white rum make this a rich treat. And I know that the recipe says that whipped cream is optional, but it clearly is not. Not once you try it with the whipped cream. You can do an Irish Coffee without the whipped cream--that's just sensible. But a Jamaican Coffee is luxurious.

• 2 oz. coffee liqueur (homemade used)
• 1 1/2 oz. white rum (Cruzan used)
• hot black coffee
• whipped cream (not optional)
• freshly ground allspice

Pour rum and coffee liqueur into a mug that's nearly full of hot coffee. Stir and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle allspice on the whipped cream. 

Blue Mountain

It's not a Tiki drink, exactly. It's not even a "Boat Drink," those sweet rum cocktails passed around on the decks of cruise ships. It is, however a quick and dirty trick to showcase what Jamaica does best.

The Blue Mountain range is a beautiful row of rounded peaks where some of the best coffee in the world is grown. These jungle-strewn heights can be seen as a hazy humid blue from any part of the island country.

Jamaica also makes some of the most characteristic flavors of rum in the Caribbean sea. It is funky, sugary and dark with lots of oak and earthiness that comes from the humid climate where it is aged. Appleton Estate 12-year-old is so rich, it makes this drink decadent.

(A quick note: I've tried this cocktail as the directions say--"strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass." But it is impossible to fit all of this into such a small glass. Instead, use a Collins glass full of ice, which will keep this drink cold on hot days.)

• 2 oz. Jamaican rum (Appleton Rare Blend used)
• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• 4 oz. orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. (See note above and photo on a better serving method.)

Russian Coffee

This is a blended cocktail that's for dessert. Apparently there was a time that people associated vodka and Russian people with sexiness and desserts--not at all kidding, either. Vodka became quite the dessert spirit in the 90s and this is one of the results. Coffee liqueur makes this drink like a White Russian smoothie.

• 1 oz. vodka
• 2 oz. coffee liqueur (homemade coffee liqueur used)
• 1 1/2 oz. half-and-half

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend until slushy and pour into a snifter or wine goblet.

Ole

Another tequila dessert drink--it seems tequila is well suited to this kind of thing--the Ole is like a White Russian from Mexico. I used coffee liqueur made from Starbucks Pike Place for this but Kahlua is the standard coffee liqueur.

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• 1 tsp sugar syrup
• 1 tbsp. half-and-half

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Mexican Coffee

Just as good as the Irish Coffee, a tequila and hot coffee drink is exactly what you need to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. I used my homemade coffee liqueur (from Starbucks) and decaf Starbucks Pike Place roast. You can use any coffee on hand, but whipped cream is a must. Cinnamon dusted on top is optional but its also a really good idea!

• 2 oz. gold tequila 
• 1/2 oz. coffee liqueur
• hot black coffee
• whipped cream 

Build drink in a coffee mug with liquors and top with coffee. Garnish with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon. 

Brave Bull

I can't believe I made this. I really can't believe I drank it. There's something gross about coffee liqueur and tequila together, but it appears over and over in Mexican themed drinks.

It did begin to grow on me though. I used my homemade coffee liqueur, which is bitter and chocolatey. The tequila was spicy and interesting, but made the coffee liqueur taste thinner. After having a Campari drink, it was nice to continue the bitter experience. The lemon twist does a lot to change the scent, like having espresso with lemon. So not a disgusting drink altogether, but one I'd only recommend to those few who can't get enough of coffee liqueur.

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• lemon twist

 Build drink in an Old Fashioned glass full of ice. Stir until chilled. Garnish with twist.

Dingle Dram

Not to be confused with the Dundee Dram, this Irish whiskey cocktail is a coffee lover's delight. If you don't have coffee flavored soda, try combining coffee liqueur with soda, it works just as well.

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1/1 oz. Irish Mist (Bushmills Irish Honey pictured)
• Coffee Soda
• Dash creme de cacao
• whipped cream

Pour whiskey and Irish Mist into a chilled highball glass with ice. Fill with coffee soda and stir. Add a float of creme de cacao and top with whipped cream.

Good And Plenty (With House Made Coffee Liqueur)

This was a rich treat similar to eggnog, but made with ice cream. It's even richer with the addition of my own coffee liqueur. I don't have any photos of making the liqueur, but here are the steps for getting 2 cups of the stuff.

1. Add one scoop of ground coffee (Starbucks Colombian shown) to a clear container with a lid.
2. Pour in 1.5 cups of high proof vodka, 2 ounces creme de cacao, 1/4 cup light rum.
3. Sit container in a sunny window for an afternoon.
4. Use a funnel and coffee filter to strain out the grounds.
5. Add 4 oz. simple syrup or to taste.

The Good And Plenty

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. coffee liqueur
• 1/2 scoop ice cream
• dash Pernod

 Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds. Pour into a wine glass.