Mr Black has produced a coffee liqueur using the world’s most expensive and sought-after coffee.
The spirits company claims to have created a world first by using a Panama Geisha coffee.
Campos Coffee brought only 100 kilograms of the Camilina Geisha beans into Australia, with 50 kilograms reserved solely to make this limited edition Mr Black Panama Geisha Cold Press Coffee Liqueur. Less than 300 bottles have been produced.
Mr Black Founders Tom Baker and Philip Moore say in developing the liqueur, they quite simply wanted to give Australians a new excuse – and a new way – to drink coffee.
Philip says they both shared an ambition to create a world-class bottle of “boozy, steel-cut, caffeinated perfection”, taking months and sleepless nights to perfect the prize-winning blend.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the flavours of coffee and it’s something I’ve been working with for years. To get hold of such an incredible lot from Roberto [Brenes’] farm to create a coffee liqueur is amazing,” said Head Distiller Philip.
The Specialty Coffee Association of Panama awarded this Camilina Geisha first prize at this year’s Best of Panama competition.
Fifth generation farmer Roberto Brenes named this lot after his granddaughter, Camilina. Roberto’s farm also won the Best of Panama in 2012 for its Ironman blend.
Will Young, Founder and Director of Campos Coffee, has sat on the international jury for the Best of Panama competition five years in a row. He says the Camilina Geisha is something special.
“When I tasted it, I recall tasting everything in this coffee. It just sparkled with colours and flavours that covered the spectrum of what you could dream of for a premium coffee. We had one taste of this and signed ourselves up for as much as we could afford,” Will said.
The aroma of this liqueur features notes of apricot and honeycomb, and nuances of toffee, rich dark chocolate, malt and golden syrup. On the palate, it follows through with apricot notes, then a complex array of Maillard flavours; honeycomb, toffee, caramel and treacle. To finish, a balance of sweetness, acidity, and high quality bitters with a lingering finish.
The Mr Black Camilina Panama Geisha Coffee Liqueur will be available to taste from 7 July at the Rockpool Group nationally. This product is valued at $185.
This limited edition liqueur will also be available via ballot during July. Successful applicants will be notified by 12 August.
For more details and how to enter the ballot, visit www.mrblack.co/geisha