What’s the Buzz on Coffee Cocktails?

The days are gone when coffee cocktails were considered a gimmick. Today, the coffee movement and the cocktail movement—which both place a premium on quality ingredients and balanced flavors—have joined forces, creating exciting, sophisticated libations that go beyond what was once considered a drinkable dessert.

Rosie Ruiz, the lead bartender for our Secret Dining Society dinner in Seattle and a Margarita of the Year finalist, remembers her aha! moment.

“One of my best experiences was at a tiki bar, and my friend made a beautiful cocktail,” the Los Angeles-based Ruiz says. “When she told me it was an espresso cocktail, I was floored.”

For the Seattle dinner, Ruiz created an after-dinner cocktail that combined Patrón Silver and Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, and garnished it with fresh mint foam, cocoa powder and a mint sprig.

“It can go south very quickly,” Ruiz says. “But these cocktails can be really good if you know how to combine them well.”

At the Christophe Harbour resort in St. Kitts, beverage manager Christian Zamora mixes coffee with Patrón XO Cafe to create the popular Café Carib, a complex, refreshing drink.

Meanwhile, brunch at the Mandarin Oriental, New York means you’re in the hands of master sommelier Laura Williamson, whose coffee cocktail combines nutty espresso with a splash of cream.

The secret to any coffee cocktail? Balance: The drink should be smooth and rich, not bitter and overpowering, Richard Woods, who developed Sushisamba’s coffee cocktail in New York City, says.

Ruiz agrees: “When you make the perfect coffee cocktail, it’s good anytime of the day.”