Coffee and whiskey are both liquids with a knack for making life a little more tolerable. So it seems only natural that they’d join forces at one point. Whether in your glass as separate entities, or as a bottled alliance. In this case, as William Wolf Coffee Whisky.
William Wolf already produces Pecan and Winter Spice flavored whiskeys, as well as a non-flavored, 92-proof 100% rye with a remarkably spicy kick. Its Coffee Whiskey is notably more mellow, clocking in at 70 proof. It’s produced and bottled in South Carolina, and bills itself as being made with “100% American Whiskey and a touch of real coffee.”
William Wolf Coffee Whiskey has a dark color, much like… coffee. It casts a delicious, almost syrupy coffee aroma that invokes a strong first-cup-of-the-day feeling. The nose also carries a particular whiff of chocolate-covered espresso bean. First contact with the palate reveals a thick, heavy sweetness that recalls syrup and buttered pancakes. It’s sweet, perhaps sweeter than I’d like even a flavored whiskey to be, but it avoids falling into saccharine territory. The sweetness spills into the middle of the palate, where it morphs into a chocolate-covered espresso bean flavor. Sweetness drops off slightly towards the end, just as some roasty coffee flavors emerge.
It’s delicious. However, it tastes very much like a well-made coffee liqueur—which may come as a disappointment to those expecting a cross between whiskey and espresso. An end-of-day sipper this isn’t. But its relatively modest price makes it an excellent choice for those
seeking a quality, coffee-flavored spirit, plus I can imagine it being
spectacular in cocktails.
Coffee whiskey with cream, anyone?
Stats:
— 35% ABV
— $24.99
CE Rating: ★★★
Like that? Drink this:
— Amarula Cream Review
— Kahlua Iced Coffees
