Image via Complex Original
There are some days when Starbucks just won't cut it for your morning coffee. Hazelnut syrup is all well and good, but what about hazelnut liqueur? Or rum, or vodka, or cognac, for that matter? Sure, booze in your morning coffee is generally thought of as a no-no, but once in a while a yes-yes can do wonders for the soul, if not for the liver. Slip a shot of these ten coffee-friendly spirits to give your taste buds an unexpected treat, or a little liquid courage for the long day ahead. Your meetings will be better for it, trust.
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10. Crop Organic Vodka
Price: $29.99
Perfect for: Sharing with your friend who insists on all-artisanal-everything
If you want to get right down to brass tacks and get some booze into your coffee without worrying about flavor profiles and whether these beans blend well with that spirit, there's one way to go: vodka. It's not as flavorless and odorless as gin snobs may claim, but vodka's subtle flavors will definitely get subsumed by any cup of coffee. And what's wrong with that? Sometimes the simple things in life are the best. Crop vodka in coffee isn't particularly distinctive, but it gets the nod here because it's made using organic American grain grown in pesticide-free soil, and it's distilled without charcoal filtering. After all, if you're going to go for the gusto in the A.M., make sure you roll earth-friendly.
9. Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Coffee Liqueur
Price: $17
Perfect for: Subway commute-time daydreaming about frolicking in a clothing-optional pumpkin patch.
Kahlua and coffee go together like Daft Punk and robot helmets. Since time immemorial (or at least since 1936, when Kahlua was first created), this rum-based liqueur has enhanced countless cups of joe. The latest addition to their line is Pumpkin Spice. Despite the fact that pumpkin is the most overplayed booze flavoring this side of maple, Kahlua's is actually damn good, with a lot of clove and cinnamon notes right alongside the pumpkin. In coffee, it adds just the right autumnal vibe without overdoing it: just a whisper of pumpkin, not a scream.
8. Fernet Branca
Price: $35
Perfect for: Those days you want to feel more macho than all the other saps who are spiking their coffee
Not for the faint of heart, but definitely for hardcore hipsters who need to get their morning drink on. Fernet Branca is an herbal liqueur beloved by the bartender set and the booze geeks who love them. Fernet was originally created in the 1840s as a medicine meant to aid in digestion, and it tastes, well, pretty medicinal, to say the least. But if you like your coffee bitter and strong, put a little Fernet in there and you will be loving life. And it'll help your bacon and eggs go down easier, too.
7. Gosling's Black Seal Rum
Price: $27
Perfect for: When just dreaming about being in the tropics isn't enough—you have to drink like you're already there
Black Seal is the signature rum in the Dark N' Stormy, the Bermudian concoction of ginger beer, rum, and lime that's ridiculously tasty and even more ridiculously easy to make. It's a black rum, meaning it's dark, thick, and rich with flavors of caramel, dark chocolate, and of course molasses (from which most rum is made). All of which makes it a perfect match for coffee, which shares a lot of the same characteristics but is sadly lacking in alcohol. If you like your boozy java unsullied by lots of sweet liqueurs or creams, a Black Seal coffee may be your thing.
6. Disaronno Originale Liqueur
Price: $28
Perfect for: Drinking at work and making like you just got your coffee with a shot of almond syrup, no biggie
Formerly known as Amaretto (and still called that by most people outside their marketing team), Disaronno is the ultimate almond liqueur. Which is funny, since its distinctive almond flavor actually comes from apricot pits. You also get hints of cherry, milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla; the phrase "dessert in a glass" never seemed so apt. But pour it in your coffee and you've got a great breakfast in a mug, with the luscious, sweet flavors of Disaronno harmonizing perfectly with the rich, bitter notes of the coffee. At 56 proof (28% alcohol by volume), it's not a full-fledged spirit, but it's stronger than a lot of other liqueurs, which makes it a great morning eye-opener. Just don't have too many refills or it'll become an eye-closer, too.
5. Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
Price: $21
Perfect for: When you can't decide if you want coffee, a milkshake, or a cocktail to kick off your day
Cream in your coffee, bruh? Only if it's Bailey's. How a dairy-based product can stay fresh in one's liquor cabinet for months or even years after it's opened is a mystery best not explored too deeply. But there's no denying the deliciousness of this Irish whiskey-n-cream based delight. The flavor is just as you probably remember back when you were slugging it straight from the bottle in high school. A little hazelnut, a little maple syrup, a little brown sugar, a little milk chocolate, and a little spicy finish to remind you that you're not just drinking cream. The only drawback is that Baileys is a mere 17% alcohol, which means a lot of cream for a little buzz. But then again, when you're doing some AM drinking, perhaps a little buzz is all you need. (If you like to mix things up a little, check out Sangster's Rum Cream, basically a rummy version of Baileys.)
4. Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur
Price: $40
Perfect for: When you need to get your morning buzz on, but you want to be classy about it
Yes, you can find cheaper orange liqueurs and triple secs to put in your morning coffee. But don't skimp for skimping's sake. Grand Marnier isn't your typical orange liqueur, since instead of using a neutral spirit base (otherwise known as vodka), Grand Marnier uses cognac, which adds a whole 'nother level of flavor to the proceedings. And while boozy orange notes in your coffee can be pretty delicious, it just so happens that cognac and coffee are also an excellent combo. Combine the three and you've got a party in your mouth that will keep you jammin' all the way to work. Just remember the mouthwash or chewing gum where you get there.
3. Frangelico Liqueur
Price: $25.
Perfect for: When you something sweet, and a buzz to go with it
Hazelnut Macchiato? Ditch the Starbucks and go for the gusto with this venerable hazelnut liqueur. Frangelico has been made by monks in Piedmont, Italy for the last, oh, 300 years or so, and when you get monks making booze the odds are it's going to be pretty damn good—check out Chartreuse and Benedictine for two other well-known examples. The monk-shaped bottle, complete with rope belt, is almost as cool as what's inside it. The hazelnut flavor comes from actual hazelnuts, not some weird chemical equivalent. You'll also taste vanilla, a touch of cinnamon and perhaps a hint of peanuts as well. In the evening (or on particularly decadent mornings), ditch the coffee and try Frangelico neat or with a solitary ice cube; it's a nifty sipping liqueur.
2. Powers John's Lane Irish Whiskey
Price: $70
Perfect for: Those performance reviews when you need the luck of the Irish, or need to be drunk to hear what your boss has to say about you
As we head into winter and the mornings get colder and darker, what better and more comforting way to start your day than with a good old fashioned Irish coffee (well, not that old fashioned; it was only invented in the 1940s)? If you don't feel like putting the requisite teaspoon or two of brown sugar and an ounce and change of heavy cream (poured over the back of a spoon so it floats atop the coffee), that's perfectly understandable. Hey, you've got places to go, people to see. In which case a plain shot of Powers John's Lane works just fine as well, imparting rich flavors of chocolate, honey and a touch of dark fruit to your java, as well as dry and spicy woody notes. It's a bit expensive to use solely in coffee; give it a try on its own to see just how good Irish whiskey can be.
1. Cabo Diablo Coffee Liqueur
Price: $23
Perfect for: Those times you want your boozy coffee to taste like coffee, not booze
It may seem kind of ridiculous to put something coffee-flavored into coffee, which already tastes like, well, coffee. But Cabo Diablo is a coffee liqueur, not a coffee liqueur. That means it's sweeter than Beyoncé's booty, with loads of chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut flavors to go with just a touch of coffee bitterness. Oh, and by the way, it's got a tequila base, which makes sense given that it's made by the folks who brought you Cabo Wabo tequila. It isn't all that noticeable layered in with all the other flavors of the liqueur, not to mention your morning joe, but it adds a nice little earthy, spicy kick on the back end.