Emperador Coffee: The Best of Both Worlds?

Emperador coffee? It’s as interesting as it sounds.

If you think about it, coffee and brandy seem to be the perfect pair. Both are very popular after-dinner drinks. Both can be very rich and complex, or straightforward and functional. Who would’ve thought that this would culminate in one unique offering from one of the most successful distilleries in the Philippines?

Emperador Coffee is the latest release from the very successful Emperador Distillers, Inc. It’s the first of its kind in the market. Catch it on the shelves of the supermarket or liquor store near you. But for those who are interested in how it tastes, and if it’s any good, then this short review is for you.

The Perfect Blend

The first thing that you’ll notice about it is its elegant packaging. It’s emblazoned with the Emperador branding which a lot of Filipinos have known to love. It’s even the same bottle. But what sets it apart is the polish of the label. It’s brown, obviously, as one of its main selling points is its coffee flavor. There are even coffee beans on the background, to drive home the point.

There are two taglines: The first – “Coffee (and friends) make the perfect blend”. The next, “Coffee and Brandy Taste Great Together.” And after a few drinks, we think you’ll get how apt these phrases are.

The color is a rich amber, like most offerings from Emperador. But when you open it and give it a sniff, you’ll definitely know that it’s different. It has a mild coffee note. Nothing too harsh on the nose. It’s actually very reminiscent of coffee candy. Pleasant, but don’t expect it to smell like arabica or robusta. It’s alcohol, after all.

Dangerously Easy to Drink

What’s most surprising is that Emperador Coffee is a sipping kind of drink. It has a mild coffee flavor, but it is no way like coffee liqueur. It’s actually also not like a lot of typical brandies, like some of the more expensive and “finer” offerings of Emperador. No oaky, smoky flavors. Nothing too bitter, in fact, despite it being both coffee and brandy.

The thing with this is that it’s dangerously easy to drink. On the rocks seem to be the best, but chilled and sipped neat is actually pretty enjoyable as well. And true to its tagline, it seems that Emperador got it spot on – Coffee and Brandy do taste great together.

It’s just slightly sweet – not cloyingly so. It’s actually quite an interesting blend. The coffee aroma cuts through the slight bitterness of the brandy. It’s such a genuine combination that if you’re not careful, you’ll forget that it’s actually 20% alcohol by volume (ABV).

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The Best of Both Worlds

It’s amazing on its own, but we couldn’t resist trying it with real, brewed coffee. And to no surprise, it works really well.

It’s by no means like Irish Coffee, as it doesn’t have enough bitterness to cut through the distinctness of brewed coffee. But what it does add is just enough booziness to turn your morning drink into a nighttime pick-me-up.

Emperador Coffee is a game-changer for those who like to mix their drinks. We can imagine it as a boozy coffee shake, or just a straight up affogatto – just pour it over good vanilla ice cream, and you’re good to go.

All in all, it’s an interesting drink. We would definitely recommend it for those who are looking for something new. If you like coffee, and you like brandy, then, my friend, you’re gonna love this one.