I never tried any coffee liqueur neat before Barista. I had some Kahlua chocolates as well as cocktails made with other brands but not more than that. I’m not a fan of Mondia Alliance since they use “local” on their own terms. However, I figured that since it was made closer to me than any other coffee liqueurs available to me on the market I’d give it a go. I went through half the bottle before making a review, so I can say beforehand that I already enjoy it.
“…you'll see how delicious it can be.”
Barista
Made by: Mondia Alliance
Type: Coffee Liqueur
Region: Quebec, Canada
Age: N/A (the rum is probably aged)
ABV: 23% (46 proof)
Ingredients: Kona Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Carribean Rum
Colouring: I don’t know for sure, but I would say it probably does.
Appearance: 7.5/10
The bottle doesn’t give much information & I could barely find anything on their website or Mondia Alliance’s. The label mentions ingredients on the front & states obvious facts on the back such as flavours of coffee & chocolate. The liquid is of a deep brown colour verging on black with some faint golden hue & it’s nearly opaque as well. When I swirl the liqueur, I can see practically no legs although what remains is rather viscous. It highly suggests that it will have a rich sweetness which is sort of expected.
Nose: 13/15
The nose evokes strong caramel notes from butterscotch to burnt sugar. Then follows the rich coffee mingling with Demerara, maple syrup, dried cranberries & tobacco. There’s a somewhat noticeable aroma of dark chocolate, it’s subtler than I expected, playing more of a supportive role than a complementary one. The rum is quieter than I thought it would be as well lending notes of molasses as well as a bit of mashed bananas & charred pineapples. As it opens up a little more I get some hazelnut & cola aromas. Judging by the decadence of the liqueur, I can definitely say it will be sweet.
Mouth: 12.5/15
Surprisingly, Barista is way more balanced than my expectations. A satisfying acidity paired with an ethanol bite help to decrease the perception of residual sugar. The texture is also less cloying & viscous than the appearance promised. Quite the opposite in fact, it has a sort of silky quality. It definitely tastes & feels like a liqueur, but it’s not sickly sweet in any manner. Another way to put it is that some Imperial Stout beers I had, had more body than this & were about as sweet as this liqueur is. The flavours are similar as those perceived on the nose with more presence from the chocolate.
Finish: 8.5/10
The finish finally delivered that much anticipated coffee punch. It comes out strong as soon as the sip is gone & lasts for a minute or so. The sweetness slowly decreases at the same rate as the flavours.
Overall: 83/100
A very pleasant coffee liqueur. I must expand my knowledge on this category since I never had the classic ones but I love coffee as well as chocolate & rum, so this might be definitely the sort of beverage that I will enjoy neat. Even if I’m not a big fan of Mondia Alliance because there are usually quite shady, Barista feels different. I wrote to them on Facebook & they have been incredibly transparent on the way they make the product which is something I truly appreciate. Now don’t get me wrong, it is decadent & rich. However, it’s not as sticky sweet as it seems. If you still have any doubt about trying this, put a little ice in it or use it in a cocktail, you'll see how delicious it can be.
3-word Description:
Coffee, Chocolate & Decadent.
The Reference:
More information @baristacoffee.ca
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