Meukow Xpresso

Appearance: Dark mahogany. Against a strong light it's the dark red-brown of cola soft drink. No particulate matter. Aroma: Rich sweet espresso with brandy notes underneath. A tinge of raisin and licorice. Flavour & Texture: Freshly brewed drip-filter coffee balanced by sweet and slightly leathery brandy. Very sweet but not like simple syrup - the sweetness is masked by the grape components and a faint orange note. The palate tails off into a fairly long finish and becomes richer and more chocolate in the aftertaste. The coffee and brandy are clearly defined but work very well in combination and the texture is rich and silken. In comparison to most coffee liqueurs, many of which are just coffee essence in neutral spirit plus a little corn syrup, this liqueur is a blend of coffee extract and cognac. This gives it a more complex and satisfying character. Both the coffee and cognac are of good quality and it has a pleasing balance. This is a complex, rounded and interesting coffee liqueur. It's very reasonably priced and I'll probably buy it again some time. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)