ST. ALi is known for its dedication to the brew, cutting no corners when it comes to sourcing, roasting and processing speciality coffee. Mr Black is a natural ally, sharing the same philosophy and blending the world’s best coffee liqueur at its distillery on the Central Coast, reflecting Australia’s discerning tastes when it comes to both coffee and drinks.
On a pilgrimage to Peru, ST ALi handpicked the ‘El Diamante’ coffee used in the Single Origin Coffee Liqueur. Sourcing the beans from a single farm in the Cajamarca region, it required a taxi up the mountains, perilous cable cars, and an hour’s hike up steep terrain from Apolinar Arevalo’s house to his actual farm 2,000 metres above sea level.
Mr Black worked with the brains trust from ST. ALi on roasting, and then blending the clean combination of Peruvian Cold Brew Coffee with Australian wheat vodka and a little sugar.
Global Coffee Ambassador, Martin Hudak, describes the aroma as “honeydew melon and red currant fruit on the nose which opens up to the comforting smell of nonna’s kitchen.” If that doesn’t lure you in, “you can taste biscotti on the palette with a clean finish of honeycomb and milk chocolate”. Hudak suggests the liqueur is best enjoyed on the rocks to fully appreciate the complex flavour profile.