Coffee In Cocktails: Not Just For Dessert

I've rarely been one for coffee after a meal, though an affogato is always welcome. An amaro seems to have the same effect of quelling any after-dinner lull, without the pickup. For me, a drier coffee cocktail to start a meal — such as a Negroni or Manhattan variation — is more appealing, though surprisingly hard to come by. What's needed to make these drinks is not an espresso shot, but rather a suitable coffee liqueur, and one that is definitely not Kahlua.

Tequila is not the first thing I would expect to see paired with coffee, but at casual neighborhood spot Robert in Brooklyn, the bar features a drink that looks deceptively sweet. "People think it will be a saccharine espresso martini," notes the bar's beverage director and general manager, Josh White, who pairs Contratto Fernet with Bittermens New Orleans–style coffee, chicory and cacao-nib liquor. Opposite the bite of the Fernet and coffee, the añejo tequila shows its earthier side in this unapologetically dry drink, with an orange-bitter cream floated on top, giving the drink its domino resemblance.

Coffee in a non-sweet context is actually far more versatile in cocktails than previous iterations of White Russians and espresso martinis would let on. As a modifier, a half-ounce of coffee liqueur could likely be treated in the same way that one might add amaro to enhance a stirred drink. Though the Whoa, Domino! might shock a few people who expect a sweeter drink, it delivers just the right coffee punch.

Whoa, Domino!

Servings: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

1½ ounces El Jimador añejo tequila

¾ ounce Bittermens New Orleans coffee liqueur

½ ounce Contratto Fernet liqueur

½ ounce whipped cream with orange bitters and sugar

Directions:

Prep time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy