Vodka and coffee pair up in new tasty tipple
Local firms create sugar-free spirit for classic cocktails
Award-winning distiller Koakoa has partnered with Wellington coffee legends L’affare to launch Koakoa Coffee vodka.
A Fair Trade Organic New Zealand-made first, set to shake up the spirit market.
Made from Koakoa’s premium distilled vodka and a careful infusion of L’affare Fair Trade Organic Gusto coffee beans, the new tipple brings all the flavour of a coffee liqueur with zero sugar, a new offering for New Zealand’s fine spirits market.
Koakoa’s Coffee Vodka can be used as a substitute for traditional spirits in classic cocktails, including Espresso Martini, Negroni, Cosmopolitan, Old-Fashioned, or just on the rocks, which imparts the drinks with a full depth of flavour.
It is a sugar-free spirit designed to showcase the Gusto beans with a smooth locally made vodka.
Koakoa co-owner Chris Barber said they joined forces with L’affare as they both had a similar ethos about the importance of local business, local providence and the use of premium ingredients.
“L’affare liked our expertise at infusing spirits, so they approached us with their beans to test out a coffee vodka.
“After a few trials, we perfected an infusion that ticked all the boxes — a new taste for cocktail aficionados from two iconic Wellington brands.”
Tony Castro from L’affare (and a former bartender) says he came up with the coffee vodka idea while researching innovative ways to use the company’s coffee.
“We discovered that there were no coffee vodka products on the market and we wanted to fill this gap using Fair Trade Organic ingredients to create a quality product.”
The popular Gusto bean blend is fully certified and comes from South and Central America and East Africa.
“The flavour has rich notes of plum and dark chocolate which makes it a go-to coffee for cocktails or dessert matching, and a perfect pairing with Koakoa’s superb vodka.”
Chris Barber said the product has been offered in testing to top industry experts, including legendary Wellington bartenders Peter Lowry (Hawthorne/Library) and Ray Letoa (The Roxy), who immediately ordered some for Wellington on A Plate.
“We feel honoured that we can fly the flag for Wellington and Ka¯ piti around the country, by producing quality products that people love,” Chris said.
“We are a family company and we do business in a way that we can be proud of, making premium products using local ingredients.”
“Working with L’affare is a privilege and we look forward to building on the relationship between us.”
Koakoa & The Bond Store are currently offering contactless $5 flat fee delivery throughout New Zealand.