An Evening of Coffee and Cocktails

Bearing out the theory that Australians do love their coffee and booze, 20 enthusiastic drinkers gathered on a mundane Tuesday for a sell out caffeine induced evening of drink, chat and discovery.

A SCC gathering would not be complete without a cocktail (or three) to keep proceedings well oiled and this evening was no different. On arrival, members were greeted with a spin on the Black Russian, a deceptively innocuous mix of Bourbon, 666 St Ali coffee vodka and Coke that slipped down far too easily before the evening got underway with a tasting of the coffee vodka itself, which was only released in June this year by 666 in collaboration with the Melbourne based St Ali coffee merchants.

Tom Baker, one of the co-founders of Mr Black then led a tasting of the locally produced coffee liqueur that's proved to be a critical and public hit, which members got to taste both on its own and in a Coffee Revolver, a dry concoction of Mr Black and bourbon stirred down Manhattan style, and created especially for the occasion by the lovely people the SG.

Last up (but not least as the saying goes) was the charismatic Neilson Braid who led a tasting of the Patron XO Cafe and Cafe Dark Cocoa, the second of which was only released late in 2013. The Patron XO Cafe already has a loyal following with most in the room having had it as a shot at some point, so it was a treat to be taken through the finer tasting notes and appreciate its versatility in a cocktail. And yet again, the SG barkeeps did not disappoint with their showcase of the XO Cafe in an XO Night (Patron, Amaretto, vodka and lemon) and the XO Cafe Dark Cocoa in a Dark Alexander (Patron XO Dark Cocoa, gin, half and half with a nutmeg finish). Did we say we are a society of drinkers?

A huge thanks to 666, Tom Baker, Mr Black, Neilsen Braid, Patron and Southtrade International for their generosity without which the evening would not have been possible and of course to the SG Bar for showing that coffee cocktails extend beyond the espresso martini!