Galliano Espresso Liqueur (a.k.a. Galliano Ristretto)

Product of: Italy

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Galliano Espresso is made from 2 varieties of coffee beans, with different levels of roasting, 55% Arabica beans from Colombia and Brazil, and 45% Robusta beans from India and Kenya. The Arabica beans give a chocolaty, creamy, delicate top note while the Robusta contributes body and bitter notes.

The relatively high use of Arabica, higher than would be common in a blend intended for percolation with water, is to give the liqueur the strong, bitter notes familiar to traditional Ristretto espresso coffee.

Galliano Espresso is made in six phases

1. The coffee beans are first macerated in a hydro-alcoholic solution (neutral alcohol and water) at 60% abv in a bain-marie and held at 50-60°C for 10-12 hours. The beans are then left to sit in the solution overnight.

2. The next day, the coffee bean maceration is pressed using a hydraulic press to separate the solids from the liquid coffee tincture.

3. The solids from step two, the first pressing, are macerated in a fresh hydro-alcoholic solution to repeat step one.

4. Step two is repeated with a second pressing, resulting in a second liquid coffee tincture.

5. The two coffee tinctures from steps three and four are rested for 15 days in a stainless steel tank to allow the flavours to marry and develop. During this period, vegetable fibres in the tincture fall to the bottom of the tank, allowing further clarification. This resting period is crucial in the successful production of the liqueur.

6. The coffee tinctures are blended with water and sugar (380 grams sugar per litre) to make the finished liqueur. The first five steps of this process and initial blending occur at Maraschi & Quirici in Chieri, Italy, with the final blending and bottling taking place at Bol's facility in Zoetermeer, Holland. It should be noted that the rich colour of the finished liqueur is 100% natural, coming solely from the infusion of coffee beans.

Launched in 2009 and originally named Galliano Ristretto, in 2022, the name was changed to Galliano Espresso to make it clearer for non-Italian speakers.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 05/07/2024

Appearance:

Clear, dark brown.

Aroma:

Bitter chocolate and pungent dark roasted coffee with burnt toast and liquorice.

Taste:

Full-flavoured, strong caffè corretto with dark chocolate-covered heavily roasted coffee beans, notes of aniseed, coal dust, Brazil nuts, and burnt nut shells.

Aftertaste:

Oily espresso, roasted nuts with lingering peppermint/aniseed-like freshness.

Overall:

This delicious coffee liqueur has just enough sugar to perfectly balance and add desired richness to cocktails (many others are too dry or sweet). Strong dark roasted espresso coffee with just hints of chocolate - this is a coffee liqueur, not a coffee and chocolate liqueur. Faint notes of liquorice and aniseed add interest and complexity without challenging the coffee for attention.