From Sparrow’s liqueur list, Kahlua is the iconic Mexican coffee liqueur, $10 by the pour, or $15 for a larger pour. It is a familiar, comforting after-dinner pour here in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood, the kind of classic that feels right whether you are sipping it solo or building a cocktail.
About Kahlua
Kahlua is made in Veracruz, Mexico, in the heart of the country’s coffee-growing region. It was first produced in 1936 and named Kahlua, a word drawn from the Veracruz Nahuatl language meaning house of the Acolhua people. The liqueur is built on rum, sugar, and arabica coffee, and it became the original benchmark coffee liqueur after reaching the United States market around 1940, brought over by importer Jules Berman, who earned the nickname Mr. Kahlua. Today the brand is part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, but it is still rooted in its Mexican coffee origins, with the coffee grown and harvested in Mexico’s coffee country.
Tasting Notes
Kahlua is sweet and rich, with deep roasted-coffee flavor, notes of vanilla and caramel, and a smooth, syrupy body. It is dessert-like on its own and the backbone of countless coffee cocktails, balancing bitterness and sweetness in a way that has made it a bar staple for generations.
What to Pair It With
Kahlua is a classic after-dinner and after-coffee sip. Enjoy it over ice, stirred into coffee, or as the heart of an Espresso Martini or a White Russian. It pairs beautifully with something sweet to finish a meal from the Sparrow menu, and it is an easy choice in the 21+ lounge after dinner or during the daily happy hour, 3 to 5 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kahlua made from?
Kahlua is a coffee liqueur made in Veracruz, Mexico, from rum, sugar, and arabica coffee, first produced in 1936.
What cocktails use Kahlua?
Kahlua is the base for the Espresso Martini, the White Russian, and the Mudslide, and it can be sipped simply over ice or stirred into coffee.
How much is a pour of Kahlua at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland it is $10 by the pour, or $15 for a larger pour.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Kalani Coconut Liqueur and the Lazzaroni Amaretto. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.