Patron XO Café
Coffee liqueurs tend to be cloying — dessert in a glass. Patrón XO Café goes the other way entirely. It's built on Patrón Silver, a proper premium blanco tequila, blended with Arabica coffee from the Mexican states of Veracruz and Chiapas, and the result is dry, not sweet. That's the whole trick, and it's why bartenders never let it disappear quietly.
Patrón actually discontinued it in 2021, only for demand to drag it back — a cult following willing it into a second life. Availability can still be patchy, so a bottle on the shelf is worth grabbing.
The nose is fresh-roasted coffee with a lift of clean agave underneath, more espresso bar than syrup. The palate delivers real coffee bitterness alongside vanilla and a touch of chocolate, with the tequila showing through as a bright, peppery warmth rather than hiding. At 35% it has grip, and the finish is dry and roasty, closer to a good espresso than a pudding. If you've only met sweet coffee liqueurs, this will reset your expectations.
It's an after-dinner pour that earns its place, and a secret weapon behind the bar — an Espresso Martini made with this is a properly grown-up drink.
How to Serve
Neat over a large cube after dinner, or poured over vanilla ice cream for an instant affogato. In cocktails it makes a superb Espresso Martini or a tequila-led Black Russian.
Where to Drink It
Hacha in Dalston for agave in expert hands. Kwānt in Mayfair for a serious Espresso Martini. Black Rock in Shoreditch for a late, dark, spirit-forward one.
Food Pairings
Pour it alongside a flourless chocolate cake — the dry coffee and the agave cut the richness rather than piling on.
