Tejas: Caffe Del Fuego Bourbon Barrel Aged

Photo by Jake Clements

The bourbon-barrel-aged Caffe Del Fuego is the second release in the Tejas collaboration series. The summary is coffee liquor aged in bourbon barrels. However, we did not use just any ole coffee liquor or bourbon barrels. Specifically, Caffe Del Fuego from Remington Family Distillers and Ironroot Republic Distilling used bourbon barrels. The combination is quite magical.

I have known their marketing person, for several years through other events. She briefly mentioned the idea of a barrel-aged Caffe Del Fuego. I loved the idea, but I was thinking about what I could do with the barrels afterward. Susan introduced me to Mark Remington Koelsch, President and Founder of Remington Family Distillers. Through a few conversations, we decided to move forward.

Before I ever approached the fine folks at Remington, I started talking with Robert and Jonathan Likarish about aging bourbon in used coffee barrels. The original concept was about actual barrels that aged coffee beans. What I learned is that barrel-aged coffees are aging un-roasted beans. So, we would not get the rich roasted coffee notes we want. Oh, but a coffee liquor might work. It is a liquid that will interact with the wood soaking into the barrel and providing flavor back to the whiskey.

Back to the liquor, Mark and I could not seem to get our calendars synced to taste test the liquid in the barrels. We got busy and forgot. A Facebook memory of picking the barrels up from Ironroot spurred to reconnect with Mark. After some calendar finagling, we had a date. I drove to the distillery in Dripping Springs; we pulled a sample and sat in the tasting room.

One year, how has one year already passed since we filled them? Our minds are a little blown; the barrels sat that long. At first smell, it was well Caffe Del Fuego, upon the first sip it was well Caffe Del Fuego. Well damn! We continued to talk as the liquid rested in our glass. I raised the cup once more, and boom, and there it was, the whiskey paired magically with the liquor. It needed some oxygen.

The bourbon barrel-aged Caffe Del Fuego turned out better than I could have hoped. It is delicious and perfect for sipping by a fire on a chilly night.

The barrels are back at Ironroot, safely waiting for the next part.

Details:

• 750 ML

• 20% ABV | 40 PROOF

• Age: 1 year

• Distillery: Remington Family Distillers

• Class: Coffee Liquor

• Released: Fall 2021

  • Available at the distillery in Dripping Springs

Jake