Kahlúa is a Mexican coffee liqueur created in 1936. It is made from rum, sugar, and arabica coffee, with an alcohol by volume of 20%.
History
Production of Kahlúa began in 1936 by Pedro Domecq. The name comes from the Nahuatl language of Veracruz, meaning 'House of the Acolhua people'. Jules Berman was the first importer of the liqueur to the United States. The alcohol content was reduced from 26.5% to 20% in 2004. In 2021, a new bottle design was introduced, and the alcohol content was further reduced to 16% to align with consumer trends toward lower-alcohol options.
Types and styles
Kahlúa comes in several varieties: the traditional version, Kahlúa Especial (36% alcohol, espresso flavor, less viscous), Kahlúa Mocha (with vanilla and black chocolate), Kahlúa French Vanilla, and Kahlúa Hazelnut. Ready-to-drink cocktails including B-52, White Russian, and Mudslide have also been produced since 2006.
How it is served
Kahlúa is used in cocktails such as White Russian, Black Russian, B-52, and Mudslide. It is also served with cream or milk, added to hot beverages like coffee and cocoa, and used in desserts including ice cream, cakes, and cheesecakes.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Калуа (ликёр), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.