kahlúa or milk

Kahlúa is a dark coffee liqueur produced in Mexico, originating in the 1930s from the Veracruz region. It is a sweetened alcoholic beverage made by infusing coffee beans—typically robusta varieties—with sugar, spices, and other flavorings, then blending with neutral spirits or rum. The resulting liquid is deep brown to black in color with a syrupy consistency and rich, complex flavor profile combining bitter coffee notes with underlying sweetness, vanilla, and subtle spice undertones. The alcohol content is typically 20% ABV (40 proof).

Kahlúa is primarily used as a cocktail ingredient, most famously in the Black Russian (with vodka) and White Russian (with vodka and cream), as well as in the Espresso Martini and Mudslide. Beyond cocktails, it serves as a flavoring ingredient in desserts, ice creams, mousses, and chocolate-based confections. In culinary applications, it can be drizzled over vanilla ice cream, incorporated into tiramisu variations, or used to flavor coffee-based sauces for chocolate cakes and brownies.