Kahlúa is the most well-known brand of coffee-flavored liqueur in the world. It was first produced in Mexico in 1936. The original recipe, which is still used today, consists of Arabica coffee beans, caramel, sugar, vanilla and cane spirits. The name Kahlúa means “House of the Acolhua people” in the pre-Columbian Veracruz Nahuatl language.
In 1962, that Kahlúa found its way onto shelves in the United States where it quickly gained popularity. Even today, it is still a favorite ingredient in many cocktails, such as White and Black Russians, Mudslides and B-52s. It is also enjoyed shaken with cream or simply served over ice.
The alcohol content can vary from 20% to 35%, depending on the region where it is sold. In the United States, Kahlúa contains 20% alcohol (40 proof), with the exception of Kahlúa sold in Ohio, where the alcohol content is 21.5% (43 proof). How does Ohio get a stronger Kahlúa? The state liquor laws consider anything with 20% alcohol or lower to be too weak to sell in the state liquor stores. Thus, the producer of Kahlúa creates a completely separate product for sale in the state of Ohio.
In 2005, The Kahlúa company was partially acquired by the French alcohol giant Pernod Ricard, which is one of the largest alcohol companies in the world. They own many other well-known brands such as Chivas Regal, Seagrams, Jameson, Absolut, Beefeater, Sauza, Laphroaig and Malibu.
