Trust the folks behind the laudable Rojak and Chendol Gins to come up with this. While we were expecting Compendium—which first launched Singapore’s first mead under their Rachelle The Rabbit label—to come up with something locally-inspired again, we sure didn’t expect our breakfast beverage staple to become their next muse.
Hot on the heels of their two gin launches comes their new Kopi-O and Teh-O liqueurs. As is expected of Compendium products, this isn’t just a simple blend or infusion, where you just mix kopi and teh with a neutral spirit. Instead, they’ve gone the extra mile by first creating their own spirit, in this case a rum, by fermenting and distilling molasses.
They then cold brew the rum with the same kind of coffee beans and tea leaves (albeit a more premium version) you’ll find at our local coffee shops. To sweeten, some black sugar sourced from Singapore’s only sugar factory is added. And thankfully, it’s not too sweet, because they’re designed to be a siew dai order.
While the Rojak and Chendol gins hinted at their namesake flavours with pertinent, aromatic notes, the Kopi-O and Teh-O liqueurs embody their eponyms completely, since they’re made using actual coffee beans and tea leaves.
With the Kopi-O liqueur you get really intense, caramelised notes, just as you would from your morning kopi. It’s very unlike Western coffee liqueurs, that more commonly make use of Arabica instead of Robusta beans. And with the Teh-O liqueur, you’ll find earthiness and acidity, with plenty of black tea aromas on the finish.
Feel free to enjoy these one-of-a-kind rum-based liqueurs simply on the rocks too, for a kopi or teh-o peng drink that’s perfect in this searing weather.
Compendium‘s Kopi-O and Teh-O liqueurs are available online and at shops like Temple Cellars.
