ARAKU Team Decodes What Makes Coffee & Whisky Make A Winning Pair

Some flavour combinations have long been established as a winning pair. Like salt and caramel, spice and raw mango, tomato and basil, etc. In the world of beverages, one such combination is whisky and coffee. 

In its latest edition, Johnnie Walker Whisky Experiments brought together these two notes, with ARAKU coffee and  Johnnie Walker Black Label, once again pushing the idea of what whisky can look like in a glass. Kunal Ross, DGM - Sales & Operations, ARAKU, and Sumanth Paranjape, Authorised SCA Trainer, ARAKU Coffee, discussed the approach behind Araku’s seed-to-cup philosophy and what makes whisky and coffee a winning pair. 

ARAKU, India’s first terroir-mapped coffee, grows across the Araku Valley, in Andhra Pradesh. 

With its seed-to-cup philosophy, the company uses regenerative agricultural practices to grow 100% Arabica coffee, especially nurtured in micro plots. Ross describes the process as similar to the kind used by winemakers in vineyards, where every plot of land determines the final flavour. 

But why does seed-to-cup matter? Ross says it’s all about traceability. 

“It’s essentially maintaining quality aspects well before roasting. From soil health, biodiversity, harvesting, etc., all of it shapes the final cup. And we’re involved in all the stages. The traceability is very important to us, because it means the cup actually expresses the coffee’s origin. The distinction (in the coffee) is here; origin becomes an extremely important story.”

There is a clear overlap in the founding philosophies of Johnnie Walker and ARAKU. The whisky was a result of grocer John Walker's experiments to create whiskies that were more balanced and refined than the spirits of the time. Beyond the founding philosophy, though, are the flavour notes. 

Now, it’s common knowledge that whisky and coffee share a natural affinity, with flavour notes commonly overlapping in roasted malt, caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, and oaky wood smoke. Generally, when paired, the whisky’s sweetness often balances the coffee’s bitterness, while the coffee highlights the fruity or nutty undertones of the spirit. 

As Ross puts it, “Whisky is usually at the forefront of any cocktail. Coffee works in a way like bitters, accentuating the (spirit’s) basic flavours.”

When it comes to coffee, the roast and brew influence the flavour as well. And as per Ross, there’s one that works best with a whisky like Johnnie Walker Black Label. 

“There are close to 1200 to 1300 taste notes where coffee is concerned. You look at fruits, ice, cocoa, floral notes, etc. Roasting essentially develops the caramel notes, or that sweetness. And when you’re brewing, you decide how you accentuate those flavours. Johnnie Walker Black Label, in particular, has a slightly sweet taste with a smoky finish. Medium roast coffee mirrors this profile. Then obviously there’s cocoa, caramel, and a bit of nuttiness – those are the flavour notes that come across. If you go to dark roast, the coffee becomes too bitter and masks the spirit. While you go to light, the acidity takes over. A medium, though, is a good blend of both and ideal for mixing with coffee.”

Sumanth added that two brewing methods, in particular, are best suited for blending with whisky – the Toddy brew method and the slow-drip brew.

He and Ross also talked about the ingredients that are likely to be seen in whisky coffee cocktails, as the flavour combination becomes more and more common across bars. Ginger, clarified milk, and caskara (dried skins and pulp of coffee cherry) are likely to come up more in modern-day cocktails. 

Clearly, the boundaries of what whisky and coffee can achieve are constantly being pushed. And in this regard, Johnnie Walker Whisky Experiments proves to be a fertile ground for trying out new combinations, techniques and styles. Ross succinctly states, “it’s largely the adventure of flavours” that brings together ARAKU and Johnnie Walker Whisky Experiments, making it a complementary association. 

The following is a cocktail from the ARAKU coffee to cocktail program. It uses Johnnie Walker Black Label. You can use another whisky of your choice. 

Here’s a look at the whisky coffee cocktail recipe by ARAKU: 

Recipe: 

• 45ml Johnnie Walker Black Label

• 30ml ARAKU Micro Climate cold brew concentrate

• 15ml ginger honey syrup — equal parts honey and water, steep fresh ginger, strain

• 15ml clarified milk

• Two dashes orange bitters

Method: 

• Stir over ice for thirty seconds. 

• Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. 

• Express an orange peel over the top.

*Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.