By Andy Young
Patrón Spirits has released a new chilli chocolate liqueur onto the market with the launch of Patrón XO Café Incendio.
Café Incendio combines the distinctive spicy flavour of the Mexican arbol chilli with Criollo chocolate, and Patrón Silver tequila. The brand says that the release is a recognition of the growing global trend toward mixing spicy and sweet – something that has been present in Mexican cuisine for centuries.
The new flavour marks a further step into the “ultra-premium shot” space for the brand, according to Ed Brown, President and CEO at Patrón Spirits.
“Patrón XO Cafe Incendio is an incredibly versatile spirit. Not only does it create interesting and inventive cocktails, but like the other variations within the Patrón XO Cafe line it’s the perfect choice for celebratory occasions,” he says. “No other brand in the crowded shot market compares to the taste and quality of Patrón XO Cafe, and no other liqueur comes close to the powerfully spicy hot flavour of Patrón XO Cafe Incendio.”
Brown says that Patrón has always been known for innovation – citing Patrón XO Cafe and the follow-up Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa as examples – and the brand’s research has concluded that consumers now want a little more heat in their shots.
“And now, consumer research has proven that people want high-quality liqueurs with more heat, and so again we’re innovating the liqueur and shot category with Patrón XO Cafe Incendio, a spirit that combines spicy and sweet, with intense heat,” adds Brown. “The word ‘incendio’ is Spanish for ‘fire,’ and that’s exactly the taste that this unique liqueur evokes.”
The liqueur makes use of the arbol chilli – a Mexican pepper typically found in the states of Jalisco, Chihuahua and Zacatecas and characterised by its smoky and spicy flavour – as well as high-quality Criollo chocolate, produced in Mexico’s Tabasco region.
According to Patrón, Cafe Incendio has an ABV of 30% and works well as either a shot or as the base for cocktails. Packaged in the same handmade Patrón XO Cafe glass bottle, the red, yellow and black label features imagery that suggests smoke and fire.