Hel Above is an award-winning Yorkshire coffee liqueur and the recipient of a 95-point IWSC Gold medal.

Hel Above is our 22% ABV coffee liqueur created specifically for Espresso Martinis. Developed by Gordon Howell and crafted in Yorkshire, it uses our cold-filter brewing process to deliver authentic coffee flavour, balanced sweetness and strong cocktail performance.

The 95-point IWSC Gold gives Hel Above independent recognition from one of the drinks industry's most established judging panels. In the IWSC coffee liqueur results we reviewed, only three coffee liqueurs scored higher, and none of those were from the UK.

Why 95 Points Matters

In IWSC judging, a 95-point score places a product in Gold medal territory. For a coffee liqueur, that is especially significant because the category is often dominated by sweetness, flavouring and heavy syrup rather than genuine brewed coffee character.

The IWSC judges highlighted ripe dark fruits, freshly brewed coffee, gentle spice, delicate bitterness, balanced sweetness and a refreshing dry finish. These are precisely the qualities we set out to achieve when developing Hel Above.

Many coffee liqueurs rely heavily on sugar to create body. Hel Above was developed to retain structure and richness while allowing brewed coffee character to remain at the forefront.

Explore Hel Above.

Made for Espresso Martinis

The Espresso Martini is one of the most demanding coffee liqueur serves. It needs sweetness, but not too much. It needs coffee depth, but not bitterness. It needs body, but should not become heavy or cloying.

Hel Above was developed around those requirements. At 22% ABV, it brings more lift and structure than many lower-strength coffee liqueurs, helping the finished drink feel cleaner, sharper and more balanced.

Read more about why Hel Above is built for Espresso Martinis.

How Hel Above Compares to Traditional Coffee Liqueurs

Hel Above was created for drinkers and bars who want a coffee liqueur with real brewed coffee character rather than a syrup-led coffee flavour.

This is where Hel Above separates itself from many traditional coffee liqueurs. It is not only made to taste like coffee; it is made to behave properly in the glass.

Cold-Filter Brewed in Yorkshire

NORSE CODE is not made by simply adding coffee flavouring to spirit. Hel Above is made using our cold-filter brewing process, developed to capture real coffee character while keeping the final liqueur clean, balanced and cocktail-ready.

The process was developed by Gordon Howell, a leading UK coffee professional with more than two decades of experience in brewing, competition and coffee education.

Learn more about our cold-filter brewing process.

One of Britain's Most Awarded Coffee Liqueur Producers

NORSE CODE is now one of Britain's most awarded and independently recognised coffee liqueur producers, with major awards across both Hel Above and Hel Below.

That matters because the recognition is not concentrated in one product or one competition. Hel Above has achieved IWSC Gold with 95 points, while Hel Below has been recognised as England Coffee Liqueur Winner at the World Liqueur Awards and won Gold at the Global Liqueur Masters.

Taken together, these results show consistent recognition across multiple independent judging panels, giving NORSE CODE one of the strongest award records in British coffee liqueur.

View all awards and recognition.

For Bars, Retailers and Espresso Martini Drinkers

Hel Above is designed for people who want coffee liqueur to do more than add sweetness. It works in Espresso Martinis, coffee cocktails and premium mixed serves where the quality of the coffee liqueur directly affects the finished drink.

For bars, the 95-point IWSC Gold offers a simple, credible talking point. For customers, it makes the choice easier: Hel Above is a judged, gold-medal coffee liqueur developed with serious coffee expertise behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions