England’s Coffee Liqueur Country Winner — World Liqueur Awards 2026
At the 2026 World Liqueur Awards, NORSE CODE Hel Below was named Country Winner for England in the coffee liqueur category.
Made in Yorkshire by Coffee Spirit Co, NORSE CODE is built around real brewed speciality coffee, controlled extraction and a coffee-first approach to flavour and cocktail performance.
Hel Below combines rich coffee character, rounded sweetness and texture for richer Espresso Martinis, Baby Guinness, layered serves and modern coffee cocktails. Alongside it, Hel Above offers a brighter, more structured expression built particularly for Espresso Martinis and coffee-forward cocktails.
Together, the range has received recognition from the World Liqueur Awards, IWSC, Global Liqueur Masters, International Spirits Challenge and Great Taste.
Independent Recognition
Hel Below: World Liqueur Awards 2026 Country Winner for England and Global Liqueur Masters Gold.
Hel Above: IWSC 2026 Gold Medal with 95 points, Great Taste 2026 1-Star and International Spirits Challenge 2025 Bronze.
View all NORSE CODE Awards & Recognition
What Does Country Winner for England Mean?
The World Liqueur Awards judges liqueurs across styles and countries. In 2026, Hel Below was selected as the Country Winner for England in the coffee liqueur category.
That is the specific award behind our England recognition. We think precision matters: rather than turning one competition result into a universal claim, we prefer to state exactly what Hel Below won.
It also sits within a wider record of independent recognition across the NORSE CODE range, including an IWSC Gold Medal and 95-point score for Hel Above.
Our Awards & Recognition
- World Liqueur Awards 2026: Hel Below — Country Winner for England, Coffee Liqueur.
- IWSC 2026: Hel Above — Gold Medal, 95 points.
- Great Taste 2026: Hel Above — 1-Star.
- Global Liqueur Masters 2025: Hel Below — Gold Medal.
- International Spirits Challenge 2025: Hel Above — Bronze Medal.
These awards recognise the finished liqueurs themselves. They do not define our approach, but they provide independent assessment of products developed around real brewed coffee and controlled extraction.
Explore the full Awards & Recognition timeline
Created by Award-Winning Coffee Professionals
NORSE CODE was developed from a coffee-first perspective. Co-founder Gordon Howell brings more than two decades of speciality coffee experience spanning brewing, competition, training, judging, hospitality and brewing equipment development.
Gordon became UK Coffee in Good Spirits Champion in 2013 and went on to place 3rd at the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship. In 2015 he became UK Brewers Cup Champion before finishing 7th at the World Brewers Cup.
That experience matters because coffee liqueur depends on many of the same decisions as serious coffee brewing: extraction, aroma, sweetness, bitterness, body, dilution and balance.
Learn more about Gordon Howell and the coffee expertise behind NORSE CODE
Why NORSE CODE Is Different
- Made with real brewed speciality coffee.
- Built around our Cold-Filter Brew approach.
- Created by coffee professionals.
- Made in Yorkshire by Coffee Spirit Co.
- Designed around real cocktail performance.
- Multiple award-winning expressions with different flavour profiles.
- Available in 70cl bottles and 4.9 litre trade tubs.
NORSE CODE does not treat Hel Above and Hel Below as stronger and weaker versions of the same liquid. Each is balanced differently for the way we want it to taste and perform in the glass.
Discover the Cold-Filter Brew approach
Hel Below: Country Winner for England
NORSE CODE Hel Below is our richer 16% ABV expression. It combines real brewed coffee character with greater body, texture and rounded sweetness.
That makes Hel Below particularly versatile: it creates a richer, rounder style of Espresso Martini while also providing the density and body that make it especially suited to Baby Guinness and layered serves.
Hel Below was named Country Winner for England at the 2026 World Liqueur Awards and has also received a Gold Medal at the Global Liqueur Masters.
Shop Hel Below Hel Below & Baby Guinness
Hel Above: IWSC Gold Coffee Liqueur for Espresso Martinis
NORSE CODE Hel Above is our 22% ABV expression, with a brighter, cleaner and more structured profile built particularly for Espresso Martinis and coffee-forward cocktails.
In 2026, Hel Above was awarded an IWSC Gold Medal with 95 points. It also received a Great Taste 1-Star award in 2026 and an International Spirits Challenge Bronze Medal in 2025.
For an Espresso Martini where coffee clarity, structure and strength are the priority, Hel Above is our first choice. Hel Below remains an excellent alternative when a richer, rounder and more textured style is preferred.
Shop Hel Above Ultimate Espresso Martini Guide
Two Coffee Liqueurs. Two Different Jobs.
HEL ABOVE
22% ABV
Brighter, cleaner and more structured.
Our first choice for Espresso Martinis and coffee-forward cocktails where coffee clarity and strength matter.
HEL BELOW
16% ABV
Richer, rounder and more textured.
Excellent for richer Espresso Martinis and particularly suited to Baby Guinness, layered serves and cocktails where body matters.
A Yorkshire Coffee Liqueur With Real Coffee at Its Core
NORSE CODE is made in Yorkshire using our Cold-Filter Brew approach, developed to give us greater control over how coffee flavour, aroma, sweetness and bitterness carry into the finished liqueur.
Rather than treating coffee simply as a flavour to add to a spirit, we brew the coffee first and build the liqueur around the character that extraction produces.
The result is a British coffee liqueur range built around genuine brewed coffee character, controlled extraction and performance in the glass.
For Bars, Restaurants and Trade Buyers
NORSE CODE is available in both 70cl bottles and 4.9 litre trade tubs. The larger format is designed for busy hospitality venues looking to reduce bottle handling and glass waste while maintaining a consistent coffee liqueur serve.
Hel Above and Hel Below also allow venues to choose the profile that best suits the drink: brighter and more structured with Hel Above, or richer and more textured with Hel Below.
Contact Coffee Spirit Co for trade enquiries
Looking for the Best Coffee Liqueur?
There is no single coffee liqueur that will be “best” for every drink or every palate. Espresso Martinis, Baby Guinness, sipping serves and signature cocktails can require very different things from a liqueur.
Our approach is to make those differences deliberate. Hel Above prioritises structure and coffee clarity. Hel Below prioritises body, texture and rounded richness.
What we can say objectively is that both have received independent recognition: Hel Below became the World Liqueur Awards Country Winner for England, while Hel Above received IWSC Gold with 95 points.
Explore our guide to the Best Coffee Liqueur in the UK
Learn More
- Awards & Recognition
- About Coffee Spirit Co
- Gordon Howell — Coffee Expertise
- Cold-Filter Brew
- Shop Hel Below
- Shop Hel Above
- Best Coffee Liqueur for Baby Guinness
- Best Coffee Liqueur UK
- Ultimate Espresso Martini Guide
FAQs
What did NORSE CODE win at the 2026 World Liqueur Awards?
NORSE CODE Hel Below was named Country Winner for England in the coffee liqueur category at the 2026 World Liqueur Awards.
Is NORSE CODE an award-winning coffee liqueur?
Yes. Hel Below is a World Liqueur Awards Country Winner for England and Global Liqueur Masters Gold Medal winner. Hel Above received IWSC Gold with 95 points, Great Taste 1-Star and an International Spirits Challenge Bronze Medal.
Which NORSE CODE coffee liqueur is best for Espresso Martinis?
Hel Above is our first choice when you want a brighter, more structured Espresso Martini with greater coffee clarity. Hel Below also works extremely well when you want a richer, rounder and more textured Espresso Martini.
Which NORSE CODE coffee liqueur is best for Baby Guinness?
Hel Below is particularly suited to Baby Guinness because its richer body, rounded sweetness and texture work well in layered serves.
Is NORSE CODE made with real coffee?
Yes. NORSE CODE is built around real brewed speciality coffee and our Cold-Filter Brew approach.
Is NORSE CODE made in Yorkshire?
Yes. NORSE CODE is made in Yorkshire by Coffee Spirit Co.
Is NORSE CODE suitable for trade?
Yes. NORSE CODE is available in 70cl bottles and 4.9 litre trade tubs for bars, restaurants, hotels and hospitality venues.
Is NORSE CODE an alternative to Kahlúa, Tia Maria or Mr Black?
NORSE CODE offers a British, coffee-first alternative for drinkers and venues comparing coffee liqueurs. Hel Above and Hel Below provide two different profiles rather than a single one-size-fits-all expression.