Intro | Why Coffee Matters | Harlequin Blend | Origins | Processing | Roast | Awards | Shop
The Coffee Behind NORSE CODE
WHY BEAN SELECTION MATTERS IN COFFEE LIQUEUR
Every bottle of NORSE CODE begins with something many coffee liqueurs overlook: exceptional coffee.
Many coffee liqueurs rely on extracts, flavourings or commodity coffee selected mainly for cost and consistency.
Coffee should lead. Sweetness should support.
Why Coffee Choice Matters
Not every coffee performs well once brewed, filtered and blended into spirit.
Great coffee liqueur starts with coffee chosen for sweetness, body, low acidity and flavour stability.
Introducing Harlequin House Blend
NORSE CODE is built around our Harlequin House Blend, an award-winning 100% Arabica espresso coffee roasted in Yorkshire by Danelaw Coffee.
Selected by Gordon Howell, it was chosen for deep sweetness, rounded body and clear coffee character.
It is also served daily at Harlequin Coffee House in York.
Why These Origins Work
Colombia: Structure & Sweetness
Colombian coffee brings balance, chocolate depth, rounded sweetness and body. These qualities help create the richness needed for coffee cocktails.
Ethiopia: Complexity & Lift
Ethiopia contributes aromatic complexity, floral lift and delicate sweetness, helping the blend remain expressive rather than flat.
Why Processing Matters
Coffee processing shapes flavour long before roasting begins. Harlequin combines two complementary approaches to create both clarity and depth.
Washed Colombian Coffee
The fruit is removed before drying, producing a cleaner, more structured cup with clarity, sweetness and balance.
Natural Ethiopian Coffee
The whole cherry dries around the bean before milling, encouraging greater aromatic complexity, layered sweetness and lift.
This balance of structure and complexity is one reason Harlequin performs so well as the coffee foundation behind NORSE CODE.
Roasted for Depth, Not Bitterness
Dark roast is often misunderstood. Poor dark roast can taste burnt, ashy or harsh. Proper roast development creates sweetness, body and chocolate depth.
For NORSE CODE, the roast profile is chosen to support coffee intensity and cocktail performance without turning the liqueur aggressively bitter.
Award-Winning Coffee
The coffee behind NORSE CODE has been recognised at Great Taste, including:
Great Taste 3-Star 2025
Great Taste 2-Star 2023
Better coffee in means better coffee character in the glass.
Built by Coffee People
Coffee is not just an ingredient for us. It is the foundation.
NORSE CODE was developed by Gordon Howell, UK Brewers Cup Champion, UK Coffee in Good Spirits Champion and one of the UK’s most respected coffee professionals.
Taste the Difference
Explore the coffee behind the bottle, or taste how award-winning coffee performs in NORSE CODE.
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