Bitter Queens Joker Judy Chocolate Bitters
Bitter Queens Joker Judy Chocolate Bitters is a 5 oz bottle of chocolate-walnut cocktail bitters — cocoa nibs, walnuts, and coffee over a bitter gentian base — a Bronze Proof Awards winner and a cozy companion to barrel-aged spirits, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Format: cocktail bitters, 5 fl oz (148 mL)
- Flavor profile: chocolate-walnut cookie — cocoa nibs, walnuts, coffee, vanilla, cacao, spice
- Ingredients: alcohol, cocoa nibs, walnuts, coffee, spices, gentian (per brand; full name "Chocolate Walnut")
- Award: Bronze, Proof Awards (brand's product guide; year not printed)
- Origin: Bitter Queens — born in the Bay Area, now based in New Orleans, LA
- Pairs with: barrel-aged spirits; espresso/vodka/liqueur cocktails (brand recipes: Milk & Cookies, Midnight Express)
The Chocolate-Walnut Cookie of the Bitters World
The brand's own description for Joker Judy is disarmingly homey: "the soul-satisfying comfort of a homemade chocolate-walnut cookie." Cocoa nibs, walnuts, and coffee deliver roasty, toasty notes of cacao and vanilla with a hint of spice — and because it's bitters, not a liqueur, all of that arrives without sweetness, riding on a dry gentian backbone. It's positioned as the cozy companion to barrel-aged spirits: a few dashes turn a bourbon Old Fashioned into something that hints at dessert without becoming one. The brand's recipes page backs that up with two espresso-driven serves, Milk & Cookies and Midnight Express, each built on four dashes. Bronze at the Proof Awards rounds out the credentials. See the full Bitter Queens lineup, or reach for the Sassy Sally Sarsparilla Bitters when you want the sweet-aroma side of the collection instead.
Tasting Notes
Cocoa nib and walnut lead — nutty, roasty, and deep — with coffee bitterness and a vanilla-cacao warmth underneath. The finish is dry and gently spiced, like the crumb of a dark chocolate cookie with the sugar left out.
How to Enjoy
Dash into bourbon or rye Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and any barrel-aged-spirit build that wants a chocolate note. The brand's own serves — Milk & Cookies and Midnight Express, both espresso/vodka/liqueur cocktails with four dashes — show its after-dinner side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it sweet like chocolate liqueur?
No — it's bitters, so the chocolate and walnut arrive as aroma and flavor over a dry, bitter base, with no added sweetness.
What award did it win?
Bronze at the Proof Awards, per the brand's product guide (unlike the other expressions, no year is printed).
What's the full flavor name?
The brand's official name is "Joker Judy – Chocolate Walnut Bitters" — walnut is a core ingredient alongside cocoa nibs and coffee.
Which spirits does it suit?
Barrel-aged spirits first — bourbon, rye, aged rum — plus the espresso and liqueur builds on the brand's recipes page.
Add a cozy chocolate note to your whiskey cocktails — get Joker Judy Chocolate Bitters online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.