Old Harbor Distilling Co. Ampersand Coffee Liqueur
28% ABV (56 proof) | 750mL | Cold-pressed coffee liqueur | San Diego, CA — San Diego in a bottle: Old Harbor Distilling Co. Ampersand is a cold-pressed coffee liqueur built on the downtown San Diego distillery's own sugar-cane-juice rum — real coffee from San Diego's Coffee & Tea Collective, cold-pressed and blended into the rum base, then sweetened to the lowest level the law allows (about a gram of sugar per shot). Not artificially flavored, not cloying — just coffee, rum, and restraint.
Old Harbor (est. 2013, "Fathom Something Greater") is one of San Diego's pioneering craft distilleries, and Ampersand is its coffee program in liqueur form: nose of freshly ground coffee and vanilla, a palate of caramel and bittersweet chocolate, and a clean espresso finish with just a whisper of sugar. At 28%, it sits between the syrupy 20% coffee liqueurs and full-strength spirits — built for espresso martinis with actual coffee character, white Russians with backbone, or a slow pour over ice. A local bottle worth knowing — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Tasting notes
Per retailer reports: nose of freshly ground coffee and vanilla; palate of caramel and bittersweet chocolate; espresso finish with a little sugar.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- Real cold-pressed coffee — Coffee & Tea Collective beans, not flavoring
- Rum-based — built on Old Harbor's own sugar-cane-juice rum
- 28% ABV — stronger and drier than typical coffee liqueurs, sweetened to the legal minimum
- Distilled in downtown San Diego — a genuine local craft bottle
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Espresso martini: 2 oz Ampersand, 1 oz vodka, ½ oz espresso, hard shake — the real coffee does the work. Or simply over ice, or in a white Russian where the coffee backbone stands up to the cream.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ampersand made from?
Cold-pressed coffee (Coffee & Tea Collective beans, San Diego) blended into Old Harbor's own sugar-cane-juice rum base, sweetened to the lowest level legally allowed.
How strong is it?
28% ABV (56 proof) — stronger and less sweet than most coffee liqueurs, which typically run ~20%.
Is the bottle 750mL or 730mL?
The distillery's own site lists 730mL while retailers list 750mL — check the bottle photo on this page for the exact fill.