Five Chinese Liquor-Infused Coffees from Pacific Coffee

Ever wonder what happens when you combine centuries-old Chinese rice wine with a double shot of espresso? While Western-style coffee cocktails with brandy or Irish cream are common, blending traditional Chinese spirits like Shaoxing (also known as 'daughter’s red') or osmanthus-flavored wine with specialty coffee is something new entirely — and now it’s a reality on the menu at Pacific Coffee.

Pacific Coffee has officially launched five new coffee drinks infused with premium Chinese liquors, marking the first time such drinks have been commercially introduced. These beverages combine well-known Chinese tipples with classic Western coffee styles, resulting in five market-ready creations.

What Are These Chinese Liquor Coffee Drinks?

The collection includes five original drinks, each fusing a different Chinese liquor with espresso-based or milk coffee drinks. These are now available at most Pacific Coffee locations. Alongside the product launch, the chain is also offering a ‘Happy Hours’ promotion to encourage customer trials.

The Flavors: A Cross-Cultural Coffee Experience

Each drink is built around a distinct Chinese liquor and classic coffee pairing:

1. - Osmanthus (Shaoxing) Mocha

This drink uses huadiao, commonly known as 'daughter’s red' or Shaoxing wine, a traditional Chinese rice wine historically brewed to celebrate the birth of a daughter. The beverage combines this aromatic, fermented rice wine with mocha coffee. The result delivers a pronounced sherry-like wine aroma layered over dark chocolate tones. The drink is designed to echo both Chinese nuptial traditions and Western chocolate-gifting customs for childbirth.

2. - Osmanthus Aged Wine & Cointreau Mocha

Here, ancient osmanthus-flavored grape wine — with over 3,000 years of history and a reputation among Chinese royalty — is blended with Cointreau, a sweet orange liqueur widely favored in Western cocktails. Together with mocha coffee, this combination produces a layered flavor: first, the floral fragrance of osmanthus, followed by a bright citrus sweetness from the Cointreau. The drink merges imperial Chinese tastes with European liqueur culture.

Why This Matters: A First in the Industry

While coffee with Western spirits (like Kahlúa or Baileys) is commonplace, integrating authentic, culturally significant Chinese liquors such as Shaoxing and osmanthus wine into espresso-based drinks is unprecedented. Pacific Coffee’s new lineup doesn’t just introduce flavors — it represents the first commercial effort to market such culturally hybrid beverages. The move ties into broader trends of cross-cultural food innovation and could pave the way for more regional alcoholic-coffee fusions.

Where to Try These Drinks

Most Pacific Coffee outlets now serve these five new liquor-infused coffee options. In addition to launching the drinks, the company is running a ‘Happy Hours’ promotion to highlight the new items and attract adventurous coffee drinkers. Look for them on the seasonal menu at participating locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Chinese liquors are used in these coffee drinks?

The five drinks use two main Chinese liquors: Shaoxing wine (also called 'daughter’s red' or huadiao) and osmanthus-flavored aged wine. Shaoxing is a fermented rice wine traditionally brewed for celebrating a daughter’s birth, while osmanthus wine is a grape-based wine infused with osmanthus blossoms, with a history of over 3,000 years and popularity in Chinese royal courts. One drink also includes Cointreau, a well-known orange liqueur.

How many new coffee drinks has Pacific Coffee launched?

Pacific Coffee has launched five new coffee drinks that incorporate Chinese liquors. These include a Shaoxing wine mocha and an osmanthus wine and Cointreau mocha, among others. All five are now available at most of their locations.

Are these coffee drinks alcoholic?

Yes, these drinks contain actual Chinese liquors — namely Shaoxing wine and osmanthus-flavored wine — along with other spirits like Cointreau. They are not mocktails, and contain measurable alcohol content from the included liquors.

Where can I try these liquor-infused coffees?

The five Chinese liquor coffee drinks are available at most Pacific Coffee locations. The company has also launched a ‘Happy Hours’ promotion to encourage customers to try the new beverages.

What inspired these coffee and liquor combinations?

The drinks draw inspiration from traditional Chinese cultural practices — such as brewing Shaoxing wine for a daughter’s birth and using osmanthus in imperial cuisine — and pairs them with Western coffee traditions and liqueurs like Cointreau. The goal is a cultural fusion reflected in flavor and presentation.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Liquor-Infused Coffee

Try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Huakui for its bright floral and stone fruit notes, which complement the floral profiles in osmanthus-based drinks. For a deeper pairing with Shaoxing wine’s earthiness, their Yirgacheffe offers vibrant citrus and berry tones. Both beans highlight the complexity of flavor layering in coffee and liquor blends. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.