Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters 5oz

Bittermens was launched by Avery and Janet Glasser, who began developing bitters recipes in San Francisco in 2007 after an invitation to a bitters-making event sparked their interest in the category. Positive reactions from bartenders across San Francisco, New York, and Boston pushed the Glassers to formalize production, and the brand went on to relocate through several cities, including New Orleans, before eventually settling operations in Portland, Oregon.

Xocolatl Mole Bitters was the company's original formula, first released in 2007 as an attempt to distill the flavor of traditional Mexican mole sauce into a bottle. It was designed with aged tequila in mind, built from a high-proof alcohol base infused with cocoa, cinnamon, paprika, and a supporting mix of other spices. The bitters are bottled at 53% alcohol by volume, among the strongest in the Bittermens lineup, and have become one of the most widely referenced and imitated recipes in the modern chocolate bitters category.

The flavor centers on rich cacao and warm cinnamon, with a gentle background heat from paprika and other mole spices rounding out the profile. The effect is deep and slightly savory rather than sweet, adding a Mexican chocolate character that plays especially well against aged rum, bourbon, and rye.