Cocktails

Grim Reaper

Grim Reaper is a cocktail made with Kahlua, 151 Proof Rum, and Grenadine. The listed recipe is built and served in a Old-Fashioned Glass.

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic41.5% ABV3 ingredients

At a Glance

203 kcalCalories

41.5%ABV

9.5gSugar

12.4gCarbs

1.4Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Easybuilt drink

Why: 3 ingredients, uses syrup

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

1 ozKahluaLiqueur Modifier
1 oz Bacardi151 proof rumBase Spirit
1 dashGrenadineSweetener

How to Make It

Mix Kahlua and 151 in glass.
Quickly add ice and pour grenadine over ice to give ice red tint.Pour

How to Serve

Glass: Old-Fashioned Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice

Served Chilled

Serving tips

Serve Grim Reaper cold and use coffee with enough strength to stand up to the other ingredients. Weak coffee can make the drink taste flat. It is commonly matched with desserts, chocolate, coffee desserts style pairings.

Taste

What does Grim Reaper taste like?

Grim Reaper leans into coffee depth, gentle bitterness and a richer after-dinner feel. The best versions keep sweetness in check so the coffee note stays clear.

Primary flavours

Sweet Coffee Roasted

Supporting notes

Vanilla Aromatic

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

BoldnessDelicate – Bold

High ABV
Full-bodied

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Grim Reaper is right for you

Grim Reaper is best for drinkers who want coffee depth, a richer finish and a drink that feels closer to after-dinner than aperitif. Choose it when roast and texture matter more than sharp refreshment. The listed serve is about 41.5% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Grim Reaper if...

Skip Grim Reaper if you want something light, crisp or food-friendly before dinner. Coffee-led cocktails usually feel richer and work better when you want depth, bitterness and a fuller finish.

When to serve

DessertSuggested from its coffee and vanilla notes, pairing with desserts pairing.
After DinnerSuggested from its coffee notes.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

DessertsChocolateCoffee Desserts

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-Free Vegetarian

May be limited

Vegan

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Find vegan-compatible cocktails

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Kahlua1 oz

Coffee LiqueurWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Use the same amount and adjust sweetness if needed.
What changes: Coffee liqueur can usually replace Kahlua, though sweetness and coffee intensity may vary.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Grenadine1 dash

Fresh GrenadineGood swap

How much to use: Use the same amount.
What changes: Fresh grenadine is usually a close substitute for grenadine.

Pomegranate SyrupWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Use the same amount, then adjust sweetness if needed.
What changes: Pomegranate syrup can replace grenadine when a more pomegranate-forward flavor is acceptable.