Quick Answer

Highlander Grogg coffee has become an incredibly popular flavor combination, though this cup has also piqued curiosities due to a variance of tastes between brands, the potential inclusion of spirits, and a history which sparks a bit of mystery. Here we’re clearing up those Highlander Grogg questions, exploring its origins, flavor profile, and more, including a few recipes which allow you to fully enjoy the exceptional tastes of Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee. 

Key Takeaways

• Highlander Grogg History And Flavor: exploring the history and flavor profile of Highlander Grogg coffee
  
• Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee flavor highlights and recipes, including 
  

- Feelin’ Groggy: creamy iced coffee

- Grogg Not Grog: coffee cocktail

- I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Highlander Grogg Icecream: simple coffee ice cream recipe 

What would one hope to create when combining a country’s historical connection to rum and sugar, the typical flavor notes in a deep, dark rum, including caramel and vanilla, and the warmth and comfort of a smooth, yet bold, cup of freshly brewed coffee? 
Hmmm, this could sound like a bit of a conundrum, albeit a tasty one, if you were unfamiliar with Highlander Grogg coffee. 

Though, as this brew has become wildly popular over the years, few remain curious concerning the tasting notes of this incredibly delicious concoction. 

But, when exactly did this flavor combination hit the coffee scene? 

And, how did a sailor’s grog, infused with lime, sugar, water, and rum become a sweet and decadent coffee flavored with vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, rum, whiskey, toffee, hazelnut… WAIT?? 

That’s a lot of flavor listings for one brew, don't you think?

Obviously, each of these flavors aren’t included in Highlander Grogg, but if you’ve ever sampled multiple offerings of this treat, then you know the highlighted notes can vary greatly from one brew to another. 

So, which flavors do, in fact, make up this brew? 

And, what’s the history surrounding its making? 

Even better, what’s the best way to enjoy a tasty cup of Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee? 

We’re diving into each of these topics and more as we take a look at the history and flavor profile of Highlander Grogg!

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Highlander Grogg History And Flavor Profile

Highlander Grogg - a unique name, a tremendously tasty flavor combination, and ultimately an incredibly delicious cup of coffee. 

But, everything from this name to its spelling, the associated flavors, and more have become quite the center of curiosity, so we wanted to spend some time today clearing up the fog, I mean grog, I mean grogg…

So first up, what’s in a name? 

As some of you may know, grog is typically spelled with only one g, which is why I’m encountering an incredible amount of autocorrection throughout my efforts today. 

So then, what’s the difference between grog and grogg, and is there any meaning behind the added letter? 

When first donning my reporter’s hat, digging in to hopefully find some juicy lore regarding this seeming mishap in spelling, it appeared the only listed difference here was to differentiate between the generic spelling of a cocktail (grog - a watered down, rum and lime infused sailor’s drink) and a coffee (grogg). 

And, while I wish I could report a riveting tale culminating in an added g, it seems the only reason for this redundant alphabetical ending is distinction, differentiating between the sailor’s beverage and one we enjoy each morning, oftentimes with a touch of cream and/or sugar. 

That being said, while the original choice for the added g seems to boil down to marketing, I do find the reasoning to echo what’s at the heart of the rich, delightful tastes in this heavenly brew. 

The added g in grogg serves to provide a folky, even “old-world” feeling, which is exactly the sense experienced throughout the country of Scotland. 

That’s right, this added g serves to highlight the first description in the flavor Highlander Grogg. 

Highlander gives a not-so-subtle nod to the misty highlands of Scotland, a country often known for whiskey production, with a lesser known, but equally excellent, connection to rum. 

Most folks associate rum with the Caribbean islands or even the islands of Indonesia where spiced rum flavors pull inspiration. 

However, what many don’t realize is the fact that Scotland actually has a long, even rich, history of rum production. 

As far back as the 17th century, west-central Scotland, particularly Glasgow, experienced what many term as a sugar boom, giving way to “the golden age of sugar.” 

For nearly two centuries, Glasgow was a hub for both the importing and refinement of Caribbean sugar. And, by the 19th century, putting this sugar to good use, Scotland was considered a leader in blending, aging, and distributing rum. 

But, how does this transfer to the invention and infusion of flavors in Highlander Grogg Coffee? 

While we’ll detail the typical flavors used in Highlander Grogg in a moment, one classic note is rum or buttered rum…and now we’re seeing where Glasgow’s sugar boom comes into play.

Most rums typically get their distinct flavor from the combination of age, oak casks, oftentimes an addition of vanilla, and sugar. 

Over time, throughout fermentation, the sugars in rum deepen, developing a caramel-like flavor and richness, and if one were to isolate these notes, you’d likely end up with roughly three tastes - rum, caramel, and vanilla. 

Which brings us to Highlander Grogg coffee flavors…

If you’ve sampled numerous brand offerings of Highlander Grogg flavored coffee, then you likely know this selection can vary greatly. 

When it first came on the coffee scene in the early to mid 1990s, Berres Brothers Coffee rightly received all the accolades for such a dreamy flavor invention. 

In 1993, a coffee roaster from upstate New York invited Pete, co-founder of Berres Brothers Coffee, to sample a flavor combination known as Mississippi Mud.

He instantly fell in love with the selection - aroma, flavor, and all.

The company first offered Mississippi Mud as a holiday sampling, but as the fan base grew, it became a year-round staple. 

Not long after its popularity surged, the roasting company credited with the Mississippi Mud flavor was bought out, the new owners renaming the flavor to Highlander Grogg, one which Berres Brothers Coffee adopted as well. 

Of course, as the popularity of this selection soared, other roasters and coffee companies began offering their own Highlander Grogg selections, each with a slight variance in the flavor department. 

Today, Berres Brothers lists their Highlander Grogg coffee selection to include butterscotch, caramel, and hazelnut. 

And, other companies incorporate everything from these tastes as well as vanilla, toffee, buttered rum, whiskey, dark rum, cream, and more. 

Most of these flavors stem from the original inclusion of rum, which boasts those rich, caramel-esque notes, and this is why you’ll typically find butterscotch, toffee, and/or caramel in many Highlander Grog coffees. 

If you’ve ever made homemade caramel, you probably recognize the fact that each of these tastes stem from water and sugar beginnings, only yielding varying final flavors due to cook time and temperature as well as the addition of either butter or cream. 

Vanilla is another common Highlander Grogg flavoring as this is a staple in the making of many types of rum. 

Then, rum or buttered rum is classically a tried-and-true Highlander Grogg flavoring, giving the original purist nod to those Scottish Highlands where the sugar boom gave way to rum production in Glasgow and beyond. 

Some flavor infusions, however, skip the 17th-19th centuries altogether, instead opting for modern Scottish flavors of whiskey, promoting the grog-like notes of spiced spirits. 

And, that mention of grog leads us to clear up one more mystery surrounding this brew flavoring. 

In the truest sense, a grog is a sailor’s drink, a rum based infusion born seemingly out of necessity, where sailors extended their rum rations by adding water to their spirits. 

It is said that Edward Vernon, a royal naval officer who enforced this rationing, routinely wore a grogram clothed cloak, thus this watered-down rum drink was eventually called a grog. 

Nothing like the Grogg flavoring today, an original sailor’s grog was said to include rum, water, and typically a mixture of sugar and lime. 

Still, the rum flavor infusion, tied to the sugar booming highlands of Scotland, combined with similar rum-inspired tastes of vanilla and sweet caramel or butterscotch, may now (with its intense popularity) be forever associated with coffee! 

Which of these flavors have you sampled in Highlander Grogg coffee selections? 

Caramel, butterscotch, or toffee? 

Vanilla or cream?

Rum or whiskey? 

And, which flavors do you think we’ve settled on in our Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee selection?  

Let’s find out…

Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee Flavor Specifics And Recipes

Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee begins with our customer-favorite, beloved, coveted, smooth, clean, yet bold medium roast coffee. 

Our medium roast is our most balanced brew, one which provides the perfect backdrop for infusing a variety of flavors. 

And, when it comes to flavors of the Scotland Highlands, we chose to opt for purity, highlighting the original rum-inspired tastes of rich, caramel and smooth vanilla…with notes of buttered rum too, of course! 
But, as you likely know, Lifeboost Coffee isn’t just your ordinary coffee, even when it comes to infusing our clean, healthy coffee beans with rich, wonderful flavors. 

We take extra measures to ensure every sip is not only incredibly tasty, but pure, clean, and healthy. And, this doesn’t include our growing, harvesting, processing, and roasting practices alone. 

What would great attention to these details, including 3rd party testing for molds, heavy metals, and more than 400 other toxins mean or matter, if we then chose to flavor our coffee with the use of propylene glycol?

Propylene glycol is more commonly known in the airline industry as plane de-icer, a substance unfortunately deemed safe for human consumption in small amounts by the FDA. 

And, most conventionally flavored coffees use this chemical substance to force added flavors to essentially stick to or attach to coffee beans. 

Due to the harmful, negative effects of propylene glycol, this solvent has been banned in Europe, and it’s certainly something we do not want on our coffee beans or in anything we’re sipping. 

This is why we’ve chosen to flavor our coffee naturally, using only pure essential oils and baking extracts just like grandma used in her prized baked goods. 

In other words, when you’re sipping Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee, you’re tasting pure, clean, healthy goodness… 

• authentic hints of rum (no worries, the spirits are naturally removed during the roasting process)
  
• true notes of pure, quality vanilla
  
• and real, gooey, rich caramel extracts

These notes dance across your tastebuds, bathed in bold, clean, and classic medium roast…ahhh, the perfect cup does exist! 

Even better, these flavors are quite simple to highlight when you’re looking to enjoy your cup beyond black, past simple additions of cream and sugar. 

So, before we close out our time today, we wanted to leave you with a few recipe options to enhance your enjoyment of this fabulous brew, including a creamy iced coffee, a yummy coffee cocktail, and a recipe for Highlander Grogg Coffee ice cream! 

Enjoy!

1- Feelin’ Groggy

While you could easily enjoy this one hot (simply omit the ice and add the coffee while it’s good and hot), over ice seems to really make the Highlander Grogg flavors pop!

Deeply rich rum, silky smooth and naturally sweet vanilla, confectionery bliss in gooey caramel sauce, thick, delicious cream, and the unparalleled flavors of Lifeboost Coffee…I’m speechless…and you will be too after one sip of this rich, creamy, decadent drink. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces strongly brewed Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• ⅛ teaspoon rum extract
  
• ½ tablespoon cane sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon caramel sauce 
  
• 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
  
• ice

Instructions

• Brew coffee, then set aside to allow the coffee to cool slightly while preparing the rest of the drink components. 
  
• Add heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and cane sugar to a medium sized bowl and whisk or mix until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. You don’t want to whisk too much or it will become whipped cream. Instead you’ll want the texture and consistency to resemble thick, cold foam. Set the mixture aside while assembling the initial parts of the iced coffee. 
  
• Add caramel sauce, brown sugar, rum extract, and brewed coffee to a tall glass, stirring to combine. 
  
• Top with ice, give it another quick stir, then top with a desired amount of vanilla cream. Enjoy!
  

2- Grogg Not Grog

If you read through the info above detailing the difference between grog and grogg, or rather the difference between a sailor’s grog and Highlander Grogg coffee, then you’ll be glad to know there’s no lime in this drink, nor are we diluting our coffee or spirits. 

Instead, we’re offering a new take on this old cocktail, this time highlighting the Highlander Grogg Coffee flavors we all know and love.

Sweet, gooey caramel, velvety vanilla, rich, bold rum, and of course clean, silky smooth, yet robust medium roast Lifeboost Coffee. Yum! 

Ingredients

• 8 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee
  
• 2 tablespoons caramel sauce, plus extra for topping (see recipe below) 
  
• 1-ounce dark rum 
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• Whipped cream, for topping

Instructions 

• Add rum, vanilla, and caramel sauce to the bottom of a cocktail mug, then top with hot coffee. Stir gently to combine. 
  
• Top with whipped cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce and enjoy! 

Homemade Caramel Sauce

• ¾ cup sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons water
  
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  
• ½ cup heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the sugar from crystallizing, which can ruin caramel sauce). 
Heat over medium-high heat.
When sugar turns amber in color, carefully and slowly whisk in heavy cream. 
Remove from heat and let cool. 
Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

3- I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Highlander Grogg Icecream

Coffee isn’t just for sipping - that’s right, you actually can have your coffee and eat it too! 

Caramel, rum, and vanilla, these flavors seem as if they were specifically made for ice cream, but when you infuse those tastes into smooth, bold, and clean coffee, well now, that’s when I really scream for ice cream!

And, truth be told, this one’s actually easier to make than the drink recipes we just covered…well, unless you count the required patience of waiting for this mixture to freeze. 

But, other than that, easy peasy, and oh so smooth, creamy, and decadently delicious! 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups cold brewed Lifeboost Highlander Grogg Coffee
  
• 2 cans full fat coconut milk, refrigerated prior to use
  
• ⅔ cup real maple syrup
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Scrape the fat off of the top of the coconut milk, using only this portion, discarding the liquid underneath. 
  
• Add coconut fat solids, maple syrup, vanilla, and cold brew to a blender and blend until smooth. 
  
• Pour mixture into a freezer safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. 
  
• When ready to eat, set the ice cream out on the counter for about 10-15 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop. Enjoy!
  

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.