Norse Code Hel Below from Coffee Spirit Co wins top award

The accolade is believed to be the first time a Yorkshire-produced coffee liqueur has received the title at a major international spirits competition.

Norse Code Hel Below, produced by Coffee Spirit Co, was awarded the Country Winner title for England in the Coffee Liqueur category, competing against established national and international brands.

The product is crafted in Yorkshire using the company’s Cold-Filter Brew process, developed to extract the flavour and complexity of speciality coffee. Unlike many products in the category, which often focus on sweetness and flavourings, Norse Code says it was created to showcase the coffee itself.

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Norse Code was founded in 2024 by coffee specialist Gordon Howell — a former UK Brewers Cup Champion and UK Coffee in Good Spirits Championship Champion — and drinks professional Yan. Together, they bring more than 35 years of combined experience across speciality coffee, hospitality and the drinks industry.

Bottles of Hel Below are available at Harlequin Coffee & Tea House in King’s Square, where the founders are pictured in the accompanying photograph overlooking the historic square.

The location is closely connected to York’s Norse heritage. Known during the Viking period as Konungsgarthr (“King’s Court”), King’s Square is widely identified as the probable site of the royal complex of the Viking Kings of York — the heritage from which the Norse Code brand takes its inspiration.

Bottles of the prize winning brews (Image: Robert Harrison Photography)

Gordon Howell, Co-Founder, said: “Every decision — from coffee selection and roast profile through to brewing and blending — was made to showcase the coffee itself. We wanted to create a coffee liqueur that coffee professionals would genuinely enjoy drinking while still being versatile enough for cocktails.”

Yan, Co-Founder, said: “To receive this level of recognition is a huge moment for a small independent producer. It’s something we’re incredibly proud of — not just for us, but for York and Yorkshire’s wider food and drink community.

“This award reflects years of work refining both the ingredients and the process. We wanted to create a product that genuinely celebrated coffee, and most importantly, something that York could be proud of.”

The company also produces Hel Above, a higher-strength coffee liqueur developed for Espresso Martinis, alongside limited-edition releases exploring the relationship between speciality coffee and premium spirits.