The Perfect Irish Whiskey Coffee Recipe
Recipe courtesy of Tullamore D.E.W. Brand Ambassador Gillian Murphy
A St. Paddy's Day staple, Irish coffee is a cocktail made with hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, and topped with fluffy cream.
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The cocktail is simple enough, but if you're looking to impress your guests or you have a little extra time on your hands on St. Patrick's Day morning, then there are some tricks (courtesy of Gillian Murphy, bartender and Tullamore D.E.W. Brand Ambassador), to make your Irish coffee top-notch.
For starters, Murphy recommends heating up your glass before making your cocktail. This way, it'll stay warmer for longer. No need to pop the glass in the microwave or anything—simply pouring some hot water into the glass will do.
The next step is mixing together your sugar and coffee in the glass. Sweeten to taste and if you're looking for a low-sugar version, you can also use a zero-calorie sweetener like stevia or monk fruit.
Now the fun part: add your whiskey of choice! We recommend Tullamore D.E.W. for its spicy and malty notes with charred wood undertones. Unlike other whiskeys, there's no harsh burn with Tullamore D.E.W.—its smooth finish is the perfect complement for this warming coffee.
The final ingredient (and perhaps everyone's favorite) is the whipped cream topping. And Murphy has a clever hack: all you need is a protein blender bottle with a small, springy metal ball that helps you mix up your protein powder and liquid. Not everyone has an electric whisk, so this tip makes it easier for you to whip up this cocktail.
To take this cocktail to an impressive level, Murphy explains a classic bartender trick of pouring the whipped cream onto the top of the Irish coffee using the back of a hot teaspoon. This helps to keep the cream on the top of the coffee rather than mixing in—as drinking the coffee through a thick but fluffy layer of cream is a key feature of this classic Irish drink and truly gives meaning to the classic phrase "Top o' the morning to ya!"
Serves 1
You'll Need
1 ½ parts Tullamore D.E.W. Original
1 ½ parts strongly brewed coffee
½ part sugar
Lightly whipped heavy cream
Cinnamon or nutmeg
How to Make It
- Preheat a clear-stemmed glass with very hot water. Add the sugar and brewed coffee and stir well.
- Once the sugar has melted, stir in the Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey.
- Gently whip the heavy cream by shaking it in a protein shaker with a blender ball — you want a still somewhat loose, not stiff consistency.
- Pour the cream over the back of a hot teaspoon to top the drink (and prevent the cream from penetrating the top of the drink).
- Finally, garnish with grated nutmeg or cinnamon for a spicy finish.
