Irish Coffee
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Hot coffee and Irish whiskey sit beneath cool cream, making temperature contrast and the undisturbed layer part of the drink.
IBA published specification · 1 reference serve.
Glassware
Technique
Ice
Garnish
Preparation effort
Ingredients & measurements
| Ingredient | mL | US fl oz | Source measure / qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Whiskey | 50 | 1.69 | 50 ml Irish Whiskey |
| Hot coffee | 120 | 4.06 | 120 ml Hot coffee |
| Fresh cream (Chilled) | 50 | 1.69 | 50 ml Fresh cream (Chilled) |
| 1 teaspoon Sugar | — | — | 1 teaspoon Sugar |
Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.
How to make it
Warm the glass. Combine coffee, whiskey and sugar until dissolved. Float cold, lightly thickened cream using a spoon; do not mix the layers.
Glass: Heatproof Irish coffee glass. Ice: None. Garnish: None specified.
Flavor & balance
- Sweet (supporting): Sweeteners, fruit or sweetened modifiers round the attack and add weight; product sugar varies.
- Bitter (supporting): Cocktail bitters or coffee contribute a bitter accent; a small dose need not dominate.
Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.
Preparation & batching
Service complexity: low. Batchability: spirit components only.
- Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.
- Set coffee extraction or preparation separately; standardize its yield and temperature.
Prepare the hot component and finish the drink at service. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.
Ingredient checks: Milk: check dairy ingredients and all chosen products. These checks are not a complete allergen declaration for every brand or garnish.
Spirit & ingredient choices
| Style | Role | Evidence level | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| S115 — Irish Blended Whiskey | base | qualified | Irish whiskey is specified without production subtype. This is a possible bottle choice, not a requirement or claim that the source used all four types. |
| S116 — Irish Grain Whiskey | base | qualified | Irish whiskey is specified without production subtype. This is a possible bottle choice, not a requirement or claim that the source used all four types. |
| S117 — Irish Single Malt Whiskey | base | qualified | Irish whiskey is specified without production subtype. This is a possible bottle choice, not a requirement or claim that the source used all four types. |
| S118 — Irish Single Pot-Still Whiskey | base | qualified | Irish whiskey is specified without production subtype. This is a possible bottle choice, not a requirement or claim that the source used all four types. |
Recipe notes & variations
For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.