Vanilla Irish Coffee

True Irish coffee is one of the world’s great drinks, four ingredients (coffee, whiskey, sugar, cream) layered hot-cold-bitter-sweet into a single glass. This version adds vanilla to the whipped cream, which is a small change that lifts the whole drink without altering its character.

The technique here is older than most cocktail recipes you’ll find. The Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco popularized this approach in 1952, and three details are what separate a great Irish coffee from a mediocre one.

First, pre-heat the glass with boiling water and drain. A cold glass turns the drink lukewarm in seconds. Second, dissolve the sugar in the whiskey before adding the coffee. Sugar doesn’t dissolve well in hot liquid that already has cream floating on it. Third, pour the whipped cream over the back of a spoon so it floats, never stirs in. The hot-and-cold layered drinking experience is the whole point.

Using slightly under-whipped cream (just past soft peaks) is the move most home bartenders miss. Stiff peaks sit on top of the coffee like a hat. Soft-whipped cream slowly melts into the coffee with each sip, getting better as the glass empties.

Vanilla extract in the cream is the gentle upgrade. It adds a floral, almost-bakery note that pairs beautifully with the coffee’s bitterness and the whiskey’s caramel undertones.

Pro Tips

• Use real Irish whiskey like Jameson or Bushmills, bourbon and Scotch change the character of the drink
• Make the coffee strong, you want it to hold its own against the whiskey and cream
• Don’t substitute aerosol whipped cream, it deflates instantly in hot coffee
• Serve in actual Irish coffee glasses if you can, the footed shape helps insulate the heat and looks the part

Variations

• Replace whiskey with bourbon for a Kentucky-style coffee or use dark rum for a Caribbean variation
• Stir in a half teaspoon of cocoa powder with the sugar for a mocha Irish coffee
• Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or a sprinkle of grated dark chocolate on top of the cream