The Perfect Irish Coffee

“I cannot think of a time that I would not be happier with an Irish Coffee in my hand,” says James Grant, mixology director at The Library Bar in Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York.

And for him and us alike, there is no time like the present. 

The drink has in fact enjoyed perpetual popularity since its launch in 1943, when – as the legend has it – an Irish chef working at Foynes Airport, in Limerick, had an alcoholic epiphany. Wouldn’t the passengers passing through who enjoyed a coffee topped with thick cream enjoy it a whole lot more with a splash of Irish whiskey in the mix?

They did, and word got around. Within the decade, the so-called Irish coffee had become one of America’s most popular drinks. Even nowadays, New York’s legendary financial district watering hole The Dead Rabbit sells nearly 40,000 Irish coffees a year. And the staggering pace of sales hits its peak on a chilly, rampantly festive St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

“That moment of drinking hot, sweet, and boozy coffee through cold, rich whipped cream – it’s perfect,” says Grant, Diageo’s 2021 Global World Class Bartender of the Year, who counts it among his all-time favourite drinks. 

And while you won’t find it on the menu at The Library Bar at the Royal York, no matter. Why queue when you can make it at home with Grant’s own recipe?

James Grant’s Irish Coffee

Ingredients:

• Rich, dark roast coffee, no hotter than 76C, sweetened with sugar, agave or maple syrup, or honey.
• Chilled hand-whipped cream 
• Top-quality Irish whiskey (like Power’s Gold)

Method: 

Fill an Irish Coffee glass (or similar) with boiling water to heat, then drain. Add 1.5 oz (45 ml) whiskey, top with sweetened coffee and whipped cream. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Sláinte!