Is this the best Irish Coffee in the world?

In the pantheon of hot alcoholic drinks, few are as iconic as the Irish Coffee.

I hate the word ‘iconic’, as it goes. But sometimes, it’s appropriate, and when it comes to Irish Coffee, it rings true. 

Only the Hot Toddy compares for reputation, impact, and enjoyment in the hot cocktail world. Hot Buttered Rum and Mulled Wine, eat your heart out. 

What is Irish Coffee?

The Irish Coffee is a simple combo of Irish whiskey and hot coffee, usually with fresh cream and a garnish of freshly grated nutmeg. 

Its key is how it allows the base spirit to shine while juxtaposing sweet and bitter, light and dark, and heavy and bright. If you’re using cold cream, like we’ll see below, you can add hot and cold to that mix, too. 

The fact that it tastes like coffee doesn’t hurt. People love their coffee.

Swift Bar – creators of the best in town?

London cocktail bar Swift opened in late 2016 and quickly earned a reputation for serving up the best Irish Coffee this side of Dublin.

Connor Bloomfield, Head of Bars at Swift, says the key steps that separate it from the rest is that they keep each element simple. “We keep the glassware and coffee at the same temperature, and the coffee is pre-sweetened for efficiency and quality control. Then a good measure of whiskey and this is then finished off with hand whipped double cream and a grating of nutmeg”. They also keep the coffee in a sous vide so it is hot, but not burned, and the cream cold. The contrast is everything.

The choice of whiskey is Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition because of the rich profile coming from the stout-finished barrels. The coffee is from Send Coffee, and Swift worked with them to make its own blend. They go for a darker roast as it plays well with the other flavours. The double cream is hand-whipped to a thick texture and has a higher fat content. Demerara sugar is the sweetener that binds everything together. “All of these are as important as the other in the final product we serve out,” says Bloomfield.

You can make a version of it at home. Bloomfield recommends using good, strong coffee, quality high-fat cream and your favourite Irish whiskey.

Here’s the recipe!

Swift’s Irish Coffee recipe

Ingredients:

40ml Jameson Caskmates

75ml strong brewed dark-roast coffee

Demerara sugar

Double cream

Method: 

In a serving glass, combine the whiskey, dark­-roast coffee and Demerara sugar. You can adjust the measurements to your taste. Next, hand­-whip the double cream, then slowly pour it over the back of a bar spoon and onto the coffee. This ensures the cream floats on top – think how you would pour Baileys when making a Baby Guinness. Garnish with fresh nutmeg, grated on top.

Is this the best Irish Coffee in the world?

Swift’s Irish Coffee isn’t just a winter warmer; it’s very popular all year round and is the bar’s best-selling drink across all three of its London locations. Bloomfield says they see a big uptake around Paddy’s Day because, of course, “Why wouldn’t you want one!”

Is Swift’s the best in the world? “We like to believe that it is up there as one of the best in the world, but will let people try ours and make their own decision!” Bloomfield says. He adds they enjoy the one from the guys at The Sun Tavern in Bethnal Green and that the Erin Rose frozen recipe in New Orleans is delicious.

So, do you think there’s a better Irish Coffee out there?

If so, who makes it? A bar, yourself… Drop your favourites below.

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