Irish Whiskeys to Sip Neat Vs. Ones to Mix With Coffee
Irish Whiskeys on the back bar of the Occasion Room at the Dead Rabbit, NYC - photo by Bret Herig
Whiskeys and coffee cocktails to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and life in general
In unprecedented public health safety measures because of COVID-19 (coronavirus) contagion concerns, St. Patrick’s Day 2020 has largely been cancelled. There will be no parades in large cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Dublin, and officials are warning that people should stay away from densely packed crowds of more than 100 - 200 people.
If you’re feeling healthy, but stuck at home, you can still enjoy Irish whiskey on March 17th if you can make it to the store, or use an online delivery service. Although the choices we now have for which Irish whiskey to sip are so good, their enjoyment should not be limited to only one day a year.
Not all Irish whiskey is meant to be mixed with coffee!
But one of the things that, well, gets my Irish up, is the assumption that any Irish whiskey, just because it’s Irish, should be thrown into a mug with coffee and cream. Why is it the whisky trolls lose their minds if you mix single malt Scotch with anything, but look the other way when every Irish whiskey goes into an Irish coffee recipe? It’s not even a matter of value or provenance—some whiskey simply doesn’t go well with coffee.
The whiskey has to be delicate enough to even out the astringency and bitterness of the coffee roast. Adding sugar or sugar syrup is not going to help if the flavors of the whiskey are fighting the java. Jilian Vose, Beverage Director and Managing Partner of the Dead Rabbit, maintains that even though they are gorgeous, Irish whiskey styles like single pot still (a uniquely Irish style that uses both malted and unmalted barley from a single distillery, such as the excellent new Kilbeggan Single Pot Still) or single malts (such as Bushmills 16 Year) can go “all wrong” in coffee, which is why the bar’s proprietary recipe uses Bushmills Original. “I strongly suggest using a blend for Irish coffee in general,” she says, explaining that they tend to have a sweet, dried fruit element that matches well with the stronger tones of coffee. Other whiskeys she advises using in coffee recipes are Teeling Small Batch, Slane, and Tullamore D.E.W. Original.*
She does suggest that certain single malts, like Knappogue Castle 12 Year are excellent bases for lighter style Manhattans and shaken drinks, and that pot stills are best in heavier, stirred cocktails that incorporate strongly flavored ingredients like amaro, or in Old Fashioned variations.
Taking Vose’s sage advice, here my suggestions for which Irish whiskeys to sip on their own, and a few Irish coffee recipes to try with others. I also encourage those who are healthy and able to continue supporting local restaurants and bars on St. Patrick’s Day, and any day, as we try to ride out this health crisis. the majority of hospitality workers have no way of earning their living if they don’t physically go to work, and the final impact on this industry will be significant.
May we all raise a glass to our health. Sláinte!
Powers Whiskey sports a new look
Stellar Irish whiskey to sip neat:
West Cork Glengarriff Series Bog Charred Oak: Wesk Cork Distillers is all about locality, and only uses Irish-grown barley for their whiskeys, which have garnered numerous awards including gold medals at the NY International Spirits Competition. Taking things a step further, their single malt is aged in sherry casks, then given a finish in harvest bog oak from Glengarriff (somewhat in the same vein as what Westland in the states has done with their Garryana series to showcase local tree species), lending an extra layer of wood spice. 43% ABV, $45
Glendalough 13 Year Old: I admit it’s a bit of a gimmick, but you know what? It’s pretty yummy. 13 year old Irish single malt (the distillery releases a combination of younger whiskey produced in house and sourced, more mature ones) is finished in new Japanese mizunara casks, which impart a distinctly cedary aroma with hints of cardamom and nutmeg. 46% ABV, $110
The Tyrconnell 15 Year Madeira Cask: Single malt is matured 15 years in traditional ex-bourbon casks and finished in ex-Madeira barrels. To me, this tastes of Cadbury Fruit & Nut bars (dried fruit, milk chocolate, almonds), but with a subtle salty, buttery finish that reminds me of Irish oatmeal cookies. 46% ABV, $115
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Marsala Cask: Yes, another wine cask-finish, but it’s a special one. The traditional Knappogue 12 Year, finished in ex-bourbon casks, takes a nap in Marco de Bartoli Marsala casks. The nuttiness from the cask influences matches the honeyed, buttery stone fruit of the single malt in a way that reminds me of apricot rugelach. 40% ABV, $95
Dingle Single Malt Batch #4: From one of the first craft distilleries in Ireland comes the fourth release of their single malt, which is matured in a combination of bourbon, sherry (both Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso), and port casks. The barley cereal notes of the whiskey still come through all those wine cask finishes, which lends flavors of dried fruits, milk chocolate and baking spice to the finish. 46.5% ABV, $99
Redbreast Single Pot Still 12 Year: This is the whiskey that introduced me to single pot still Irish whiskey, and it’s still a favorite pour when I’m at the pub. There’s a 27 Year Old limited edition out there finished in port casks too ($500), which I’m sure is lovely, but I’m still a fan of the original. 40%, $60
The Dead Rabbit Irish coffee with Bushmills
All these Irish whiskeys taste great neat too, but go well with coffee:
Bushmills Original: This versatile, light whiskey is the perfect blank canvas for cocktails from Irish coffee to toddies to sours. I also really appreciate the more intense fruitiness of the Red Bush blend, which is aged in first-fill bourbon barrels.
Egan’s Vintage Grain: Illinois-based Fire Dept. Coffee roasters even used the whiskey to infuse their beans for a limited release, which tastes like Irish coffee all on its own.
Powers Gold Label is the one that was used in the very first Irish coffee recipe credited to Joe Sheridan in 1943 at Foynes Airport near Limerick, Ireland, and it is still in the recipe served at the Flying Boat Museum in its former location. Check out the new look on the redesigned bottle! Also, in light of recent events, Powers Irish Whiskey will host a virtual toast on St Patrick’s Day led by the brand’s Dublin based Global Brand Ambassador. To find out more, follow @powerswhiskeyus on Instagram for updates.
Jameson: There is now Jameson Cold Brew as a more ready-to-drink variant (which I hear is delicious when mixed with Cynar and cream) joining the Caskmates releases, but the original is best in hot coffee recipes.
Roe & Coe: This classic-tasting blend honors 18th century whiskey maker George Roe, whose Dublin distillery is said to have been the largest of the time, and is now landmarked by the St. Patrick’s Tower on Thomas Street.
Irish Coffee made with Egan’s
Irish Coffee Recipes
Tip: For other variations on the original recipe, you can also try adding spices when preparing the syrup, and/or flavors like maple or vanilla to the whipped cream.
Traditional Irish Coffee
from the recipe served at the Dead Rabbit, New York City
1 oz Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
.75 oz Rich Demerara Syrup (2:1 syrup made with demerara sugar)
3.25 oz hot, brewed Sumatra coffee
freshly whipped cream
Add boiling water to an Irish coffee glass or mug to warm. When ready to prepare the coffee, discard the water. Add all ingredients except the cream to the mug and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream.
Coconut Irish Coffee Tonic
by Chockie Tom, Doom Tiki
1.5 oz Bushmills Original
.75 oz Coco Lopez
.25 Mr. Black Single Origin, or original, cold brew coffee liqueur
2.5 oz Thomas Henry Coffee Tonic (or for less of a jolt, use regular tonic)
Vigorously shake all ingredients except tonic with ice until frothy. Strain into a chilled double rocks glass over crushed ice. Top with tonic.
The Roll Over, photo by Liza Weisstuch
The Roll Over
By Brooke Baker, General Manager, Underdog, New York City
1.5 oz Powers Gold
2 dashes Angostura bitters
.5 oz demerara syrup
.5 heavy cream
3 oz cold brew coffee
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coffee or rocks glass.
*As of press time, Tullamore D.E.W. is moving forward with its O’Everyone popup campaign, which the brand says, “...champions blend, the breaking down of barriers, of embracing the beauty of us, while coming together to celebrate this one day of the year where all can be Irish, with whiskey in hand.” To find out more, and to have your own “O’+last name” t-shirt printed regardless of location, please click here.