Irish whiskey, hot coffee, brown sugar, and lightly whipped cream — invented in 1943, still perfect.
Irish Coffee was invented by Joe Sheridan, head chef at Foynes Flying Boat terminal in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1943. A flight from New York turned back due to bad weather, and Sheridan made the tired, cold passengers a warming drink on the spot. When one American asked if it was Brazilian coffee, Sheridan replied: 'No, that's Irish coffee.'
The drink came to San Francisco in 1952 when travel writer Stanton Delaplane drank it at Shannon Airport and asked the Buena Vista Café to recreate it. After months of experimenting (cream consistency was the challenge), the Buena Vista began selling Irish Coffees on November 10, 1952. They now serve over 2,000 a day. The lightly whipped cream is the critical detail — stiff cream won't float and won't meld into the drink as you drink through it.
Replace Irish whiskey with bourbon. Richer, more caramelised, and works particularly well with a cold-brew coffee base.
Use blended Scotch instead of Irish whiskey. The smoke note is surprisingly good with dark-roasted coffee.
Use 3 oz cold brew concentrate instead of hot coffee. Serve over ice with the same cream float. A summer adaptation.