The rum and vodka versions of this coffee cocktail are cold drinks, built over ice in a rocks glass. Whiskey and coffee is the opposite: a warm drink, made in a mug, for the end of a cold evening or a slow Sunday morning when you want something a little stronger than plain coffee.

It’s also the simplest version of an Irish Coffee, which is one of the most well-known hot cocktails in the world. Two ingredients gets you 80% of the way there. Add a cream float and you have the full thing.

Which whiskey

Irish whiskey is the traditional choice for a reason. Jameson, Tullamore D.E.W., or Bushmills are smooth, slightly sweet, and don’t fight the coffee like a heavily peated Scotch or a high-rye bourbon might.

The spirit blends into the coffee rather than competing with it.

Bourbon is a solid alternative. The vanilla and caramel notes in a good bourbon pair naturally with coffee, adding a sweetness that Irish whiskey doesn’t have.

Avoid anything very smoky or very tannic in this drink. Those flavors clash with coffee rather than complementing it.

The coffee

Brew your coffee strong. A weak coffee will get lost behind the whiskey, leaving the whole drink watery. A dark roast or a medium-dark roast works best.

French press or drip both work fine.

If you want to get more specific, a coffee with natural chocolate or caramel notes, something like an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe or a Guatemalan roast, pairs especially well with bourbon.

Sweetness

The base version has no added sugar. Irish whiskey has enough natural sweetness that most people don’t need it. If you’re using a drier rye or a less sweet bourbon, a small spoonful of brown sugar stirred in before the coffee adds warmth without making it cloying.

Sometimes I do a brown sugar rim so I can regulate how much sugar I want in each sip.

3-Ingredient Upgrade: Add Irish Coffee

Float an ounce of lightly whipped heavy cream over the top of the drink. Do not use canned whipped cream. Lightly whipped cream poured slowly over the back of a warm spoon sits on top of the coffee and creates that classic Irish Coffee presentation. You sip the coffee through the cream with each drink.

A half-ounce of brown sugar syrup added before the coffee is the other classic addition. My simple syrups page has the base recipe you can adapt with brown sugar in about ten minutes.

Mocktail Version

Simply mix strong hot coffee with a brown sugar syrup and a cream float. Made well, it’s just as satisfying a drink that doesn’t need the whiskey.

A non-alcoholic whiskey stirred in adds the warmth and caramel notes if you want something closer to the original.

Glassware

A warmed mug is the traditional vessel. A glass Irish Coffee mug, the kind with a handle, is the classic presentation, so you can see the cream float.

Warm the mug by filling it with hot water for a minute, then pour it out before building the drink. A warm mug keeps the coffee hotter longer, and the cream floats more stably.

Whiskey and bourbon cocktails to try next:

• Lapsang Maple Sour
• Cardamom Hot Honey Whiskey Sour
• Date Cardamom Whiskey Sour

More 2-Ingredient Bourbon and Whiskey Cocktails:

• Bourbon Cola
• Bourbon & Soda
• Bourbon & Sweet Tea
• Whiskey Apple
• Whiskey Coffee
• Whiskey Coke
• Whiskey Ginger
• Whiskey Lemonade

Whiskey and Hot Coffee

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 oz Irish whiskey or bourbon
• 4 oz hot strong-brewed coffee

Instructions

1. Warm a mug by filling it with hot water, wait one minute, then pour the water out.
2. Add whiskey to the warmed mug.
3. Pour hot coffee over the whiskey and stir gently.

Irish Coffee 3-Ingredient Version

Ingredients

• 2 oz Irish whiskey
• 4 oz hot strong-brewed coffee
• 1 oz heavy cream, lightly whipped

Instructions

1. Warm a mug by filling it with hot water, wait one minute, then pour the water out.
2. Add whiskey to the warmed mug.
3. Pour hot coffee over the whiskey and stir gently.
4. Pour lightly whipped cream slowly over the back of a warm spoon to float it on top. Do not stir.